Minimum Wage, Santa Monica

Effective July 1, 2019, employers in the City of Santa Monica are subject to a minimum wage increase.

Under Santa Monica’s Minimum Wage Ordinance, employers are required to pay all employees—including temporary and part-time workers—who perform at least 2 hours of work in a workweek within the geographic limits of the city a new minimum wage rate based on employer size.

New Minimum Wage Rates as of July 1, 2019

For Large & Small Employers

From July 1, 2019, to June 30, 2020:

Employers with 26 or more employees must pay a minimum wage rate of $14.25 per hour.
Employers with 25 or fewer employees must pay a minimum wage rate of $13.25 per hour.

The city is on a path to a $15.00 minimum wage, with annual adjustments every July 1 through 2020 for large employers and through 2021 for small employers.

Retaliation Protections for Employees

Like many other city ordinances in California, Santa Monica’s Minimum Wage Ordinance protects employees who assert their rights to receive the minimum wage from retaliation by their employers.

Employees may file a civil lawsuit against an employer for any violation of the ordinance. The city can investigate possible violations and also enforce the minimum wage requirements.

The Minimum Wage notice includes the following examples of minimum wage law violations:

Failure to pay the Santa Monica Minimum Wage
Failure to comply with the notice, posting, and records requirements
Retaliation against employees

Contact Information

Employees or employers who need more information about the city’s minimum wage may contact the City of Santa Monica by phone (310-458-8281), by email (minimum.wage@smgov.net), or by visiting the minimum wage website (www.smgov.net/minimumwage).

Posting Requirements

Santa Monica employers must post the Minimum Wage notice in both English and Spanish, and in any other language spoken by 5% of the employer’s workforce.

The posting requirement also applies to the city’s Paid Sick Leave (PSL) notice, which is included on our Santa Monica poster. At this time, there are no changes to the PSL law or the notice.

We’re Here to Keep You in Compliance

If you order our City/County Poster 1-Year Plan, you will automatically receive the new Santa Monica poster, which is now available. 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!