California minimum wage will increase to $10.50 per hour on January 1, 2017 for employers with 26 or more employees (smaller employers will continue to pay $10.00 per hour until January 1, 2018) then increase each year until reaching $15 per hour in 2022. See California’s Gradual Increases in Minimum Wage, to Reach $15.00 Per Hour by January 1, 2022 (April, 2016).
Concurrently, many California cities (and two counties) have implemented their own minimum wage ordinances. Employers therefore should check regularly for any new or revised minimum wage.
Below is a comprehensive list of currently enacted minimum wage rates in effect on January 1, 2017 or increasing later in the year for all applicable locations that have enacted their own minimum wage ordinances.
| City or County | Minimum Wage Rate | Date |
| Berkeley | $12.53 | January 1, 2017 |
| $13.75 | October 1, 2017 | |
| Cupertino | $12.00 | January 1, 2017 |
| El Cerrito | $12.25 | January 1, 2017 |
| Emeryville | $13.00 (55 or fewer employees) and $14.82 (56 or more employees) | January 1, 2017 |
| $14.00 (55 or fewer employees) and $15.20 (56 or more employees) | July 1, 2017 | |
| Long Beach | $14.07 (hotel workers) | January 1, 2017 |
| Los Altos | $12.00 | January 1, 2017 |
| Los Angeles City | $10.00 (25 or fewer employees) and $10.50 (26 employees or more) | January 1, 2017 |
| $10.50 (25 or fewer employees) and $12.00 (26 employees or more) | July 1, 2017 | |
| Los Angeles County (Unincorporated Areas) | $10.00 (25 or fewer employees) and $10.50 (26 employees or more) | January 1, 2017 |
| $10.50 (25 or fewer employees) and $12.00 (26 employees or more) | July 1, 2017
|
|
| Malibu | $10.00 (25 or fewer employees) and $10.50 (26 or more employees) | January 1, 2017 |
| $10.50 (25 or fewer employees) and $12.00 (26 or more employees) | July 1, 2017 | |
| Mountain View | $13.00 | January 1, 2017 |
| Oakland | $12.86 | January 1, 2017 |
| Palo Alto | $12.00 | January 1, 2017 |
| Pasadena | $10.00 (25 or fewer employees) and $10.50 (26 employees or more) | January 1, 2017 |
| $10.50 (25 or fewer employees) and $12.00 (26 employees or more) | July 1, 2017 | |
| Richmond | $12.30 | January 1, 2017 |
| San Diego | $11.50 | January 1, 2017 |
| San Francisco City and County
|
$13.00 | January 1, 2017 |
| $14.00 | July 1, 2017 | |
| San Jose | $10.50 | January 1, 2017 |
| San Mateo | $12.00 | January 1, 2017 |
| Santa Clara | $11.10 | January 1, 2017 |
| Santa Monica
|
$10.00 (25 or fewer employees) and $10.50 (26 employees or more) | January 1, 2017 |
| $10.50 (25 or fewer employees) and $12.00 (26 employees or more) | July 1, 2017 | |
| Sunnyvale | $13.00 | January 1, 2017 |
See also:
- Los Angeles Moves to Enforce City Minimum Wage Ordinance. Required Forms Now Available (September, 2016).
- Rising Minimum Wages, The California Trend Continues San Diego Approves its First Gradual Increase, Effective July 11, 2016 (August, 2016).
- San Francisco Minimum Wage Rises to $13.00 on July 1, 2016. Will Continue Climb to $15.00 (June, 2016).
- Pasadena Gradually Increases Minimum Wage. The City of Pasadena Approves Gradual Increases in Minimum Wage Stating July 1, 2016 (May, 2016).
- City of Santa Monica Increasing Minimum Wage Annually from 2016 to 2020 (May, 2016).
- Los Angeles County Approves Gradual Increases in Minimum Wage Starting 2016 (July, 2015).
- Oakland Minimum Wage Escalates to $12.25 Rate Effective March 2, 2015 (April, 2015).
For more information, please contact one of our attorneys, Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.
Cindy Bamforth
December 12, 2016