LA County minimum wage to increase to $15.96/hour starting July 1

LOS ANGELES –The minimum wage for workers in unincorporated areas in Los Angeles County — including Littlerock, Quartz Hill and Lake Los Angeles — will increase to $15.96 an hour as of July 1, the Department of Business and Consumer Affairs announced.

The rate marks a 6.4% increase over the current $15/hour minimum wage. The rate has risen steadily since 2016, when the county adopted a minimum wage ordinance that slowly increased the amount annually, reaching $15/hour on July 1, 2020, for large businesses and on July 1, 2021, for smaller businesses.

Under the county’s Minimum Wage Ordinance, employers and workers have complied with the annual increases to make the region a competitive ecosystem that supports fair work, pay, and prosperity, officials said in a news release. Some important aspects of the wage ordinance:

• This ordinance applies to employees who perform at least two hours of work in a week within unincorporated areas of Los Angeles County.
• Employers are required to post an updated bulletin of the new wage rate in a conspicuous place in addition to the original legally required workplace posting.
• Employer retaliation is illegal.
• Employees are afforded the protections of the county’s Minimum Wage Ordinance, regardless of their immigration or work status.

“A healthy local economy means support for both labor and industry. This wage adjustment is in line with the spirit of the ordinance to ensure that wages keep pace with inflation and support a stable workforce,” said Rafael Carbajal, Director of the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, which enforces the County’s minimum wage. “We will ensure that workers in unincorporated LA County are protected and aware of the updated minimum wage, and we will work with our sister departments to support employers that may need assistance with information, compliance, and access to resources.”

More information regarding the Minimum Wage Ordinance, including the required postings for businesses, can be found at dcba.lacounty.gov/minimum-wage or by calling 800-593-8222.

[Information via news release from the Los Angeles Department of Consumer and Business Affairs.]

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