As reported earlier this year, California's state minimum wage increased to $15.50 per hour for all employers on January 1, 2023. However, some California employers may face another minimum wage increase on July 1, 2023. This is due to the adoption by many cities and counties in California of their own local minimum wage rates above the California state minimum wage for employees working within their jurisdiction. If a locality provides a higher minimum wage rate than the state rate, the employer must pay the higher local wage rate.
The following California localities maintain minimum wage rates for nonexempt employees separate from and above the state rate, with the localities increasing their minimum wage rates on July 1 in the bolded text below:
| City/County | Applies to | Minimum Wage Rate Per Hour | Effective Date |
| Alameda | All employees | $16.52 | 7/1/2023 |
| Belmont | All employees | $16.75 | 1/1/2023 |
| Berkeley | All employees | $18.07 | 7/1/2023 |
| Burlingame | All employees | $16.47 | 1/1/2023 |
| Cupertino | All employees | $17.20 | 1/1/2023 |
| Daly City | All employees | $16.07 | 1/1/2023 |
| East Palo Alto | All employees | $16.50 | 1/1/2023 |
| El Cerrito | All employees | $17.35 | 1/1/2023 |
| Emeryville | All employees | $18.67 | 7/1/2023 |
| Foster City | All employees | $16.50 | 1/1/2023 |
| Fremont | All employees | $16.80 | 7/1/2023 |
| Half Moon Bay | All employees | $16.45 | 1/1/2023 |
| Hayward | 26 or more employees | $16.34 | 1/1/2023 |
| 25 or fewer employees | $15.50 | 1/1/2023 | |
| Los Altos | All employees | $17.20 | 1/1/2023 |
| Los Angeles | All employees | $16.78 | 7/1/2023 |
| Los Angeles—Unincorporated County | All employees | $16.90 | 7/1/2023 |
| Malibu | All employees | $16.90 | 7/1/2023 |
| Menlo Park | All employees | $16.20 | 1/1/2023 |
| Milpitas | All employees | $17.20 | 7/1/2023 |
| Mountain View | All employees | $18.15 | 1/1/2023 |
| Novato | 25 or fewer employees | $15.53 | 1/1/2023 |
| 26-99 employees | $16.07 | ||
| 100 or more employees | $16.32 | ||
| Oakland | All employees | $15.97 | 1/1/2023 |
| Palo Alto | All employees | $17.25 | 1/1/2023 |
| Pasadena | All employees | $16.93 | 7/1/2023 |
| Petaluma | All employees | $17.06 | 1/1/2023 |
| Redwood City | All employees | $17.00 | 1/1/2023 |
| Richmond | All employees | $16.17 | 1/1/2023 |
| San Carlos | All employees | $16.32 | 1/1/2023 |
| San Diego | All employees | $16.30 | 1/1/2023 |
| San Francisco | All employees | $18.07 | 7/1/2023 |
| San Jose | All employees | $17.00 | 1/1/2023 |
| San Mateo | All employees | $16.75 | 1/1/2023 |
| Santa Clara | All employees | $17.20 | 1/1/2023 |
| Santa Monica | All employees | $16.90 | 7/1/2023 |
| Santa Rosa | All employees | $17.06 | 1/1/2023 |
| Sonoma | 26 or more employees | $17.00 | 1/1/2023 |
| 25 or fewer employees | $16.00 | ||
| South San Francisco | All employees | $16.70 | 1/1/2023 |
| Sunnyvale | All employees | $17.95 | 1/1/2023 |
| West Hollywood | All employees | $19.08 | 7/1/2023 |
These changes to local minimum wage rates do not affect the minimum
salary requirement for certain exempt employees in California. The
state minimum wage is also not currently scheduled for any further
increase.
California employers should monitor the locations where they have employees for specific eligibility rules and any new minimum wage rates or changes.
The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.
