What is the Minimum Wage in California ?

Employers employing 26 or more employees in California must pay a minimum wage of $14.00 per hour. The minimum wage for employers with 25 or less employees is $13.00 per hour. California enacted House Bill AB10 in September 2013, approving the state's first minimum wage increase in six years.

The minimum wage in California was last increased by $5.00, from $8.00 to $13.00, in 2008.

Employers employing 26 or more employees in California must pay a minimum wage of $14.00 per hour. The minimum wage for employers with 25 or less employees is $13.00 per hour. California enacted House Bill AB10 in September 2013, approving the state's first minimum wage increase in six years.

LOCAL MINIMUM WAGES IN CALIFORNIA

California Municipal Minimum wage

Alameda: $15.00
Belmont: $15.90
Berkeley: $16.07
Cupertino: $15.65
Daily City: $15.00
Emoryville: $16.84
El Cerrrito: $15.61
Fremont: $15.00 (26+ employees), $13.50 (1-25 employees)
Half moon Bay: $15.00
Los Altos: $15.65
Los Angeles (city and county): businesses with 26 or more employees: $15.00. Businesses with 25 or fewer employees: $14.25 and $15.00 (7-1 21).
Malibu: $15.00 (26 or more employees), $14.25 (1-25 employees)
Menlo Park: $15.25
Milpitas: $15.40
Mountain View:$16.30
Oakland:$14.36
Palo Alto:$15.65
Pasadena: $15.00 (26 or more employees), $14.25 (1-25 employees)
Petaluma: $15.20 (26 or more employees)
Redwood: $15.38
Richmond: $15.21
San Diego: $14.00
San Francisco:$16.07
Sonoma: $14.00 (small employers), $15.00 (large employers)
South San Francisco:$15.00
San Jose: $15.45
San Leandro: $15.00
San Mateo: $15.62
Santa Clara: $15.65
Santa Monica: $14.25 (1-25 employees), $15.00 (26 + employees)
Sunnyvale: $16.30
Santa Rosa: $15.00 (1-25 employees), $14.00 (26 + employees)
Novato: $15.24 ( 100 +employees), $15.00 (26-99 employees), $14.00 (1-25 employees)

Outside salesmen and workers who are in the immediate family of their employer are exempt from California's minimum wage. For their first 160 hours of labor, student employees may be paid as little as 85 percent of the minimum wage (rounded to the closest nickel).

Disabled employees and workers at NGOs that have gotten a certificate from the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement are eligible for further exemptions.

Unless you or your occupation is explicitly excluded from the minimum wage under state or federal law, your employer in California cannot pay you less than $13.00 per hour.
If you have any questions concerning the minimum wage in California, please contact us and we will get back to you as soon as possible. Are you looking for a new position? To uncover local employment vacancies that are hiring right now, use the free California job search tool.

To inform employees about the minimum wage and their rights under California labor law, all California businesses must post an approved California minimum wage poster in a visible location.

California Minimum Wage & Labor Law Posters

To ensure that all employees are aware of federal and California labor law and overtime regulations, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and California labor law require all employers in California to post an approved California minimum wage poster, as well as other California and federal labor law posters, in a visible location. Fines can be imposed if a California labor law poster is not shown in the workplace.

California Overtime Minimum Wage

Workers who work more than 40 hours per week are entitled to a minimum wage of at least 1.5 times the standard minimum wage (learn more about California overtime pay). Some states require employees who work more than a specified number of hours per day to be eligible for overtime pay (California law does specify a daily overtime limit).

All CA employees are entitled to proper overtime pay for all qualified overtime hours worked, according to the FLSA. You can submit an unpaid overtime claim with the California Department of Labor if your employer does not pay proper overtime payments.

California Minimum Wage Exemptions

In addition to the above-mentioned California-specific minimum wage exemptions, the federal Fair Labor Standards Act establishes exceptional minimum pay rates for certain workers. If you fall into one of the following categories, you may be paid less than the California minimum wage:

California Student Minimum Wage - $11.05 - For up to 20 hours of work per week, full-time high school or college students who work part-time may be paid 85 percent of the California minimum wage (as little as $11.05 per hour) at specified companies (such as work-study programmers at universities).

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  Tipped Minimum Wage in California - Employees who get a particular number of tips per month may be paid a lower cash minimum wage, but they must earn at least $13.00 per hour plus tips. Read about the California tipped minimum wage for more information.