California Minimum Wage Guide for 2026

Historical Minimum Wage Rates Table

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California Special Minimum Wage

California has countless varying minimum wage rates higher than the state’s that target specific employees and employer facilities. Employees cannot be paid subminimum wage; however, in some instances may still be employers to pay employees a lower wage than the state’s rate.

The special minimum wage laws that California employers should know include:

• Fast Food Industry Minimum Wage
• Healthcare Industry Minimum Wage
• Learner Employee Minimum Wage
• Minimum Wage for Disabled Employees

California Minimum Wage Rate for Fast Food Employees

Introduced on April 1, 2024, under Assembly Bill 1228, the Fast Food Council (FFC) of California was established. The FFC is run under the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR) and was established to establish a minimum wage rate suitable for fast food and food service employees statewide.

For an employee to qualify for the special minimum wage rate, the restaurant he or she works for must be:

• Considered a “limited-service restaurant”, offering limited to no table service and requiring customers to order and pay for food and beverages before consuming them
• A part of a chain of at least 60 restaurants nationwide
• Primarily engaged in selling food and beverages for immediate consumption

The FFC is also responsible for creating and enforcing the standards and regulations for the fast food industry within California, including the special minimum wage rate. Note that no locality within the state can establish a food service minimum wage higher than this.

Currently, the food service minimum wage rate is fixed to be $20.00 per hour.

California Minimum Wage Rate for Healthcare Employees

Several legislative additions to the California Labor Code were introduced on October 16, 2024, that require healthcare employers to pay employees special wages based on the type of healthcare facility. Specifically, under Senate Bill 525, a schedule to gradually increase the minimum wage for covered healthcare workers was introduced, with the target goal to raise the rate for all covered facilities to $25 per hour. Some facilities have scheduled increases that will take effect as far as 2034 to reach $25 per hour.

Each year on July 1, the minimum wage rate will increase based on the schedule until the rate of a given facility reaches $25 per hour. Once a covered healthcare facility reaches $25 per hour, subsequent years will see further increases based on the Consumer Price Index, beginning on January 1 of each year.

Below are the covered healthcare facilities affected by the planned increases, as well as the timeline for each facility to reach the $25 per hour minimum:

California Minimum Wage for Learner Employees

California allows an exception for employers to pay a subminimum wage to learner employees or employees in training. Learner employees must be paid at least 85% of California’s current minimum wage rate for his or her first 160 hours of employment (first 20 days of work). For 2025, the learner employee minimum wage rate is $14.03 per hour.

California Minimum Wage for Disabled Employees

Effective January 1, 2025, and thereafter, the state of California does not permit employers to pay employees a subminimum wage rate.

Prior to 2025, California employers could apply for a federal certificate that allowed for a subminimum wage to be paid to employees with disabilities. However, under California’s Senate Bill 639, the California local government began the process of eliminating subminimum wage practices.

The timeline regarding California's Subminimum Wage is as follows:

• January 1, 2021: California’s Senate Bill 639 was enacted, beginning the process of eliminating submininmum wage for disabled employees
• January 1, 2022: Special licenses for businesses to offer a subminimum wage rate to disabled employees ceased; employers could no longer apply for a certificate
• January 1, 2023: The State Council of Developmental Disabilities created a plan to begin passing out subminimum wages
• January 1, 2025: Subminimum wages for disabled employees officially became illegal

California Minimum Wage for Tipped Employees

Enacted in 1975, California Labor Code Section 351 states that every gratuity earned by an employee is considered to be the sole property of the employee. This law was later reinforced in a 1988 California Supreme Court ruling that formally abolished the subminimum wage rate for tipped employees.

Therefore, all employees in the state of California are entitled to at least the full state minimum wage.

Overtime Pay

Under California Labor Code Section 510, all employees working over 40 hours per week or 12 hours per day / shift must be paid one-half times his or her regular rate of pay in overtime. This rule also applies to the first 8 hours worked on the 7th consecutive day within a workweek.

Additionally, if an employee works beyond 8 hours on the 7th day of the workweek, he or she is entitled to overtime pay equal to double the regular rate of pay.

California does have its own set of overtime rules for agricultural workers, specifically with different thresholds for hours worked and the number of hours within a workweek to determine overtime pay eligibility.

California Minimum Wage Exemptions

Employees exempt from overtime pay in California include workers based on the Federal FLSA classifications. Additionally, California exempts overtime pay for these individuals:

• Individuals that are either the parent, spouse, or child of the employer
• Individuals working as apprentices under the State Division of Apprenticeship Standards

Local California Minimum Wage (Counties & Cities)

Many localities in the state of California offer their own minimum wage rates determined by city-specific ordinances. These ordinances may have drastically different minimum wage laws from the state’s 

• Increase schedule for the minimum wage
• Effective date of annual minimum wage increases
• Labor law posting requirements
• Industry-specific employer or employee rules
• Penalties for noncompliance
• Enforcement regulations

All California employees are entitled to the local minimum wage rate so long as he or she work at least 2 hours per workweek, and the employer owns a facility within or is subject to a locality’s business license tax.

Note that each locality uses a regional Consumer Price Index calculation to determine the minimum wage rate each year.

The localities with their own minimum wage rates and laws include:

• Alameda City
• Belmont
• Berkeley
• Burlingame
• Cupertino
• Daly City
• East Palo Alto
• El Cerrito
• Emeryville
• Foster City
• Fremont
• Glendale
• Half Moon Bay
• Hayward
• Long Beach
• Los Altos
• Los Angeles
• Malibu
• Menlo Park
• Milpitas
• Mountain View
• Novato
• Oakland
• Palo Alto
• Pasadena
• Petaluma
• Redwood City
• Richmond
• San Carlos
• San Diego
• San Francisco
• San Jose
• Santa Clara
• San Mateo
• Santa Monica
• Santa Rosa
• Sonoma
• South San Francisco
• Sunnyvale
• West Hollywood

Alameda City Minimum Wage

On September 16, 2018, the City Council enacted the Alameda City Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on July 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San José region.

It’s worth noting that the rest of Alameda County follows the state’s minimum wage rate, while the City specifies its own minimum wage rate.

Belmont Minimum Wage

On January 1, 2017, the City Council enacted the Belmont Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI) in the San Francisco-Oakland-San José region. Using the CPI, the city of Belmont adjusts the minimum wage rate either by the lesser of 3.5% or the prior year’s increase.

Berkeley Minimum Wage

As a part of the Workforce Standards set by the Berkeley City Council, local laws allow the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on July 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI) in the San Francisco-Oakland-San José region.

Burlingame Minimum Wage

On September 21, 2020, the City Council enacted the City of Burlingame Ordinance No. 1982, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI) in the San Francisco-Oakland-San José region.

Cupertino Minimum Wage

On January 1, 2017, the City Council enacted the Cupertino Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI) in the San Francisco-Oakland-San José region.

Daly City Minimum Wage

On January 14, 2019, the City Council enacted the Daly City Wage Ordinance No. 1425, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI) in the San Francisco-Oakland-San José region.

East Palo Alto Minimum Wage

On January 1, 2021, the City Council adopted the East Palo Alto Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI) in the San Francisco-Oakland-San José region.

El Cerrito Minimum Wage

On November 17, 2015, the City Council enacted the El Cerrito Minimum Wage Standards Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

All employers in the City of El Cerrito must compensate every employee with the local minimum wage rate as long as the employee has worked at least 2 hours or more per week.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI) in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region.

Emeryville Minimum Wage

On June 2, 2015, the City Council enacted the Emeryville Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate on top of providing paid sick leave benefits.

All employers in the City of Emeryville must compensate every employee with the local minimum wage rate as long as the employee has worked at least 2 hours or more per week.

Each year on July 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI) in the San Francisco-Oakland-San José region.

Foster City Minimum Wage

On July 1, 2022, the City Council enacted the City of Foster Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region, to which the maximum increase cannot exceed 3%.

Fremont Minimum Wage

On February 5, 2019, the City Council enacted the Fremont Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on July 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region.

Glendale Minimum Wage

The City of Glendale generally follows the minimum wage law set forth by California state. However, Glendale has specific legislation requiring certain hotel employers to pay a higher minimum wage rate than what the state normally offers.

Effective on June 28, 2022, under the Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance, employees working at hotels that house 60 or more rooms are entitled to a special minimum wage.

Half Moon Bay Minimum Wage

On February 4, 2020, the City Council enacted Ordinance No. 2020-01, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate. 

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region (CPI).

Hayward Minimum Wage

On April 14, 2020, the City Council enacted the City of Hayward’s Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate. 

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region, to which the maximum increase cannot exceed 5%.

Unlike other local minimum wage rates throughout the state, the City of Hayward divides the minimum wage depending on the size of the employer.

Employer sizes are calculated based on the following:

• Small Businesses: 25 or fewer employees
• Large Businesses: 26 or more employees

Note that the employer size determination includes part-time and employees working outside of the city.

Long Beach Minimum Wage

The City of Long Beach generally follows the minimum wage law set forth by California state. However, Long Beach has specific legislation requiring hotel and concessionaire employees to be paid a higher minimum wage rate than what the state normally offers.

On November 6, 2012, the city adopted the Long Beach Hotel Workers Initiative Ordinance (Measure N), requiring all hotel employers to pay workers a special minimum wage rate, as well as the right to paid sick days.

On February 11, 2014, the city adopted Ordinance No. ORD-14-0002, requiring all concessionaire workers at the Long Beach Airport and the Long Beach Convention Center to be paid a special minimum wage rate, as well as the right to paid sick days.

Each year on July 1, both minimum wage rates are to be adjusted using the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI) in the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County region.

Los Altos Minimum Wage

On January 1, 2017, the City Council enacted the Los Altos Minimum Wage Ordinance (2016-424), which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.

Los Angeles Minimum Wage

Both the County and the City of Los Angeles (LA) enacted their own ordinances towards a higher minimum wage rate than what the state offers.

The Los Angeles County Minimum Wage Ordinance took effect and raised the county’s minimum wage rate on July 1, 2016. The ordinance affects all employees within the unincorporated area of LA County. Employers can determine if businesses are within the unincorporated boundaries of LA County by searching the business address using the County Registrar-Recorder’s website.

The City of LA also took effect and raised the minimum wage rate on July 1, 2016, under the LA City Minimum Wage Ordinance. Employers within the incorporated city of LA must provide the city's minimum wage rate over the county and state’s minimum wage.

Both the County and the City of LA’s minimum wage rates are calculated using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

The City of Los Angeles Minimum Wage for Hotel and Airport Workers

In addition to the City of LA’s standard minimum wage rate, there are also special minimum wage rates for hotel and airport workers.

Effective July 1, 2017, the City of LA enacted Ordinance No. 188610, requiring hotel and airport workers to be paid a special minimum wage rate, as well as other health benefits.

Each year on July 1, both minimum wage rates are to be adjusted following the schedule under the September 8, 2025, amendment.

* The minimum wage for hotel and airport workers in Los Angeles City was initially planned to increase on July 1, 2025; however, due to a referendum petition from the hospitality industry, the amended wage increase was temporarily suspended. The petition was determined to have insufficient signatures to overturn the amendment, allowing the minimum wage increase to go into effect later in September.

Malibu Minimum Wage

On January 1, 2017, the City Council enacted Ordinance No. 404, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on July 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

However, due to the Palisades fire incident that occurred in 2025, the minimum wage increase that was planned to take place on July 1, 2025, was suspended and will resume the following year.

Menlo Park Minimum Wage

On September 24, 2019, the City Council enacted Ordinance No. 1058, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region, though the determined rate of the minimum wage cannot exceed 3%.

Milpitas Minimum Wage

On February 21, 2017, the City Council enacted Ordinance No. 292, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Milpitas maintains a partnership with the City of San Jose’s Office of Equality Assurance (OEA) to enforce minimum wage requirements as well as other workers’ rights.

Each year on July 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region.

Mountain View Minimum Wage

On November 10, 2015, the City Council enacted the Mountain View Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on July 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.

Novato Minimum Wage

On October 8, 2019, the City Council enacted Ordinance No. 1653, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region. Using the CPI, Novato adjusts the minimum wage rate either by the lesser of 3.5% or the prior year’s increase.

Unlike other local minimum wage rates throughout the state, the City of Hayward divides the minimum wage depending on the size of the employer.

Employer sizes are calculated based on the following:

• Small Businesses: Between 1 to 25 employees
• Large Businesses: Between 26 to 99 employees
• Very Large Businesses: 100 employees or more

Note that the employer size determination includes part-time and employees working outside of the city.

* The minimum wage rates equal that of the statewide rate

Oakland Minimum Wage

Effective March 2, 2015, the City Council enacted the Oakland Minimum Wage Law (Measure FF), which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

On July 1, 2019, the city adopted the Hotel Minimum Wage and Working Conditions Ordinance (Measure Z), requiring all hotel employers to pay workers a special minimum wage rate. The special wage rates vary depending on whether the employee has healthcare benefits or not. All hotel employers that have 50 or more guest rooms must pay employees the applicable wage rate.

Each year on January 1, both minimum wage rates under Measure FF and Measure Z are to be adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.

Palo Alto Minimum Wage

On January 1, 2016, the City Council enacted the Palo Alto Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate. 

Palo Alto maintains a partnership with the City of San Jose’s Office of Equality Assurance (OEA) to enforce minimum wage requirements as well as other workers’ rights.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region.

Pasadena Minimum Wage

On March 14, 2016, the City Council enacted the Pasadena Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on July 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the Los Angeles metropolitan area.

Petaluma Minimum Wage

On August 5, 2019, the City Council adopted the Petaluma Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region.

Redwood City Minimum Wage

On January 1, 2019, the City Council enacted Ordinance No. 2443, which allows Redwood City to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.

Richmond Minimum Wage

The Richmond City Council enacted Richmond Minimum Wage Ordinance 11-14 N.S., which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Unique to Richmond, employers that help pay for employees’ medical health benefits may deduct a maximum of $1.50 per hour from his or her wages. Otherwise, employers must compensate employees with the locality’s standard minimum wage rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.

San Carlos Minimum Wage

On January 1, 2021, the City Council enacted the San Carlos Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the region. Using the CPI, San Carlos adjusts the minimum wage rate either by the lesser of 3.5% or the prior year’s increase.

San Diego Minimum Wage

On January 11, 2016, the City Council enacted the Earned Sick Leave and Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

San Diego Minimum Wage for Hospitality Workers

Effective January 1, 2026, under the Hospitality Minimum Wage Ordinance, certain employers in the hospitality industry within San Diego are required to compensate employees with special minimum wage rates.

Employers operating the following businesses are affected:

• Hotels with 150 guest rooms or more
• Amusement parks
• Event centers
  
  • The affected event centers include Petco Park, Pechanga Arena San Diego, San Diego Convention Center, and the Civic Theatre

San Francisco Minimum Wage

Beginning in 2003, the City Council enacted the San Francisco Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate. 

Additionally, certain government-supported employees working within San Francisco are eligible to receive a special wage rate different from the city’s.

Employees defined as “government-supported employees” include:

• Minor employees working under an after-school or summer program in a training or apprenticeship program in a position funded by the federal, state, or local government; or
• Employees over the age of 55 working at a nonprofit corporation that primarily provides social welfare services to other individuals over the age of 55
  
  • The position must also be funded by the federal, state, or local government to qualify

Each year on July 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.

San Jose Minimum Wage

On December 6, 2016, the City Council enacted the San Jose Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate. 

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.

Santa Clara Minimum Wage

On August 22, 2017, the City Council enacted the Santa Clara Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate. 

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.

San Mateo Minimum Wage (County & City)

Both the County and the City of San Mateo enacted their own ordinances towards a higher minimum wage rate than what the state offers.

The San Mateo County Minimum Wage Ordinance took effect and raised the county’s minimum wage rate on April 1, 2023. The ordinance affects all employees within the unincorporated area of San Mateo County. Employers can determine if businesses are within the unincorporated boundaries of San Mateo County by searching the business address using the County's address lookup tool.

The San Mateo City Minimum Wage Ordinance took effect on January 1, 2017, raising the minimum wage rate separately from the state’s rate. Employers within the incorporated city of LA must provide the city's minimum wage rate over the county and state’s minimum wage.

Both rates are calculated using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.

Santa Monica Minimum Wage

On July 1, 2016, the City Council enacted the Santa Monica Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate. 

Each year on July 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the Los Angeles-Riverside-Orange County region.

Santa Monica Minimum Wage for Hotel Workers

In addition to Santa Monica’s standard minimum wage rate, there are also special minimum wage rates for hotel workers.

Beginning on July 1, 2017, Santa Monica’s Hotel Worker Living Wage Ordinance was revised to align with Los Angeles’s hotel worker wage rates.

Each year on July 1, the minimum wage rate is to be adjusted following the schedule under the September 8, 2025, amendment.

Santa Rosa Minimum Wage

On July 1, 2020, the City Council enacted the Santa Rosa Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate. 

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.

Sonoma Minimum Wage

On July 10, 2019, the City Council enacted the Somona Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate. 

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region.

Unlike other local minimum wage rates throughout the state, the City of Somona divides the minimum wage depending on the size of the employer.

Employer sizes are calculated based on the following:

• Small Businesses: 25 or fewer employees
• Large Businesses: 26 or more employees

Note that the employer size determination includes part-time and employees working outside of the city.

South San Francisco Minimum Wage

On January 1, 2020, the City Council first amended Chapter 8.71 of the South San Francisco Municipal Code (SSFMC), which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate. 

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose region.

Sunnyvale Minimum Wage

On January 1, 2017, the City Council enacted the Sunnyvale Minimum Wage Ordinance, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward region.

West Hollywood Minimum Wage

On November 15, 2021, the City Council first amended Chapter 5.130 of the West Hollywood Municipal Code, which allows the city to adjust its own minimum wage separately from the state’s standard rate.

Each year on January 1, the city’s minimum wage is adjusted using the Consumer Price Index (CPI) for the Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers in the Los Angeles-Long Beach-Anaheim region.

Note that on April 16, 2024, the West Hollywood city council halted any future wage increases until January 1, 2025, to allow small businesses to catch up with the increasing costs of business operations.

West Hollywood Minimum Wage for Hotel Workers

In addition to West Hollywood’s standard minimum wage rate, there are also special minimum wage rates for hotel workers. Unlike other California cities with special minimum wage rates for hotel employees, the hotel worker minimum wage is defined under the same ordinance as the city’s standard minimum wage.

Each year on July 1, the minimum wage rate is to be adjusted following the schedule:

California Meal and Rest Breaks

California labor code defines both meal and rest break laws statewide. All localities within the state follow the same state-level law.

Meal Break Requirements

California employers must adhere to the following meal break requirements:

• For shifts over 5 consecutive hours: entitled to 1 meal period of at least 30 minutes uninterrupted
  
  • Not required if an employee’s total shift is 6 hours or less
• For shifts over 10 consecutive hours: entitled to 2 meal periods of at least 30 minutes each, uninterrupted
  
  • A second meal break is not required if an employee’s total shift is 12 hours or less

If an employee is relieved from all of his or her duties, employers may count the meal period as unpaid. However, meal periods must be counted as hours worked if the nature of work performed prevents the employee from being relieved of all duties, known as “on-duty” meal periods. Employees taking an on-duty meal period are entitled to compensation under the regular rate of pay.

Additionally, if an employee is required to stay within the worksite during a meal period, the employee must be compensated regardless if the employee is relieved of all his or her duties.

Rest Break Requirements

All California employers covered under the state’s Industrial Welfare Commission Wage Orders (IWC) must provide employees with 10-minute rest periods for every 4 hours worked. Break periods should be as close to the middle of the shift as possible.

Employers may waive rest periods, provided employees are compensated for one hour at his or her regular rate of pay.

Employers cannot prohibit employees from leaving the workplace during his or her rest period.

California Minimum Wage Posting Requirements

For compliance with California labor laws, employers must visibly display the California minimum wage in a conspicuous location that all employees have access to in the workplace. An all-in-one California Labor Law Poster will cover all the required state and federal labor law postings. Additionally, employers can receive minimum wage posters for each California locality, ensuring full compliance with California labor laws.

Note that each time the minimum wage is updated, the labor law poster must be replaced in the workplace. A labor law poster subscription service will automatically provide updated mandatory notices that need to be posted for employees as additional changes take place with state or local laws.

Penalties for Non-Compliance

Non-compliance with California minimum wage laws or similar locality laws will result in costly penalties.

Notably, employers must compensate employees with the following:

• Back pay equal to the amount owed to an employee
• Liquidated damages equal to the amount owed to an employee
• 10% interest per year on the amount of unpaid wages 
• If wages are owed to a terminated employee, penalties equal an employee’s daily wage for each day wages go unpaid for up to 30 days
• Civil penalties and employee attorney fees

All California employers can be subject to these penalties; However, depending on the locality’s own minimum wage law, employers may be subject to stricter penalty amounts or may have to adhere to additional regulations to maintain minimum wage law compliance.

Employers should contact the local Department of Labor where the business resides for more detailed information regarding minimum wage law requirements.

Final Thoughts on California Minimum Wage

Businesses struggling to maintain minimum wage compliance or manage payroll may want to consider outsourcing payroll to a California payroll company. Areas for additional knowledge and learning include the basics of payroll and what to know about modern payroll software.  

To learn more about how Employer Pass is helping countless businesses maintain minimum wage compliance, contact us today or use the find a provider tool.