Thousands of California minimum wage earners will see an increase in their hourly rate starting on Jan. 1, 2023.
The minimum wage will be $15.50 per hour for all businesses, regardless of the number of workers, according to the Department of Industrial Relations (DIR).
This annual increase is part of a California law that sought to gradually raise the minimum wage from $10 per hour in 2017 to $15.50 per hour in 2023.
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The wage increase applies to the entire state of California, however, some cities and counties have enacted ordinances that allow a higher increase to the minimum wage.
For such cities, “the employer must follow the stricter standard; that is, the one that is the most beneficial to the employee”, and therefore must pay a higher minimum wage.
The DIR further reminds that the minimum wage is a requirement for all employers in California. "The minimum wage is an obligation of the employer and cannot be waived by any agreement, including collective bargaining agreements," according to official information.
Cities in California with a higher minimum wage
In recent years, the number of cities in California requiring a higher minimum wage in their jurisdiction has increased.
The DIR refers to UC Berkeley's Labor Center for the list of cities and counties in the golden state with the highest minimum wages.
Alameda: Minimum wage is $15.75 as of 7/1/2022.
Belmont: Minimum wage will be $16.75 effective 1/1/2023
Berkeley: Minimum wage is $16.99 as of 7/1/2022
Burlingame: Minimum wage will be $16.47 effective 1/1/2023
Cupertino: the minimum wage will be $17.20 effective 1/1/2023
Daly City: Minimum wage will be $16.07 effective 1/1/2023
East Palo Alto: Minimum wage will be $16.50 effective 1/1/2023
El Cerrito: Minimum wage will be $17.35 effective 1/1/2023
Emeryville: Minimum wage is $17.68 as of 7/1/2022
Foster City: Minimum wage will be $16.50 effective 1/1/2023
Fremont: Minimum wage is $16.00 as of 7/1/2022
Half Moon Bay: Minimum wage will be $16.45 effective 1/1/2023
Hayward: Minimum wage will be $16.34 effective 1/1/2023. (The payment for small employers in Hayward is the same as the $15.50 from the state of California.)
Los Altos: Minimum wage will be $17.20 effective 1/1/2023
Los Angeles: Minimum wage is $16.04 as of 7/1/2022
Los Angeles County (unincorporated): Minimum wage is $15.96 as of 7/1/2022
Malibu: Minimum wage is $15.96 as of 7/1/2022
Menlo Park: Minimum wage will be $16.20 effective 1/1/2023
Milpitas: Minimum wage is $16.40 as of 7/1/2022
Mountain View: Minimum wage will be $18.15 effective 1/1/2023
Oakland: Minimum wage will be $15.97 effective 1/1/2023
Palo Alto: Minimum wage will be $17.25 effective 1/1/2023
Pasadena: Minimum wage is $16.11 as of 7/1/2022
Petaluma: Minimum wage will be $17.06 effective 1/1/2023
Redwood City: Minimum wage will be $17.00 effective 1/1/2023
Richmond: Minimum wage will be $16.17 effective 1/1/2023
San Carlos: the minimum wage will be $16.32 from 1/1/2023
San Diego: Minimum wage will be $16.30 effective 1/1/2023
San Francisco: Minimum wage is $16.99 as of 7/1/2022
San Jose: Minimum wage will be $17.00 effective 1/1/2023
San Mateo: Minimum wage will be $16.75 effective 1/1/2023
Santa Clara: Minimum wage will be $17.20 effective 1/1/2023
Santa Monica: Minimum wage is $15.96 as of 7/1/2022
Santa Rosa: the minimum wage will be $17.06 from 1/1/2023
Sonoma: The minimum wage will be $17.00 effective 1/1/2023. ($16.00 for small employers)
South San Francisco: Minimum wage will be $16.70 effective 1/1/2023
Sunnyvale: Minimum wage will be $17.95 effective 1/1/2023
West Hollywood: Minimum wage will be $17.50 effective 1/1/2023. ($17.00 for small employer of 49 or fewer employees)
