California minimum wages are currently $13.00 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees and $12.00 for employers with 25 employees or less. On January 1 of each coming year, these will continue to increase one dollar/hour until reaching $15 per hour for the larger employers (26-plus) in 2022 and for the smaller employers a year later. See California’s Gradual Increases in Minimum Wage, to Reach $15.00 Per Hour by January 1, 2022 (April, 2016).
The statewide minimum wage is not the end of the inquiry. A number of municipalities have higher minimum wage rates and particular definitions of what “employers” or “employees” they impact.
Effective July 1, 2020, 12 cities and two counties will increase their minimum wage rates while Santa Rosa initiates a higher standard. Many of these will continue to rise in coming years. See the UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education listing for regular updates.
Operations spanning more than one of these jurisdictions face the potential complication of which ordinance or ordinances to apply. While the solution is likely unique to each employer, a possible best practice is to set wages at the highest rate among the choices.
| City or County | Minimum Wage Rate |
| Alameda | $15.00 |
| Berkeley | $16.07 |
| Emeryville | $16.84 |
| Fremont | $13.50 (25 or fewer employees) and $15.00 (26 or more employees) |
| Los Angeles City | $14.25 (25 or fewer employees) and $15.00 (26 employees or more) |
| Los Angeles County (Unincorporated Areas) | $14.25 (25 or fewer employees) and $15.00 (26 employees or more) |
| Malibu | $14.25 (25 or fewer employees) and $15.00 (26 or more employees) |
| Milpitas | $15.40 |
| Novato | $13.00 (25 or fewer employees) and $14.00 (26-99 employees) and $15.00 (100 or more employees) |
| Pasadena | $14.25 (25 or fewer employees) and $15.00 (26 employees or more) |
| San Francisco City and County | $16.07 |
| San Leandro | $15.00 |
| Santa Monica | $14.25 (25 or fewer employees) and $15.00 (26 employees or more) |
| Santa Rosa | $14.00 (25 or fewer employees) and $15.00 (26 employees or more) |
Some cities have enacted separate minimum wage laws for hotel workers. Each rate is increasing on July 1: Long Beach ($15.47); Santa Monica ($17.13) and City of Los Angeles ($17.13).
A covered employer must also conspicuously post an updated wage notice/bulletin for each applicable jurisdiction. Click the above city/county link(s) to download the most current notice.
See also:
- Minimum Wage Laws (January 31, 2020)
- What’s New in 2020 – California Minimum Wage Rates (December 12, 2019)
- Cautionary Tales Episode 31 – Residential Care Facility Not Feeling the Love (July 12, 2019)
For more information, please contact one of our attorneys, Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.
Helena Kobrin
Daniska Coronado
June 18, 2020