LOS ANGELES — Mayor Eric Garcetti recently announced a city-wide effort to help prepare employers and employees for an L.A.’s minimum wage increase that is due to take effect in July.
“Our city can only reach its potential if everyone with a job is part of L.A.’s economic resurgence — and that means giving hardworking Angelenos a well-deserves raise,” said Mayor Garcetti. “It is important that workers know what they are entitled to be paid, and that small businesses understand how to best integrate the raise into their plans for the future.”
In June 2015, Mayor Garcetti signed the largest anti-poverty measure in Los Angeles history — increasing the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by 2020, and establishing L.A. as largest city in America to mandate higher pay for workers at the bottom of the income ladder.
The first increase goes into effect on July 1, 2016, mandating a minimum wage of $10.50 for companies that have 26 or more employees. The rate will go up for small business employees in 2017.
To ensure a smooth transition and maximize compliance with the new law, the City’s Bureau of Contract Administration is launching an extensive public education initiative to help prepare employers for the salary increase, and to inform employees of their rights.
The Bureau will initially provide a series of trainings for City staff, neighborhood councils, business associations, and labor unions on how to best educate their constituencies and members. The City will also partner with grassroots community outreach organizations to spread the word to working people and businesses throughout Los Angeles.
Mayor Garcetti also recently met with mayors and elected officials from across L.A. County to launch an effort to help promote and pass minimum wage increases throughout the County and at the state level. Taken together, the impact of these wage efforts will affect nearly six million people in the region.
“It’s a new day for hard-working individuals who have grown accustomed to living paycheck to paycheck, sometimes working multiple jobs to make ends meet,” said Councilmember Curren D. Price, Jr. “As we pivot to the public outreach and education phase, it gives me great satisfaction knowing that we’re one step closer to dramatically changing the lives of the working poor. If you ask my constituents, they will tell you July 1 cannot get here soon enough.”
“I was thrilled to help lead the Council in adopting this new minimum wage,” said Councilmember Nury Martinez. “It is exciting to see Los Angeles move forward with a policy that benefits hard-working residents and makes it easier to raise a family in our city.”
“This is an historic opportunity in the City of Los Angeles to improve the quality of life for 600,000 low-wage workers, and to invest in our economy at the same time,” said John Reamer, Inspector of Public Works for the Bureau of Contract Administration. “Thanks to the leadership and commitment of Mayor Eric Garcetti and our City Council, we are now implementing the largest anti-poverty measure in the history of Los Angeles.”
Of the current minimum wage earners who will receive a raise, 97% of those workers are age 20 and older; 60% are over 30 years old. Over 80% of the workers receiving this raise are people of color and 50% are women. Nearly half of minimum wage earners have some college education and 14% have a bachelor’s degree or higher.
Additional information is available on the City’s Bureau of Contract Administration website at http://bca.lacity.org, including Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ), copies of the new ordinances, and the rate schedule.
Additional information can be found at: 1-844-WAGESLA (1-844-924-3752)
