The City of Pasadena Approves Gradual Increases in Minimum Wage Starting July 1, 2016

On February 1, 2016, the Pasadena City Council enacted  Ordinance No. 7278 to boost the city’s minimum wage to $15, following similar actions recently taken by Los Angeles and San Francisco. See, City of Los Angeles Minimum Wage Increasing Annually from 2016 to 2020 and  San Francisco Minimum Wage. Also see UC Berkeley’s compilation of the growing number of California municipalities adopting minimum wage laws.

Commencing July 1, 2016, many employers (regardless of where located) must pay at least $ 10.50 per hour to all adult and minor employees who work two or more hours in Pasadena in a given workweek more specifically:

A)  Employers with 26 or more employees shall pay:

1)   From July 1, 2016, a $ 10.50 hourly minimum wage.

2)  From July 1, 2017, a $ 12.00 hourly minimum wage.

3)  From July 1, 2018, a $ 13.25 hourly minimum wage.

B)  Employers with 25 or fewer employees shall pay:

1)  From July 1, 2017, a $ 10.50 hourly minimum wage.

2)  From July 1, 2018, a $ 12.00 hourly minimum wage.

By April 1 of each year, Pasadena shall publish a bulletin announcing the adjusted minimum wage rate to take effect on July 1 of that year. Employers in turn shall give written notification to each applicable current employee as well as each new employee at time of hire.

Any further increases depend on the City Council’s further review of local economic conditions, including costs of living.

For further information, please contact one of our attorneys Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.

Helena Kobrin, May 2, 2016