The Los Angeles wage and hour attorney at the Leichter Law Firm, APC, Aryeh Leichter, knows that the changing minimum wage requirements in California can be complicated.
With yearly updates, and local minimum wage requirements differing from city to city and county to county, to follow is what all California workers need to know about the minimum pay rate they are entitled to, and when those rates became effective.
What is the Minimum Wage in California?
Effective January 1, 2022, the state minimum wage for employers with 25 or fewer employees increased to $14, according to the California Department of Industrial Relations.
The minimum hourly wage will be raised again by $1 in January 2023, for employers with less than 25 employees, according to the California Department of Developmental Services.
The state minimum wage increased to $15 per hour for California employers with 26 or more employees.
What are the Different California City and County Minimum Wage Requirements?
Following local government wage orders or ordinances, employers in 30 cities or counties are required to pay an hourly minimum wage ranging from $15 to over $17.
According to the data provided by the UC Berkeley Labor Center, they are:
Locality | Date | Rate | Small Employer* |
| Alameda | 7/1/2020 | $15.00 | |
| Belmont | 1/1/2022 | $16.20 | |
| Berkeley | 7/1/2021 | $16.32 | |
| Burlingame | 1/1/2022 | $15.60 | |
| Cupertino | 1/1/2022 | $16.40 | |
| Daly City | 1/1/2022 | $15.53 | |
| East Palo Alto | 1/1/2022 | $15.60 | |
| El Cerrito | 1/1/2022 | $16.37 | |
| Emeryville | 7/1/2021 | $17.13 | |
| Fremont | 7/1/2021 | $15.25 | $15.00 |
| Half Moon Bay | 1/1/2022 | $15.56 | |
| Hayward | 1/1/2022 | $15.56 | $14.52 |
| Los Altos | 1/1/2022 | $16.40 | |
| Los Angeles | 7/1/2021 | $15.00 | |
| Los Angeles County (unincorporated) | 7/1/2021 | $15.00 | |
| Malibu | 7/1/2021 | $15.00 | |
| Menlo Park | 1/1/2022 | $15.75 | |
| Milpitas | 7/1/2021 | $15.65 | |
| Mountain View | 1/1/2022 | $17.10 | |
| Novato | 1/1/2022 | $15.53 | $15.00 |
| Oakland | 1/1/2022 | $15.06 | |
| Palo Alto | 1/1/2022 | $16.25 | |
| Pasadena | 7/1/2021 | $15.00 | |
| Petaluma | 1/1/2022 | $15.85 | |
| Redwood City | 1/1/2022 | $16.20 | |
| Richmond | 1/1/2022 | $15.54 | |
| San Carlos | 1/1/2022 | $15.77 | |
| San Diego | 1/1/2022 | $15.00 | |
| San Francisco | 7/1/2021 | $16.32 | |
| San Jose | 1/1/2022 | $16.20 | |
| San Leandro | 7/1/2020 | $15.00 | |
| San Mateo | 1/1/2022 | $16.20 | |
| Santa Clara | 1/1/2022 | $16.40 | |
| Santa Monica | 7/1/2021 | $15.00 | |
| Santa Rosa | 1/1/2022 | $15.85 | |
| Sonoma | 1/1/2022 | $16.00 | $15.00 |
| South San Francisco | 1/1/2022 | $15.80 | |
| Sunnyvale | 1/1/2022 | $17.10 | |
| West Hollywood | 1/1/2022 | $15.50 | $15.00 |
*Small employer is defined as employing 25 or fewer workers.
Contact the Leichter Law Firm, APC Wage and Hour Lawyer in Los Angeles, California
All California employers must post the current minimum wage requirements in their area and ensure they appropriately reflect local and state increases.
If you are not being paid the minimum wage requirements you are entitled to contact Aryeh Leichter, the Leichter Law Firm, APC founder and wage and hour attorney in Los Angeles County, who can help you pursue your employer for their unlawful behavior, starting with a free consultation by calling (818) 915-6624 or contacting the firm online today.