On January 1, 2019, the minimum wage will rise in 20 states and on the federal level for employees of federal contractors. While state-level minimum wages remain a popular solution for regional cost-of-living differences, municipal minimum wages are increasingly seen as a remedy for cost-of-living differences between cities and counties within an individual state.
20 locations within five states will increase the local minimum wage on January 1, 2019, with California unsurprisingly hosting the highest number of local minimum wage rates (and one increase to mandatory employee benefit contributions). Employers operating within these locations, even if their headquarters are based elsewhere, should ensure that employees are paid the local minimum wage for their work within the municipality, and replace outdated employee notices with a new 2019 minimum wage poster.
2019 County and City Minimum Wage Updates
Arizona
Flagstaff: Effective January 1, 2019, the minimum wage for the city of Flagstaff, AZ will increase to $12.00 per hour. This minimum wage rate applies to employees who work 25+ hours per year within the city. Employers of covered employees must post a bilingual 2019 Flagstaff Minimum Wage Poster in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site where such employees work.
California
California has the largest number of cities and counties operating under a local minimum wage. Use the table below to see if your California city or county will increase the minimum wage in January 2019.
|
City or County |
January 1, 2019 Rate | Applies To |
Poster Update Required? |
| Cupertino, CA | $15.00/hr | Employers that are licensed or have a facility within the city, and employees that work 2+ hours per week within the city. | 2019 Cupertino Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
| El Cerrito, CA | $15.00/hr | Employers with 1 or more employees that work 2+ hours per week within the city. | 2019 El Cerrito Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
| Los Altos, CA | $15.00/hr | Employers that are licensed or have a facility within the city, and employees that work 2+ hours per week within the city. | 2019 Los Altos Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
| Mountain View, CA | $15.65 | Employers that are licensed or have a facility within the city, and employees that work 2+ hours per week within the city. | 2019 Mountain View Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
| Oakland, CA | TBA | Employers with 1 or more employees that work 2+ hours per week within the city. | 2019 Oakland Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
| Palo Alto, CA | $15.00/hr | Employers with 1 or more employees that work 2+ hours per week within the city. | 2019 Palo Alto Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
| Redwood City, CA | $13.50/hr | Employers with 1 or more employees that work 2+ hours per week within the city. | 2019 Redwood City Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
| Richmond, CA | $15.00/hr | Employers with 1 or more employees that perform work within the city. | 2019 Richmond Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
| San Diego, CA | $12.00/hr | Employers with 1 or more employees that work 2+ hours per week within the city. | 2019 San Diego Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
| San Mateo, CA | $15.00/$13.50 (non-profit) | Employers which are licensed or have a facility within the city. | 2019 San Mateo Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
| San Jose, CA | $15.00/hr | Employers which are licensed or have a facility within the city, and employees that work 2+ hours per week within the city. | 2019 San Jose Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $15.65/hr | Employers that are licensed or have a facility within the city, and employees that work 2+ hours per week within the city. | 2019 Sunnyvale Minimum Wage Poster Update: Required |
Employers operating in San Francisco also have a change effective January 1, 2019. Employers with 20 or more employees are required to spend a minimum amount on health care benefits for each of their covered employees. On January 1, the minimum benefit contribution will increase to $2.95 for large employers (100 or more employees) and $1.95 for medium employers (businesses with 20-99 employees and non-profits with 50-99 employees). Covered employers must post a 2019 San Francisco Health Care Security Ordinance Poster (included on CPC’s San Francisco Family Friendly Workplace and HCSO Poster).
Florida
Broward County: Effective January 1, 2019, the living wage for Broward County, FL will increase in accordance with the rise in inflation over the past year. This wage rate applies to employees of service contractors who provide provide covered services pursuant to a County service contract, or covered airport services. Employers of covered employees must post a 2019 Broward County Living Wage Poster in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site where such employees work.
New Mexico
Albuquerque: Effective January 1, 2019, the minimum wage for the city of Albuquerque, NM will increase to $8.20 (with employer-provided healthcare and/or childcare benefits) or $9.20 (without benefits). This minimum wage rate applies to employers which have a business license or register within the city, and their employees that work within the city. Employers of covered employees must post a bilingual 2019 Albuquerque Minimum Wage Poster in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site where such employees work.
Bernalillo County: Effective January 1, 2019, the minimum wage for the unincorporated county of Bernalillo, NM will increase to $9.05. This minimum wage rate applies to employers which have a business registration from the county, and their employees that work at least 2 hours per week within the unincorporated limits of the county. Employers of covered employees must post a bilingual 2019 Bernalillo County Minimum Wage Poster in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site where such employees work.
Las Cruces: Effective January 1, 2019, the minimum wage for the city of Las Cruces, NM will increase to $10.10. This minimum wage rate applies to employers operating within the city. Employers of covered employees must post a bilingual 2019 Las Cruces Minimum Wage Poster in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site where such employees work.
Washington
Seattle: Effective January 1, 2019, the minimum wage for the city of Seattle, WA will increase. The rates are $15.00 (including tips and/or medical benefits) for employers with 1-500 employees and $16.00 for employers with more than 500 employees. This minimum wage rate applies to employers operating within the city. Employers of covered employees must post a 2019 Seattle Minimum Wage Poster in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site where such employees work.
Tacoma: Effective January 1, 2019, the minimum wage for the city of Tacoma, WA will increase in accordance with the rise in inflation over the past year. This minimum wage rate applies to employers who employ workers within the city. Employers of covered employees must post a 2019 Tacoma Minimum Wage Poster in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site where such employees work.
SeaTac: Effective January 1, 2019, the minimum wage for covered employees in and near the Seattle-Tacoma International Airport will increase to $16.09. This minimum wage rate applies to specified hospitality and transportation workers. Employers of covered employees must post a 2019 SeaTac Minimum Wage Poster in a conspicuous place at any workplace or job site where such employees work.
2019 Minimum Wage Poster Updates: What To Remember
When multiple minimum wage laws are in play, an employer must pay employees the highest minimum wage rate in operation for the location at which those employees work. However, other provisions of the laws are still in effect. Employees must be notified of their rights under the law at the federal, state, and local (city and/or county) levels.
For example: On January 1, 2019, an employer operating in the city of Flagstaff, AZ must pay employees working in the city the 2019 Flagstaff minimum wage rate of $12.00 per hour, because the local rate is higher than both the Arizona minimum wage ($11.00) and the federal minimum wage ($7.25). However, other portions of the state and federal laws still apply to Flagstaff employees.
An employer with employees working in the city of Flagstaff is required to post:
- The 2019 Flagstaff Minimum Wage Poster,
- The 2019 Arizona Minimum Wage Poster, and
- The relevant Employee Rights Under the FLSA poster, a.k.a. the federal minimum wage poster.
Employers can comply with these requirements and more by posting the minimum wage poster for their city or county alongside one of CPC’s signature All-On-One™ Labor Law Posters. All-On-One Posters consolidate all state and federal mandatory-to-post notices – including state and federal minimum wage posters – on one 27” x 40” poster to make posting compliance quick and convenient. All-On-One Posters are available for all 50 states.
Note: In addition to all relevant minimum wage posters, employers in California, New Jersey, and New York are also required to post a wage order to inform employees of regulations governing specific industries and occupations. See our State Wage Orders page for more information on wage order requirements, or to order a wage order poster.
2019 minimum wage poster updates are now available for pre-order. Products will be released from hold on December 1, 2018 or as soon as they are available to print.
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Please keep in mind that CPC cannot provide legal advice. If you have a question about how labor law applies to your specific workplace situation, please consult your local labor department or an employment lawyer.