Minimum wage rises in 4 cities in Los Angeles County

LOS ANGELES — Several cities in Los Angeles County saw their minimum wage rates rise at the beginning of this month.

Los Angeles, Pasadena, Santa Monica, and Malibu’s minimum wage jumped on Sunday, July 1 from $12 per hour to $13.25 per hour for businesses with 26 or more employees.

For businesses with 25 or fewer employees, the wage increased from $10.50 to $12 an hour.

These rate changes apply to unincorporated parts of Los Angeles County as well.

The increase is the third wage hike in Los Angeles since Mayor Eric Garcetti signed a measure back in 2015 that called for the minimum wage to gradually go up to $15 per hour by 2020.

In a statement, Garcetti said, “We fought to raise the minimum wage because hard work should always be met with the dignity, respect, and opportunity that fair pay brings into the lives of working people.”

He added, “Cities across America have joined LA on the climb to $15, and I’m proud that hundreds of thousands of Angelenos can look forward to bigger paychecks for all that they do to make our lives easier and keep our economy moving.”

Currently, the California minimum wage is $11 an hour for businesses with 26 employees or more, and $10.50 for those will fewer employees.