Governor Vetoes Minimum Wage Increase
Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed a bill (AB 48) that would have raised California's minimum wage from $6.75 to $7.75 over the next two years. The bill also tied all future increases in minimum wage to an inflation index, which was the primary reason the Governor vetoed the bill. Schwarzenegger said the legislature should carefully review the ramifications of increasing the minimum wage each time it is raised instead of putting all increases on "autopilot."
The Governor also use this opportunity to express his desire to provide employers some relief from the other employment laws in California, saying California has "the most inflexible workplace scheduling rules in the country" and "Byzantine labor law defining employer classifications." (Click here to see the Governor's proposed meal and rest break regulations)