Minimum Wage Increase for Sunnyvale in 2020

Sunnyvale, California, United States - August 13, 2018: Modern architecture of Google Tech Corners, the Google Campus in Sunnyvale, Silicon Valley. Relax area in front of building TC3.

Sunnyvale, California, United States - August 13, 2018: Modern architecture of Google Tech Corners, the Google Campus in Sunnyvale, Silicon Valley. Relax area in front of building TC3.

Things are getting sunnier for employees in the City of Sunnyvale, California. As of January 1, 2020, the minimum wage in Sunnyvale is going up, and the three notices on the city’s poster must be updated.

Minimum Wage Requirements

Annual Increase for 2020

Every January 1, the City of Sunnyvale’s minimum wage will be adjusted based on the U.S. Department of Labor’s Bay Area Consumer Price Index.

Effective January 1, 2020, employers subject to the Sunnyvale Business License Tax or who maintain a facility in Sunnyvale must pay employees who perform at least 2 hours of work per week in the city a minimum wage of at least $16.05 per hour.

Minimum Wage Notice

As mandated by the Sunnyvale Minimum Wage Ordinance and outlined on the city’s Minimum Wage notice, the minimum wage increase applies to adult and minor employees who work 2 or more hours per week, not including tips.

The ordinance states that employees who assert their rights to receive the city’s new minimum wage are protected from retaliation by an employer.

In addition, employees who believe their employer has not paid them the correct minimum wage may file a civil lawsuit against the employer for any violation of the ordinance or file a complaint with the City of Sunnyvale.

The city is responsible for investigating possible violations, will have access to payroll records and will enforce violations by ordering reinstatement of employees, ordering payment of illegally withheld back wages, and imposing penalties.

Know Your Rights Notice

Sunnyvale’s Know Your Rights notice includes the new minimum wage rate and the following information for employees:

  • Employers may not terminate employees or discriminate against them for exercising their rights under the Minimum Wage Ordinance.
  • Employees covered under the law are entitled to these rights regardless of immigration status.
  • Employees who are not receiving the current $16.05 minimum wage may contact the City of Sunnyvale or the Office of Equality Assurance using the contact information provided on the notice.

Minimum Wage Ordinance Basics Notice

The Minimum Wage Ordinance Basics notice features the new minimum wage rate and describes certain responsibilities of covered employers, such as:

  • Posting the Minimum Wage notice in the workplace to inform employees of the new minimum wage and their rights under the law
  • Documenting the hours’ employees work and keeping records for 4 years
  • Providing employees with the employer’s name, address, and phone number at the time of hire

We Can Keep You in Compliance

If you order our City/County Poster 1-Year Plan, you will automatically receive the updated Sunnyvale poster in plenty of time before January 1, 2020. And because we provide free poster updates for mandatory changes, no matter how many occur during the plan year, you can always count on Poster Compliance Center to keep your business in compliance!