San Francisco Minimum Wage Increase on the Horizon
Beginning on July 1, 2023, employers in San Francisco will need to pay their employees a minimum of $18.07 per hour. This is 6.35% higher than the city’s current minimum hourly wage of $16.99 and 16.5% higher than the state’s $15.50 minimum wage. Proposition J, an ordinance passed by voters in 2014, mandated this increase to index the city’s minimum wage to cost of living adjustments based on inflation and the Consumer Price Index.
In 2003, San Francisco became the first local jurisdiction to pass a minimum wage rate higher than the federal or state minimum wage. Since then, more than 50 localities across the country have enacted their own minimum wage ordinances.
Marcum’s regional food and beverage industry team compiled the below list of the California localities that have enacted a minimum wage ordinance, along with their current and future minimum wages announced to date. Please contact your Marcum tax or audit professional with any questions regarding this Northern California food and beverage industry update.
| Locality | Year Enacted | Date of Last Increase | Current Minimum Wage | Date of Next Increase | New Minimum Wage |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alameda | 2018 | 7/1/2022 | $15.75 | ||
| Belmont | 2017 | 1/1/2023 | $16.75 | ||
| Berkeley | 2016 | 7/1/2022 | $16.99 | 7/1/2023 | TBD |
| Burlingame | 2020 | 1/1/2023 | $16.47 | ||
| Cupertino | 2016 | 1/1/2023 | $17.20 | ||
| Daly City | 2019 | 1/1/2023 | $16.07 | ||
| East Palo Alto | 2020 | 1/1/2023 | $16.50 | ||
| El Cerrito | 2015 | 1/1/2023 | $17.35 | ||
| Emeryville | 2015 | 7/1/2022 | $17.68 | 7/1/2023 | TBD |
| Foster City | 2022 | 1/1/2023 | $16.50 | ||
| Fremont | 2019 | 7/1/2022 | $16.00 | 7/1/2023 | TBD |
| Half Moon Bay | 2020 | 1/1/2023 | $16.45 | ||
| Hayward | 2020 | 1/1/2023 | $16.34* | ||
| Los Altos | 2016 | 1/1/2023 | $17.20 | ||
| Los Angeles | 2015 | 7/1/2022 | $16.04 | 7/1/2023 | $16.78 |
| Los Angeles County (unincorporated) |
2015 | 7/1/2023 | $16.90 | ||
| Malibu | 2016 | 7/1/2022 | $15.96 | 7/1/2023 | $16.90 |
| Menlo Park | 2019 | 1/1/2023 | $16.20 | ||
| Milpitas | 2017 | 7/1/2022 | $16.40 | 7/1/2023 | TBD |
| Mountain View | 2015 | 1/1/2023 | $18.15 | ||
| Novato | 2019 | 1/1/2023 | $16.07** | ||
| Oakland | 2014 | 1/1/2023 | $15.97 | ||
| Palo Alto | 2016 | 7/1/2022 | $16.11 | 7/1/2023 | TBD |
| Petaluma | 2019 | 1/1/2023 | $17.06 | ||
| Redwood City | 2018 | 1/1/2023 | $17.00 | ||
| Richmond | 2018 | 1/1/2023 | $16.17 | ||
| San Carlos | 2020 | 1/1/2023 | $16.32 | ||
| San Diego | 2014 | 1/1/2023 | $16.30 | ||
| San Francisco | 2003 | 7/1/2022 | $16.99 | 7/1/2023 | $18.07 |
| San Jose | 2016 | 1/1/2023 | $17.00 | ||
| San Mateo | 2016 | 1/1/2023 | $16.75 | ||
| San Mateo County (unincorporated) |
2022 | 1/1/2023 | $15.50 | 4/1/2023 | $16.50 |
| Santa Clara | 2015 | 1/1/2023 | $17.20 | ||
| Santa Monica | 2016 | 7/1/2022 | $15.96*** | 7/1/2023 | $16.90 |
| Santa Rosa | 2019 | 1/1/2023 | $17.06 | ||
| Sonoma | 2019 | 1/1/2023 | $17.00* | ||
| South San Francisco | 2019 | 1/1/2023 | $16.70 | ||
| Sunnyvale | 2014 | 1/1/2023 | $17.95 | ||
| West Hollywood | 2021 | 1/1/2023 | $17.50* |
* minimum wage for small employers is different
** minimum wage for small employers and very large businesses are different
*** minimum wage for hotel workers is different
