The California minimum wage will increase Saturday to $14 an hour for small businesses (25 employees or fewer) and $15 an hour for businesses with 26 employees or more.
In 2016, California was the first state whose lawmakers committed to increasing the minimum wage to $15 hour for large businesses by 2022 and by 2023 for small businesses. According to the state, the minimum wage law increases the pay over time consistent with economic expansion, while providing safety valves to pause increases if negative economic or budgetary conditions emerge.
Most California workers are required to be paid the minimum wage, according to state law. Select cities and counties have a local minimum wage that is higher than the state wage.
Workers who are paid less than the minimum wage can contact the Labor Commissioner’s Office to file a wage claim. The Labor Commissioner’s Office launched an online wage claim application in November, in English and Spanish for workers who feel they are owed wages and benefits.
For more information, contact the Labor Commissioner’s Office Call Center in English or Spanish at 833 LCO-INFO (833 526-4636).
The online wage claim application can be found at https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/HowToFileWageClaim.htm.
— Katherine Zehnder
