California Bay Area Cities Increase Minimum Wage

Click to pre-order

On Tuesday, California Bay Area voters approved minimum wage hikes for the cities of San Francisco and Oakland. For workers in San Francisco, passage of the ballot measure will mean two raises in 2015.

San Francisco Minimum Wage

The City of San Francisco Minimum Wage Measure J was approved by 77% of voters. The measure raises the minimum wage in the city according to the following timeline:

  • $12.25 per hour on May 1, 2015
  • $13 per hour on July 1, 2016
  • $14 per hour on July 1, 2017
  • $15 per hour on July 1, 2018
  • Increases for inflation beginning July 1, 2019

Currently, San Francisco’s minimum wage rate is annually adjusted for inflation based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI). The CPI adjustment means an increase in the minimum wage rate to $11.05 effective January 1, 2015, before the next increase to $12.25 on May 1, 2015. San Francisco’s minimum wage rate is currently $10.74 per hour.

San Francisco will become the second city after Seattle, WA, to raise the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour. San Francisco employers are required to post the official 2015 Minimum Wage Notice in English, Spanish, Chinese and any other language spoken by at least five percent of the employees. Pre-order the notice here.

Oakland Minimum Wage & Paid Sick Leave

Measure FF, passed by over 80% of Oakland voters, establishes a minimum wage in the City of Oakland of $12.25 per hour effective March 2, 2015.

The measure also requires Oakland employers to provide paid sick leave to their employees beginning on March 2, 2015. Small businesses with less than 10 employees must offer at least five days (40 hours) paid sick leave to all employees and all other employers must provide up to 9 days (72 hours) paid sick leave. The measure will require employers to post and provide employees with notice of their rights under the measure. Compliance Poster Company will carry the Official Notice as soon as it becomes available.