POWELL, Ohio — The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium has increased its minimum wage.
Tom Schmid, the president and CEO of the Columbus Zoo Family of Parks, said the minimum wage will be increased to $13 immediately and $15 an hour by 2024.
The organization said this will benefit 95% of current season employees and new hires. Tipped employees will remain at state minimum wage.
Wages at The Wilds and the Safari Golf Club will also start at $13 an hour.
Lifeguards will be paid $15 an hour and Zoombezi Bay will pay for the employee's lifeguard certification, which costs about $115.
Employees aged 19 and over and food and beverage employees will start at $17 an hour.
Parks within the organization need to hire more than 1,700 seasonal positions such as guest relations, positions in food and beverage, lifeguards and other positions, to get ready for the summer season.
"Our staff are our top priority. Raising our minimum wage will allow us to be more competitive in our local labor marketplace and help lift more of our teams and their families," Schmid said in a release on Wednesday.
The parks employ about 2,345 employees and seasonal staff a year.
Open interviews for the zoo and the waterpark will be held on April 9 from 1 to 3 p.m. at the Lakeside Pavilion.
Open interviews at The Wilds will be held on April 9 from 10 a.m. to noon at the Overlook.
For a list of all open positions, click here.
