California Increases Minimum Wage for Fast Food and Health Care Workers

State Update Overview

California established a new minimum wage of $20 per hour for fast food workers effective April 1, 2024. The current law allows exemptions for certain bakeries and grocery store restaurants. However, pending legislation would further expand the exemption criteria to restaurants in airports, hotels, event centers, theme parks, museums, and certain other locations.

California Fast Food Workers’ Minimum Wage Law Update

• New minimum wage of $20 per hour for fast food workers
• Effective April 1, 2024
• Certain bakeries and grocery store restaurants are exempt
• Pending legislation may expand exempt criteria and take effect immediately upon enactment

California established a new minimum wage of $25 per hour for health care workers effective June 1, 2024. The new law impacts most health care employees and facilities in California.

California Health Care Workers’ Minimum Wage Law Update

• New minimum wage of $25 per hour for health care workers
• Effective June 1, 2024
• Covered employers are those providing patient care and services supporting providing health care, or members of a health care team
• Hospitals controlled by the California Department of State Hospitals, Tribal clinics exempt from licensure, and outpatient setting operated by Tribal organizations are exempt from the new minimum wage standards.

 Wage and Hour Exemptions

Employees may be exempt from wage and hour laws based on criteria associated with their salary, actual duties, and skills. Exempt employees neither receive overtime pay nor qualify for minimum wage. California labor law defines these exemptions based on Executive, Administrative, or Professional status. Learn more here.

California Labor Law Poster Update

Businesses within the State of California must display all required workplace postings including the most recent “California Minimum Wage Order”, “California Law Prohibits Workplace Discrimination & Harassment”, “California Paid Sick Leave”, and “CAL/OSHA Safety and Health Protection on the Job” posters along with other state-mandated posting requirements where they are sufficiently accessible and viewable to all employees. These changes have been reflected in our California & Federal Labor Law Poster and require an immediate mandatory update. Failure to meet compliance requirements and display the updated poster could result in fines.

Order the California & Federal Labor Law Poster to immediately include these required updates.