Here we go again. It’s that time in the summer when San Francisco, Los Angeles and about a dozen cities and counties compete for the title of Highest Minimum Wage in the state. This year, the award goes to the city of West Hollywood, in Southern California, whose new minimum wage of $19.08 will have the honor – or infamy – of being the highest minimum wage in the country.
While the California minimum wage remains at $15.50/hour for the rest of 2023, close to 40 localities have their own minimum wage requirements that are higher than the state’s minimum wage and twelve of those are set to increase further on July 1st. Employers should also be aware that some places have higher minimum wages for workers in specific industries such as hotel and airport workers.
The basic rule to remember is that the higher minimum wage, whether local or state, or industry specific, always applies.
The following chart lists those locations where the minimum raise is set to increase on July 1st.
| Locality | New Minimum Wage (effective July 1, 2023) | Special Industry Minimum Wage | Required Postings |
|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda | $16.52 | Minimum Wage Poster | |
| Berkeley | $18.07 | Minimum Wage Notice | |
| Emeryville | $18.67 | Minimum Wage and Sick Leave Poster | |
| Fremont | $16.80 | Minimum Wage Bulletin | |
| City of Los Angeles | $16.78 | Airport workers $18.78 base Hotel workers (60+ rooms) $19.73 | Minimum Wage and Paid Sick Leave Poster |
| Unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County | $16.90 | Minimum Wage Poster | |
| Malibu | $16.90 | Minimum Wage Poster | |
| Milpitas | $17,20 | Minimum Wage Poster Know Your Rights Poster |
|
| Pasadena | $16.93 | Minimum Wage Handout Minimum Wage Poster |
|
| San Francisco | $18.07 | Minimum Wage Poster | |
| Santa Monica | $16.09 | Hotel workers $19.73 (incl. businesses on hotel properties) | Minimum Wage, Paid Sick Leave, and Service Charge Law |
| West Hollywood | $19.08 | All Business Minimum Wage Poster Hotels Workers Rights |
Other California municipalities that have minimum wage requirements that exceed the state requirements — but are not increasing on July 1 – include:
Belmont, Burlingame, Cupertino, Daly City, East Palo Alto, El Cerrito, Foster City, Half Moon Bay, Hayward, Long Beach, Los Altos, Menlo Park, Mountain View, Novato, Oakland, Palo Alto, Petaluma, Redwood City, Richmond, San Carlos, San Diego, San Jose, San Mateo, Santa Clara, Santa Rosa, Sonoma, South San Francisco and Sunnyvale.
If you have employees who work in any of these locations, please contact WorkWise Law, PC to help you navigate the ever-changing minimum wage landscape.
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