The Los Angeles City Council has approved amendments that would slow the implementation schedule for the City’s Hotel Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance and related airport worker wage provisions. The move revises the framework adopted in 2025, which had been set to increase covered hotel and airport worker wages to $30 per hour by 2028. The
Hospitality
Hotel Employers in California Make Sure Your Minimum Wage is Summer Ready
By Diana Lerma & Peter B. Maretz on
Posted in Wage and Hour
Many cities across California have adopted higher minimum wage and benefit requirements for hotel employers. The City of Los Angeles raised its wages for hotel and airport workers last year in advance of the Olympics. Many of these local ordinances increase in July.
As such, hotel employers should verify they are ready for the requirements…
LA County Passes Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance for Unincorporated Areas of the County
By Diana Lerma on
Posted in Local Ordinance
The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors has passed a new Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance for unincorporated areas of the county. Similar to the City of Los Angeles and West Hollywood ordinances, the ordinance sets forth additional obligations for hotel employers to enhance the safety of employees.
The ordinance becomes operative on…
City of San Diego Increases Hospitality Minimum Wage
By Lauren R. Presser & Peter B. Maretz on
Posted in Local Ordinance
The City of San Diego’s hospitality industry is ushering in substantial changes in wage requirements. The City Council has passed an ordinance establishing a new minimum wage schedule for employees at hotels, amusement parks, and event centers. If you are an employer in these sectors, it’s crucial to understand the timeline and requirements to ensure…
Assembly Bill 858: COVID Right of Recall Continues in California
By Kaitlyn L. Lavaroni on
Posted in Hiring and Background Checks
Governor Newsom has signed Assembly Bill (AB) 858, which extends the sunset date of the recall and reinstatement rights of employees laid off as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic until January 1, 2027.
In 2021, Senate Bill (SB) 93 was passed, which required certain employers in the hospitality and service industries to rehire…
City of Los Angeles Hotel Workers’ Minimum Wage Increase Is Back
By Ellen E. Cohen on
Posted in Wage and Hour
In July, the City of Los Angeles put the minimum wage increase for hotel workers on hold. Certain provisions were to take effect on July 1, 2025. The decision to pause the ordinance came after a referendum petition against the ordinance was filed with the City Clerk’s office on June 27, 2025.
On September 8…
City of Los Angeles Passes Olympic Wage Increases and Other Entitlements for Hotel and Airport Workers
By Susan E. Groff & Cecilie E. Read on
Posted in Local Ordinance
On May 27, the City of Los Angeles passed amendments to the Living Wage Ordinance (LWO) and the Hotel Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance (HWMO). The development of these amendments began in December 2024, and since then have been the subject of debate and public comment.
Here is what hotel and airport employers need to…
Local Ordinances California Hospitality Employers Need to Know
By Ronald Tran on
Posted in Local Ordinance
The hospitality industry is important to California’s economy and provides significant employment across the state. Due to the large workforce within the hospitality sector, many cities across the state have implemented employment regulations for the industry. Here are some of the ordinances employers need to know.
Hotel Minimum Wage Ordinances
Several cities have separate minimum…
Reminder: City of Berkeley Fair Workweek Ordinance Operative January 2024
By Cepideh Roufougar & Julia A. Olivier on
Posted in Wage and Hour
In December 2022, the City of Berkeley passed the Fair Workweek Employment Standards Ordinance. The ordinance will become operative on January 12, 2024.
The Berkeley ordinance is similar to the City of Los Angeles’s Fair Work Week Ordinance which took effect April 1, 2023,and other local ordinances regarding how employees are scheduled…
COVID-19 Right of Recall Extended
By Sayaka Karitani on
Posted in California
On October 10, 2023, Governor Newsom signed Senate Bill (SB) 723, which moves the expiration the right of recall rights for employees in the hospitality and service industry from December 31, 2024, to December 31, 2025. The bill adds a presumption that a separation due to a lack of business, reduction in force, or…