On January 1, 2020, California minimum wage will increase to $12.00 for small employers with 25 or fewer employees and to $13.00 per hour for larger employers with 26 or more employees. These rates continue to increase annually until they reach $15.00 per hour in 2022 for larger employers and in 2023 for those with 25 employees or less. See California’s Gradual Increases in Minimum Wage, to Reach $15.00 Per Hour by January 1, 2022 (April, 2016).
Some California cities plus two counties have their own minimum wage ordinances. In-state employers need to examine the rules for every jurisdiction in which they operate, not just the one or more where they might have offices. The UC Berkeley Center for Labor Research and Education publishes regular updates.
| City or County | Minimum Wage Rate |
| Alameda (effective from July 1, 2020) | $15.00 (currently $13.50) |
| Belmont | $15.00 |
| Berkeley (indexed to inflation on July 1, 2020) | $15.59 (currently) |
| Cupertino | $15.35 |
| Daly City | $13.75 |
| El Cerrito | $15.37 |
| Emeryville (effective from July 1, 2020) | $16.42 estimated (currently $16.30) |
| Fremont (effective from July 1, 2020) | $13.50 (currently $11.00) (25 or fewer employees) and |
| $15.00 (currently $13.50) (26+ employees) | |
| Los Altos | $15.40 |
| Los Angeles City (effective from July 1, 2020) | $14.25 (currently $13.25) (25 or fewer employees) and |
| $15.00 (currently $14.25) (26+ employees) | |
| Los Angeles County (Unincorporated Areas) (effective from July 1, 2020) | $14.25 (currently $13.25) (25 or fewer employees) and |
| $15.00 (currently $14.25) (26+ employees) | |
| Malibu (effective from July 1, 2020) | $14.25 (currently $13.25) (25 or fewer employees) and |
| $15.00 (currently $14.25) (26+ employees) | |
| Menlo Park | $15.00 |
| Milpitas (indexed to inflation on July 1, 2020) | $15.00 (currently) |
| Mountain View | $16.05 |
| Novato | $12.00 ($13.00 on July 1, 2020) (25 or fewer employees) |
| $13.00 ($14.00 on July 1, 2020) (26+ employees) | |
| $13.00 ($15.00 on July 1, 2020) (100+ employees | |
| Oakland | $14.14 |
| Palo Alto | $15.40 |
| Pasadena (effective from July 1, 2020) | $14.25/currently $13.25 (25 or fewer employees) and |
| $15.00/currently $14.25 (26+ employees) | |
| Petaluma | $14.00 (25 or fewer employees) and |
| $15.00 (26+ employees) | |
| Redwood City | $15.38 |
| Richmond | $15.00 |
| San Diego | $13.00 |
| San Francisco City and County (indexed to inflation on July 1, 2020) | $15.59 (currently) |
| San Jose | $15.25 |
| San Leandro (effective from July 1, 2020) | $15.00 (currently $14.00) |
| San Mateo | $15.38 |
| Santa Clara | $15.40 |
| Santa Monica (effective from July 1, 2020) | $14.25 (currently $13.25) (25 or fewer employees) and |
| $15.00 (currently $14.25) (26 employees or more) | |
| Santa Rosa | $12.00 ($14 00 on July 1, 2020) (25 or fewer employees) and |
| $13.00 ($15.00 on July 1, 2020) (26+ employees) | |
| City of Sonoma | $12.50 (25 or fewer employees) and |
| $13.50 (26+ employees) | |
| South San Francisco | $15.00 |
| Sunnyvale | $16.05 |
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:
- Mid-Year Minimum Wage Rate Increases (July, 2019)
- Cautionary Tales Episode 31 – Residential Care Facility Not Feeling Love (July, 2019)
- Cautionary Tales Episode 25 – Rubber Checks and Unpaid Wages Rebound on Construction Company (February, 2019)
For more information, please contact Tim Bowles, Cindy Bamforth or Helena Kobrin.
Helena Kobrin
December 12, 2019