California Minimum Wage

What are Minimum Wages in California?

What's the minimum wage in California? For entrepreneurs and small business owners with employees, it's important to know whether your state has a minimum wage law. Information on minimum wages can be tough to find so we've done the research for you. Here's the minimum wage for California.

As of January 1, 2021, minimum wage in California is $13.00.

California is one of 45 states that have enacted minimum wage laws. At $13.00 per hour, the minimum wage in California is $5.75 greater than the current Federal minimum wage rate of $7.25.

California's minimum wage has increased significantly in recent years.

Prior to July 1, 2014, the minimum wage was just $8.00. In 2013, California approved a bill that boosted California's minimum wage to $10 per hour, effective in 2016. Many attempts were then made to increase that $10 per hour rate to $13 per hour, but the bills were defeated. Finally, as of 2021, California passed the $13.00 minimum wage rate.

Some California employees are exempt from the minimum wage law. People who can be paid less than minimum wage include: outside salespersons; nuclear-family relatives of the employer; and some apprentices, as defined by California law. People who are learning on the job can be paid 85% of the minimum wage during their first 160 hours of employment in a job that are new to. Finally, there are some exceptions for mentally or physically disabled employees who may, in some cases, be paid less than the currently posted California minimum wage.

Please realize that the California minimum wages cited above may have changed since we posted this minimum wage information. State minimum wages can change because new laws are enacted or because old laws contained scheduled increases. You should also be aware that state law often exempts particular company types, occupations and industries. To get the latest minimum wages for California, visit www.dol.gov .

Last Updated: January 4, 2021.

Need to find minimum wages by state? Just browse our minimum wages information pages:

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