As everyone in California by now knows, both the State of California and many local cities are in the process of increasing the minimum wage. As more and more cities individually enact and revise their own local living minimum wage, it is becoming harder and harder for small businesses to keep up. Consequently, I have put together this post along with links to the various local city ordinances to set forth the new minimum wage for 2017 both in the State of California and in the City of Los Angeles, Malibu, Pasadena and Santa Monica.

California State Minimum Wage. Beginning January 1, 2017, the state minimum wage in California is $10.50 per hour (up from $10 per hour in 2016).

City of Los Angeles, California Minimum Wage Ordinance Affects Wages and Paid Sick Leave Benefits.

This year, San Diego, Berkeley and Los Angeles have all increased the mandatory minimum wage for workers in each of those cities. Effective July 1, 2017, employees working in the City of Los Angeles must now be paid $12 per hour if the business has 26 or more employees, and $10.50 per hour if he business has 25 or less employees.

City of Los Angeles Paid Sick Leave Benefits For Employees working within the City.

In addition, effective July 1, 2017, in the City of Los Angeles, ALL employers must provide their employees with increased paid sick leave in accordance with the City of Los Angeles’ Minimum Wage Ordinance.

Accrual of Sick Leave Benefit.

Pursuant to the Los Angeles Minimum Wage Ordinance, all employees who work in the City of Los Angeles at least two hours in a week for 30 or more days within a year must either (1) receive Forty-Eight (48) Hours of Paid Sick Leave either at the beginning of each year of employment (calendar or fiscal); OR (2) accrue One (1) hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Under the City Ordinance, unused paid sick leave must accrue and carry over to the following year of employment until capped at 72 hours (although the Employer may choose to allow for a higher cap). In addition, if an employee is terminated but re-hired within one year of separation from the company, the employer must also reinstate the Employee’s previously accrued and unused paid sick leave benefit.

How An Employee Can Use Their Paid Sick Leave Benefits.

An Employee may use his or her accrued paid sick leave benefit beginning on the 90th day of employment, in increments of one (1) hour by providing the employer with an oral or written request pursuant to Los Angeles Municipal Code §187.04G.

Required Posting of Sick Leave Benefit Notice.

Other Local Cities in California Minimum Living Wage.

Malibu. Effective July 1, 2017, the local minimum wage for employees in the city of Mailbu increases from $10.50 per hour to $12 per hour. You can print a copy of the City of Malibu Minimum Wage Ordinance Poster .

Pasadena. Effective July 1, 2017, the local minimum wage for employees in the city of Pasadena will increase from $10 to $10.50 per hour (for employers with less than 26 employees), and will increase from $10.50 to $12 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees. Any workers that works at least two hours in a one week period within the City of Pasadena must receive Pasadena’s required minimum wage for those hours worked within the city limits.

Santa Monica. Santa Monica has a more complicated Living Wage Ordinance that is dependent on the number of employees and whether or not the business is a hotel. There a limited exemptions for first time workers. As of July 1, 2016, the local minimum wage in Santa Monica is $10.50 per hour for businesses with 25 or more employees ($13.25 for employees working for hotels and businesses operating on hotel property). Effective July 1, 2017 businesses with 26 or more employees must pay their workers in City of Santa Monica a minimum of $12 per hour ($10.50 per hour for businesses with less than 26 employees). Effective July 1, 2017, employees working at a hotel property must be paid at least $15.37 plus the denoted increase in the Consumer Price Index. You can print a copy of the City of Santa Monica Paid Sick Leave Notice. You can read the City of Santa Monica’s Minimum Wage Ordinance.

San Diego. Effective January 1, 2017, the City of San Diego increased its minimum wage to $11.50.