We know that many cities in California have their own minimum wages. And we also know that several of those cities had minimum wage increases in July 2024, including: Alameda, Berkeley, Emeryville, Fremont, Los Angeles (City), Los Angeles County (unincorporated areas), Malibu, Milpitas, Pasadena, San Francisco, and Santa Monica.

We also know (or should know), that special minimum wage rates apply to some hotel workers in some California cities, such as Long Beach, Los Angeles, Oakland, Santa Monica, and West Hollywood. Plus some of these statues apply to businesses in hotels, and also have special sick pay rules.

But what is frustratingly hard to know is which city some business fall in. I am surprised by how many businesses don’t actually know which city they are in because the zip code says one thing, but the city map might say another. I have had clients who are in one city on one side of the street, and in another city right across Sunset Blvd. Different minimum wages for businesses across the street from each other!

That’s why I am here to remind you to check your city’s website. Especially if you rent your space, and don’t have any city licenses to clarify which city your business officially in.

For the city of Los Angeles, try this link; for Santa Monica, this one; and for the Bay Area, this link seems to work.

The penalties are steep for getting the minimum wage rate wrong, so double check now (before someone else does for you)!

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