Workers across California are getting a raise Thursday, but the new minimum wage rules will not hit everyone the same way.
The Santa Monica minimum wage for most workplaces will rise to $18.47 an hour on July 1, up from $17.81, as part of the annual local increase tied to inflation. That rate matches the unincorporated Los Angeles County minimum wage.
But the bigger shocker may be at the beach hotels.
Santa Monica hotel workers and employees working on hotel property will see their minimum wage jump to $25 an hour on July 1, a move city officials say follows a longstanding local rule that ties the wage to Los Angeles hotel pay standards.
And then there’s California’s separate fast-food wage, which continues to hover at $20 an hour for covered chains with 60 or more locations nationwide.
That means the big chains with 60 or more locations — think McDonald’s and Raising Cane’s — will have to pay a bit more. Smaller local spots that sell “fast food,” like The Win-dow and Benny’s Tacos, are exempt.
In other words: same city, different rules.
Santa Monica’s wage system has long been a patchwork of local, county and state standards, and Thursday’s change is the latest reminder that employers here need a calculator, a calendar and probably a good CPA.
The city says the Santa Monica minimum wage is updated annually and is tied to the Consumer Price Index for the Los Angeles metro area. Santa Monica also requires paid sick leave, with 40 hours for small businesses and 72 hours for larger ones.
For hotel operators, the increase is especially important. City officials say Santa Monica will continue following its ordinance linking hotel wages to Los Angeles, while leaving its own benefit rules unchanged.
So while some workers will just be seeing a modest bump, others — especially in hospitality — are heading into a much pricier pay era.
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