California State and Local Minimum Wage 2022
Updated October 5, 2022
The California minimum wage will increase on January 1, 2023 – and many California local minimum wage rates will also increase on the same date.
Here is everything you need to know about the current minimum wage rates in 2022 and the proposed increases in 2023.
California Minimum Wage 2022
For employers with 25 employees or less, the California minimum wage in 2022 is $14 per hour.
For employers with 26 or more employees, the California minimum wage in 2022 is $15 per hour [source].
Looking ahead, California employers can anticipate the following rate increases in 2023:
| Effective Date | Large Employers (26+ Employees) | Small Employers (25 or fewer Employees) |
|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2022 (current rate) | $15 | $14 |
| January 1, 2023 | $15.50 | $15.50 |
An employer with 26 or more employees at any time during a pay period should apply the higher minimum wage to all employees for that pay period. If an employer’s workforce falls below 26 employees the employer does not need to automatically lower their minimum wage rate.
However, if the minimum wage is reduced because the threshold falls below 26 employees, the employer must notify the affected employees in advance before reducing their wages.
Important to note, there are Minimum Salary Exemptions for California such as computer software professionals. To learn about any of these exemptions in California, or any state, please message us.
California Local Minimum Wage 2022
Local jurisdictions – Counties or Cities – may have their own minimum wage that may trump the State minimum wage. Employers must pay the rate that benefits the employee.
Los Angeles Minimum Wage Effective July 1, 2022
Starting July 1, 2022 the Los Angeles minimum wage is $16.04 per hour. All Employers are required to pay the new minimum wage according to the Los Angeles Minimum Wage Ordinance. The minimum wage rate will be adjusted every year according to Los Angeles Minimum Wage Ordinance Section 187.02. The official notice can be found here.
Please check the tables below for minimum wage rates in 2022 and 2023 for all other local jurisdictions.
California City and County Minimum Wage Effective July 1, 2022
| Jurisdiction | Large Employers (26+ Employees) | Small Employers (25 or fewer Employees) |
|---|---|---|
| Alameda [source] | $15.75 | $15.75 |
| Belmont [source] | $16.20 | $16.20 |
| Berkeley [source] | $16.99 | $16.99 |
| Burlingame [source] | $15.60 | $15.60 |
| Cupertino [source] | $16.40 | $16.40 |
| Daly City [source] | $15.53 | $15.53 |
| East Palo Alto [source] | $15.60 | $15.60 |
| El Cerrito [source] | $16.37 | $16.37 |
| Emeryville [source] | $17.68 | $17.68 |
| Foster City [source] | $15.75 | $15.75 |
| Fremont [source] | $16.00 | $16.00 |
| Half Moon Bay [source] | $15.56 | $15.56 |
| Hayward [source] | $15.56 | $14.52 |
| Los Altos [source] | $16.40 | $16.40 |
| Los Angeles [source] | $16.04 | $16.04 |
| Los Angeles [source] (City & Unincorporated Areas of County) | $15.96 | $15.96 |
| Malibu [source] | $15.96 | $15.96 |
| Menlo Park [source] | $15.75 | $15.75 |
| Milpitas [source] | $16.40 | $16.40 |
| Mountain View [source] | $17.10 | $17.10 |
| Novato [source] | $15.53 ($15.77 for Very Large Employers with 100+ Employees) | $15.00 |
| Oakland [source] | $15.06 | $15.06 |
| Palo Alto [source] | $16.45 | $16.45 |
| Pasadena [source] | $16.11 | $16.11 |
| Petaluma [source] | $15.85 | $15.85 |
| Redwood City [source] | $16.20 | $16.20 |
| Richmond [source] | $15.54 | $15.54 |
| San Carlos [source] | $15.77 | $15.77 |
| San Diego [source] | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| San Francisco [source] | $16.99 | $16.99 |
| San Jose [source] | $16.20 | $16.20 |
| San Leandro [source] | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| San Mateo [source] | $16.20 | $16.20 |
| Santa Clara [source] | $16.40 | $16.40 |
| Santa Monica [source] | $15.96 | $15.96 |
| Santa Rosa [source] | $15.85 | $15.85 |
| Sonoma [source] | $16.00 | $15.00 |
| South San Francisco [source] | $15.80 | $15.80 |
| Sunnyvale [source] | $17.10 | $17.10 |
| West Hollywood [source] | $16.50 Large = 50+ employees | $16.00 Small = less than 50 employees |
California City and County Minimum Wage Effective Jan 1, 2023
| Jurisdiction | Large Employers (26+ Employees) | Small Employers (25 or fewer Employees) |
|---|---|---|
| Alameda [source] | $15.75 | $15.75 |
| Belmont [source] | $16.75 | $16.75 |
| Berkeley [source] | $16.99 | $16.99 |
| Burlingame [source] | $16.47 | $16.47 |
| Cupertino [source] | $16.40 + CPI | $16.40 + CPI |
| Daly City [source] | $16.07 | $16.07 |
| East Palo Alto [source] | $15.60 + CPI | $15.60 + CPI |
| El Cerrito [source] | $17.35 | $17.35 |
| Emeryville [source] | $17.68 | $17.68 |
| Foster City [source] | $16.50 | $16.50 |
| Fremont [source] | $16.00 + Consumer Price Index (CPI) | $16.00 + Consumer Price Index (CPI) |
| Half Moon Bay [source] | $15.56 + CPI | $15.56 + CPI |
| Hayward [source] | $16.34 | $15.50 |
| Los Altos [source] | $16.40 + CPI | $16.40 + CPI |
| Los Angeles [source] | $16.04 + CPI | $16.04 + CPI |
| Los Angeles [source] (City & Unincorporated Areas of County) | $15.96 + CPI | $15.96 + CPI |
| Malibu [source] | $15.96 + CPI | $15.96 + CPI |
| Menlo Park [source] | $15.75 + CPI | $15.75 + CPI |
| Milpitas [source] | $16.40 + CPI | $16.40 + CPI |
| Mountain View [source] | $17.10 + CPI | $17.10 + CPI |
| Novato [source] | $15.53 ($15.77 for Very Large Employers with 100+ Employees) | $15.00 |
| Oakland [source] | $15.06 + CPI | $15.06 + CPI |
| Palo Alto [source] | $17.30 | $17.30 |
| Pasadena [source] | $16.11 + CPI | $16.11 + CPI |
| Petaluma [source] | $17.06 | $17.06 |
| Redwood City [source] | $16.20 + CPI | $16.20 + CPI |
| Richmond [source] | $15.54 + CPI | $15.54 + CPI |
| San Carlos [source] | $16.32 | $16.32 |
| San Diego [source] | $15.00 + CPI | $15.00 + CPI |
| San Francisco [source] | $16.99 + CPI | $16.99 + CPI |
| San Jose [source] | $16.20 + CPI | $16.20 + CPI |
| San Leandro [source] | $15.00 + CPI | $15.00 + CPI |
| San Mateo [source] | $16.75 | $16.75 |
| Santa Clara [source] | $17.20 | $17.20 |
| Santa Monica [source] | $15.96 + CPI | $15.96 + CPI |
| Santa Rosa [source] | $17.06 | $17.06 |
| Sonoma [source] | $17.00 | $16.00 |
| South San Francisco [source] | $15.80 + CPI | $15.80 + CPI |
| Sunnyvale [source] | $17.10 + CPI | $17.10 + CPI |
| West Hollywood [source] | $17.50 Large = 50+ employees | $17.00 Small = less than 50 employees |
To keep your business up to date with the current Minimum Wage in your local jurisdiction or state, why not use our Labor Law Poster Service – you’ll be updated automatically with new Labor Law Posters based on your state, industry, and employee size.
Minimum Wage in Other States
We service small businesses, CPAs and accountants in most states and are constantly expanding. Please reach out to us for information about the minimum wage in your state.
Please be aware that other states may change their minimum wage rates in months other than January. For example, the minimum wage in Hawaii increased to $12.00 per hour on October 1, 2022.
Always double-check the minimum wage in your area, as governed by the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), to verify this article has the most current information.
Things can change rapidly during a pandemic. We are here to help you through these changing regulations.
