Insight & Commentary on California Workplace Law Issues & Developments
At the start of the year, the state minimum wage increased, along with several local jurisdictions. Many other California cities and counties will also increase their minimum wage on July 1.
The following localities will raise their minimum wage on July 1, 2026:
| Locality | Current Minimum Wage | New Minimum Wage |
| Alameda | $17.46 | $17.76 |
California employers in the health care industry should prepare for increased scrutiny of executive compensation as a new statewide initiative heads toward the November 3, 2026, General Election ballot.
The California Secretary of State announced that Initiative 1985, formally titled “Limits Compensation for Health Care Executives, Managers, and Administrators. Initiative Statute,” became eligible for the…
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…
