Insight & Commentary on California Workplace Law Issues & Developments
State Minimum Wage
On January 1, 2026, California’s minimum wage will increase from $16.50 to $16.90 per hour.
Local Minimum Wage
Also on January 1, 2026, several local municipalities will increase their minimum wage rates. Local jurisdictions are allowed to set the minimum wage higher than the state minimum.
Below is a list of some…
Senate Bill (SB) 596 represents asignificant development for California general acute care hospitals, acute psychiatric hospitals, and special hospitals. Governor Newsom signed SB 596 into law on October 13, 2025, amending California’s Health and Safety Code § 1280.3 to expand civil penalties for certain licensed health facilities that fail to maintain mandated staffing ratios.
While…
Employers in the healthcare industry in California are subject to a separate minimum wage from other employers.
Effective July 1, 2025, certain healthcare facilities will see an increase in their minimum wage rates. The following is a summary of the increases based on the type of employer.
| Type of Healthcare Employer | Current Rate | Increased |
For an employee to be exempt from overtime under California law, their job must fall into a specific exempt category.
The most common exemptions are for executive, administrative, and professional roles. Employees in these capacities generally qualify if their work meets detailed requirements and they earn at least twice the state minimum wage for full-time…
At the end of June, the Governor paused the California health care worker minimum wage due to budget concerns. The bill was delayed until certain state budget circumstances occurred, which happened on October 1. Now the minimum wage for health care workers will take effect October 16, 2024.
To assist with the implementation of the…
In 2022, the City of Inglewood passed a healthcare worker minimum wage ordinance. The new $25.00 minimum wage applies to private-sector healthcare employees who work in hospitals, integrated health systems, and dialysis clinics in Inglewood.
The new minimum wage applied to clinicians, nurses, certified nursing assistants, aides, technicians, maintenance workers, janitorial or housekeeping staff…
In light of California’s $37.86 billion budget shortfall, it is being reported that Governor Newsom is seeking changes to the California Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage law including the delay of the initial compliance date of June 1, 2024. It is not clear yet what the changes will be to the new law nor how far…
The COVID-19 State of Emergency for California ended on February 28, 2023. In its wake, the California Department of Public Health (CDPH) has announced impending updates to its remaining COVID-19 mandates, including those applicable to healthcare workers.
On March 3, 2023, the CDPH announced it would end vaccination requirements for healthcare workers, including those in…
February 17th was not only the start of the President’s Day weekend but also the last day that California legislators could introduce bills for consideration during the 2023 legislative session. Jackson Lewis attorneys will be monitoring the below bills, which have the potential for a profound impact on California employers.
Assembly Bill (AB) 1100…
Over the summer, several cities considered and even passed a $25.00 minimum wage for healthcare workers.
The Cities of Inglewood and Duarte sent the ordinances for consideration to voters. Only the City of Inglewood measure was successful.
The new $25.00 minimum wage applies to private-sector healthcare workers who work in hospitals, integrated health systems…
