Cleveland Proposes Wage Increases for City Employees

October 17, 2026

Cleveland City Council is considering an emergency ordinance, File No. 1279-2026, to adjust salary pay bands for various city job classifications. The proposal aims to update minimum wage rates for non-bargaining city employees to reflect recent economic changes in the region.

What's in the file

According to a letter from Human Resources Director Matthew J. Cole dated October 2, 2026, the ordinance seeks to amend several sections of Ordinance No. 194-2021. The legislation proposes adjusting the pay band for affected non-bargaining classifications to a new minimum rate of either $16.85 hourly or $35,048.00 annually.

The rationale provided in the letter states that these adjustments are made pursuant to Ordinance 189.02(a)(1), which requires the Fair Employment Wage to be adjusted annually starting October 1, 2024. These adjustments are based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Northeast Ohio, which the Mayor's office reports increased by 3.6%.

Who may be affected

Non-bargaining city classifications (specifically Sections 4-6, 30-41, 43, and 45)
The following groups are specifically excluded from these changes: - Municipal Court Employees - Housing Court Employees - Clerk of Court Employees

Status and timeline

2026-10-02: Director of Human Resources Matthew J. Cole sent a request to Council President Blaine A. Griffin for the legislation to be passed under suspension.
2026-10-15: The emergency ordinance was introduced.
2026-10-19: The scheduled date for the City Council meeting regarding this matter.

What to watch next

The legislation has been requested to be passed under suspension at the October 19, 2026, City Council meeting.

Residents can verify these details and review the full text of the legislation by visiting the Cleveland City Council Legistar website.

Source record

File: 1279-2026
Type: Emergency Ordinance
Status: Agenda Ready
Committee: City Council
Introduced: October 14, 2026

View on Cleveland Legistar