Omaha’s standard minimum wage is $15 an hour in 2026, but Nebraska law allows $13.50 rates for some younger workers and qualifying new employees while a lawsuit over the city’s wage ordinance continues.
By Hola Nebraska
Updated Oct. 5, 2026.
OMAHA, Nebraska — The standard minimum wage for most workers in Omaha is $15 an hour in 2026, the same general rate that applies across Nebraska.
There are exceptions. Nebraska law allows a $13.50 youth minimum wage for certain workers ages 14 and 15 and a $13.50 training wage for some newly hired workers ages 16 through 19.
Omaha attempted to require the full $15 rate for workers covered by those lower state rates. A Douglas County District Court judge temporarily blocked that part of the city ordinance in September while a lawsuit between the State of Nebraska and the City of Omaha continues.
Omaha minimum wage in 2026
- Standard minimum wage: $15 per hour.
- Youth wage: $13.50 for qualifying workers ages 14 and 15.
- Training wage: $13.50 for qualifying newly hired workers ages 16 through 19.
- Tipped employees: Cash wages may be $2.13 per hour, but wages and tips combined must reach the applicable minimum wage.
- Statewide rate starting Jan. 1, 2027: $15.26 per hour.
- Omaha litigation: The city’s future wage-adjustment formula remains in effect for now, but the lawsuit is not resolved.
Most workers in Omaha have a $15 minimum wage in 2026
Nebraska’s standard minimum wage increased to $15 per hour on Jan. 1, 2026.
The state Wage and Hour Act generally applies to employers with four or more employees, although separate rules and exemptions apply to some categories of workers.
Omaha’s minimum wage ordinance took effect Oct. 1, but it did not create an immediate raise for most workers because the standard state minimum was already $15.
The Nebraska Department of Labor maintains the current state minimum wage and labor standards information.
Nebraska allows a $13.50 wage for some workers ages 14 and 15
Nebraska law allows employers to pay a youth minimum wage of $13.50 per hour to an employee who is at least 14 but younger than 16 and is not an emancipated minor.
Omaha’s ordinance sought to eliminate that lower rate within city limits and require the standard $15 minimum regardless of age.
On Sept. 28, Douglas County District Court Judge Timothy Burns temporarily blocked Omaha from enforcing that part of the ordinance while the legal challenge continues.
The ruling is temporary and does not resolve the underlying lawsuit over how much authority Omaha has to establish wage rules that differ from state law.
Some new employees ages 16 to 19 can receive a $13.50 training wage
Nebraska also allows a $13.50 training wage for certain newly hired employees who are at least 16 but younger than 20.
The employee cannot be a seasonal worker, migrant worker or emancipated minor.
The training rate can generally apply for the first 90 days after hiring. A second 90-day period is allowed when the employee participates in qualifying on-the-job training approved by the Nebraska Commissioner of Labor.
State law also limits the use of the training wage when another employee’s hours are reduced or a worker is laid off and replaced with a new employee receiving the lower rate.
For now, the state-authorized training wage remains available in Omaha while the court case continues.
Omaha’s future wage increases could differ from the statewide rate
The legal dispute also involves how the minimum wage will increase after 2026.
Nebraska law now increases the standard statewide minimum wage by 1.75% each year. The Nebraska Department of Labor lists the general state minimum at $15.26 per hour beginning Jan. 1, 2027.
Omaha’s ordinance uses a different formula based on changes in the Midwest Consumer Price Index.
The Sept. 28 court ruling did not temporarily block that portion of Omaha’s ordinance. That means the city’s separate adjustment formula remains in place for now, although the lawsuit is continuing and additional court action could change the result before the 2027 rate takes effect.
The full text of Omaha Ordinance 44716 includes the city’s minimum wage provisions and annual adjustment formula.
Tipped workers can still receive a $2.13 cash wage
Nebraska allows tipped employees to receive a direct cash wage of at least $2.13 per hour.
However, the employee’s cash wages and tips together must equal or exceed the applicable minimum wage. If they do not, the employer is responsible for paying the difference.
Student-learners participating in a bona fide vocational training program may also receive at least 75% of the minimum wage that would otherwise apply.
Workers can contact Nebraska Labor Standards about wage questions
Nebraska Department of Labor specialists can answer questions about the state’s minimum wage and other wage rules at 402-471-2239.
Workers seeking unpaid wages or reporting a possible minimum wage violation can also use the department’s wage complaint process.
For additional context on Nebraska’s wage increases, Hola Nebraska previously explained how the minimum wage reached $15 in Nebraska in 2026.
The Omaha minimum wage lawsuit remains unresolved
Nebraska Attorney General Mike Hilgers sued Omaha in August, arguing that state law controls minimum wage policy and that the city cannot replace state wage provisions with its own rules.
Omaha has defended its ordinance under its authority as a home rule charter city.
The September ruling addressed only whether parts of the ordinance could be enforced while the case proceeds. It was not a final decision on the lawsuit.
As of Oct. 5, the standard minimum wage for most Omaha workers remains $15 per hour, while qualifying youth and training wage rates of $13.50 remain available under Nebraska law.
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