WPBN: The minimum wage in the state of California will increase to $16.50 per hour beginning January 1, 2025, which is an increase from the present wage of $16 per hour at the state level.
In spite of the fact that the recent Proposition 32 did not receive the necessary number of votes to raise the minimum wage in California to $18 per hour, the increase of fifty cents is justified by a statutory adjustment that is linked to inflation.
A review of the wage rate on an annual basis using the United States Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (U.S. CPI-W) is one of the safeguards associated with the minimum wage law, as stated by Rosasco Law Group.
“This year, the Department of Finance calculated that the average U.S. CPI-W for the 12-month period from July 1, 2023, to June 30, 2024, increased by 3.18% compared to the 12-month period from July 1, 2022, to June 30, 2023,” says Rosasco Law Group stated.
The upshot of this was that the minimum wage was raised to $16.50 for all employers, and it will go into effect at the beginning of the next year.
Beginning on January 1, 2025, the minimum salary for employees who are exempt from overtime pay will likewise increase from $66,560 per year ($1,280 per week) to $68,640 per year ($1,320 per week).
Minimum wages for fast food and healthcare positions
The state rule that went into effect this year mandates that certain workers in the fast-food industry must be paid twenty dollars per hour.
However, the California Fast Food Council has not yet taken any action to raise the minimum wage for fast food restaurants, despite the fact that it has the right to do so beginning January 1, 2025.
Additionally, until the 30th of June in 2025, certain employees in the healthcare profession are required to be paid a minimum of $23 per hour.
After that date, the minimum wage will increase to $24 per hour. On July 1, 2026, the minimum wage for healthcare workers is scheduled to increase by one dollar per hour, reaching a total of $25 per hour.
Starting January, New York Workers Will See Their Minimum Wage Jump, Here’s the New Hourly Rate
Increases in the local minimum wage
There are additional municipal minimum wage increases that will take effect on January 1, 2025 in a number of locations across the state of California.
These are the local minimum wage rate hikes that have been implemented around the state:
| City/County | Minimum Wage ($/hour) |
| Belmont | 18.3 |
| Burlingame | 17.43 |
| Cupertino | 18.2 |
| Daly City | 17.07 |
| East Palo Alto | 17.45 |
| El Cerrito | 18.34 |
| Foster City | 17.4 |
| Half Moon Bay | 17.47 |
| Hayward | 17.36 (26+ employees); 16.50 (≤25 employees, per state law) |
| Los Altos | 18.2 |
| Menlo Park | 17.1 |
| Mountain View | 19.2 |
| Novato | 17.27 (100+ employees); 17.00 (26–99 employees); 16.42 (1–25 employees, but must follow state law at $16.50) |
| Oakland | 16.98 |
| Palo Alto | 18.2 |
| Petaluma | 17.97 |
| Redwood City | 18.2 |
| Richmond | 17.77 |
| San Carlos | 17.32 |
| San Diego (City) | 17.25 |
| San Jose | 17.95 |
| San Mateo (City) | 17.95 |
| San Mateo County | 17.46 |
| Santa Clara | 18.2 |
| Santa Rosa | 17.87 |
| Sonoma (City) | 18.02 (26+ employees); 16.96 (≤25 employees) |
| South San Francisco | 17.7 |
| Sunnyvale | 19 |
| West Hollywood | 19.65 |
Get assistance if your employer is not paying the minimum wage
According to state law, the majority of workers in California are required to receive the minimum wage.
By calling the Labor Commissioner’s Office to make a complaint about unpaid wages, employees who are not being paid at least the minimum wage have the opportunity to receive assistance with their situation.
