California’s Minimum Wage Is On The Ballot In November
Topics: Legal Information, Wage & Hour Issues
California’s minimum wage is on the ballot for California voters to decide on November 5, 2024. Proposition 32 would increase California’s minimum wage to $18 per hour over time, the rate of the increase depending on whether an employer has 26 or more workers. For employers with 26 or more workers, the minimum wage would increase to $18 on January 1, 2025. For employers with 25 or less workers, the minimum wage would increase to $17 per hour on January 1, 2025, and $18 on January 1, 2026. Starting in 2027, minimum wage increases would be tied to the U.S. Consumer Price Index (CPI-W). This proposition gives the Governor the power to suspend these increases twice if there is an economic downturn.
Increases to minimum wage under Proposition 32:
| Year | Employers of 26 or More Workers | Employers of 25 or Less Workers |
| 2024 | $17.00 | $16.00 |
| 2025 | $18.00 | $17.00 |
| 2026 | $18.00 | $18.00 |
| 2027 | $18.00 + CPI-W Adjustment | $18.00 + CPI-W Adjustment |
If passed, these increases would not immediately impact persons already subject to a higher minimum wage, such as the $20 per hour minimum wage applicable to certain fast food workers and the $25 per hour minimum wage for certain health care workers.
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