On January 1, 2020, employers in Sonoma, California, will be subject to the city’s new Minimum Wage Ordinance.

Effective January 1, 2020, Sonoma employers with 26 or more employees must pay a minimum wage of $13.50 per hour. Employers with 25 or fewer employees must pay a minimum wage of $12.50 per hour.

Sonoma’s new Minimum Wage notice, which must be posted in both English and Spanish, outlines scheduled minimum wage increases January 1, 2020 through January 1, 2023, based on employer size. Thereafter, the minimum wage will be adjusted yearly based on the Consumer Price Index at a maximum of 3.5 percent.

The provisions of the Minimum Wage Ordinance apply to employees who perform at least 2 hours of work in a particular workweek within the geographic boundaries of the City of Sonoma. Employees who assert their rights to receive the city’s minimum wage are protected from retaliation by their employer and may file a civil action against an employer who has violated the ordinance.

Upon hire, and annually, employers are required to provide each employee written notification of the employer’s legal name, address, and phone number. This notification must also include the name and contact information for the individual responsible for inquiries related to compliance under the law.  

Sonoma’s Minimum Wage Ordinance also includes a medical benefit credit of up to $1.50 per hour effective January 1, 2021. The city will be developing guidelines for this benefit in early 2020.

Those who have questions about the Minimum Wage Ordinance or need additional information can go to the Sonoma Minimum Wage Ordinance website, or contact the City Clerk by phone (707-938-2204) or email.

We Can Keep You in Compliance

If you order our City/County Poster 1-Year Plan, you will automatically receive the new Sonoma poster by 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!