As of January 1, 2022, the state of California’s minimum wage is $15.00 per hour for employers that have 26 or more employees and $14.00 per hour for employers that have fewer than 26 employees. In addition, California’s minimum wage is set to increase in 2023. Notably, many California cities and counties routinely implement their own minimum wage requirements. If you are employed in one of these places, your employer must pay you the higher local minimum wage.
For example, effective July 1, 2022, the City of Los Angeles will increase the minimum wage for all covered employees from $15.00/hour to $16.04/hour. All employees that are paid by the hour, whether it be full-time, part-time, seasonal, or temporary, will receive this increase in pay. Some other Southern California cities that are also getting a minimum wage increase, effective July 1, 2022, include:
- Malibu: current $15, increase to $15.96
- Pasadena: current $15, increase to $16.11
- Santa Monica: current $15, increase to $15.96
- West Hollywood: (employers with 50 or more employees) current $15, increase to $16
- West Hollywood: (employers with 49 or fewer employees) current $15, increase to $16
If you believe your employer is not paying you the applicable state or local minimum wage for any reason, you have the option of suing your employer with the help of an experienced California wage and hour lawyer. For a free consultation, please feel free to contact our office.
