Employment & Worker Protection · California

California Minimum Wage

Labor Code 1182.12 - enacted in California.

Status
Enacted
Enacted
2024
States with employment & worker protection laws
51
California tracker score
100/100 Top 10%

The bottom line

California Minimum Wage is an enacted law in California, part of a mature, broadly-adopted employment & worker protection landscape.

Enacted
effective 2025-01-01
51
states have employment & worker protection laws
107/107
employment & worker protection laws enacted nationally
100/100
California tracker score

Data compiled 2026-03-18 from the official California legislative record linked below; laws can be amended or repealed after this date.

Category catalog share · regulations

How 107 tracked employment & worker protection records split by state

Exclusive California vs other-state counts in this category (sum to the category total). Orthogonal to the peer scatter below, which plots enacted volume against portal tracker score.

Regulatory Snapshot: California Minimum Wage

California Minimum Wage (Labor Code 1182.12) is an enacted law in California under the Employment & Worker Protection category. It was enacted on 2024-01-01 and becomes effective on 2025-01-01. California currently has 12 regulations tracked here, with 12 records marked enacted in this dataset. PlainRegWatch's tracker score is 100/100; it summarizes coverage within the five categories this site tracks and is not an official state rating. PlainRegWatch compiled this entry's data on 2026-03-18; consult the linked official source for the current, authoritative text.

Nationally, 107 employment & worker protection statutes have been enacted and 0 additional bills remain pending - 51 distinct jurisdictions have codified rules in this area so far. That places California within a mature and broadly adopted employment & worker protection landscape where compliance programs typically hinge on definitions in Labor Code 1182.12 itself.

Applicability under California Minimum Wage: All California employers. Penalty exposure is documented as: Labor Commissioner enforcement. Civil penalties + back pay. Private action permitted. Notable exemptions: Outside salespeople. Some apprentices..

Summary

California minimum wage $16.50/hr (2025). Healthcare sector: $18-$23/hr phased. Fast food workers (26+ locations): $20/hr since April 2024.

Key Requirements

  • $16.50/hr general (2025).
  • Fast food chains 26+ locations: $20/hr.
  • Healthcare workers: phased $18-$23/hr.
  • No lower tipped wage.
  • Annual indexing.

Penalties

  • Labor Commissioner enforcement.
  • Civil penalties + back pay.
  • Private action permitted.

Applicability

  • All California employers.

Exemptions

  • Outside salespeople.
  • Some apprentices.

Official Source

https://www.dir.ca.gov/dlse/faq_minimumwage.htm

Category context

How California sits among employment & worker protection peers

51 states have a tracked record in employment & worker protection ; California ranks #1 by portal tracker score among those peers. Each point is one state with at least one employment & worker protection regulation in this archive.

Fewer enacted, higher tracker scoreMore enacted, higher tracker scoreFewer enacted, lower tracker scoreMore enacted, lower tracker score0.8 enacted2.1 enacted3.5 enacted4.9 enacted6.3 enacted12.8/10034.6/10056.4/10078.2/100100/100Enacted laws in this categoryPortal tracker scoreAlabama, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Alaska, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Arizona, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 28/100Arkansas, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100California, Enacted laws in this category: 6 enacted · Portal tracker score: 100/100Colorado, Enacted laws in this category: 5 enacted · Portal tracker score: 76/100Connecticut, Enacted laws in this category: 4 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100Delaware, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 59/100District of Columbia, Enacted laws in this category: 3 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Florida, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100Georgia, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Hawaii, Enacted laws in this category: 3 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Idaho, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Illinois, Enacted laws in this category: 5 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100Indiana, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Iowa, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Kansas, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Kentucky, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Louisiana, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 28/100Maine, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Maryland, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100Massachusetts, Enacted laws in this category: 5 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100Michigan, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Minnesota, Enacted laws in this category: 3 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100Mississippi, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Missouri, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Montana, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Nebraska, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Nevada, Enacted laws in this category: 4 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100New Hampshire, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100New Jersey, Enacted laws in this category: 3 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100New Mexico, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100New York, Enacted laws in this category: 5 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100North Carolina, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100North Dakota, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Ohio, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Oklahoma, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Oregon, Enacted laws in this category: 6 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100Pennsylvania, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 34/100Rhode Island, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100South Carolina, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100South Dakota, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Tennessee, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 31/100Texas, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 69/100Utah, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 55/100Vermont, Enacted laws in this category: 3 enacted · Portal tracker score: 48/100Virginia, Enacted laws in this category: 2 enacted · Portal tracker score: 59/100Washington, Enacted laws in this category: 5 enacted · Portal tracker score: 62/100West Virginia, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 28/100Wisconsin, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100Wyoming, Enacted laws in this category: 1 enacted · Portal tracker score: 17/100
Employment & Worker Protection peer states: enacted laws in this category versus portal tracker score (0–100)
Read the peer-state figures
  • California (this state): 6 enacted of 6 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 100/100.
  • Colorado: 5 enacted of 5 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 76/100.
  • Texas: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 69/100.
  • Connecticut: 4 enacted of 4 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • Illinois: 5 enacted of 5 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • Minnesota: 3 enacted of 3 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • New York: 5 enacted of 5 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • Oregon: 6 enacted of 6 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • Washington: 5 enacted of 5 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 62/100.
  • Delaware: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 59/100.
  • Virginia: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 59/100.
  • Utah: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 55/100.
  • Florida: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • Maryland: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • Massachusetts: 5 enacted of 5 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • New Jersey: 3 enacted of 3 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • Rhode Island: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • Vermont: 3 enacted of 3 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 48/100.
  • Alabama: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • District of Columbia: 3 enacted of 3 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Hawaii: 3 enacted of 3 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Maine: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Nevada: 4 enacted of 4 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • North Dakota: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Oklahoma: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Pennsylvania: 2 enacted of 2 tracked employment & worker protection records, tracker score 34/100.
  • Indiana: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Iowa: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Kentucky: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Montana: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Nebraska: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • New Hampshire: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Tennessee: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 31/100.
  • Arizona: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 28/100.
  • Louisiana: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 28/100.
  • West Virginia: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 28/100.
  • Alaska: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Arkansas: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Georgia: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Idaho: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Kansas: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Michigan: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Mississippi: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Missouri: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • New Mexico: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • North Carolina: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Ohio: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • South Carolina: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • South Dakota: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Wisconsin: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.
  • Wyoming: 1 enacted of 1 tracked employment & worker protection record, tracker score 17/100.

Dashed lines mark the peer averages in this category. The tracker score summarizes enacted records across all five policy areas PlainRegWatch tracks; it is not enforcement strength or legal burden. Read how tracker scores are computed.

Tracker-score ranking on employment & worker protection

Top peer states by portal tracker score among jurisdictions with a employment & worker protection record in this archive.

#StateTracker score
1California (this state)100
2Colorado76
3Texas69
4Connecticut62
5Illinois62
6Minnesota62
7New York62
8Oregon62
9Washington62
10Delaware59

Read with California Minimum Wage

Nearest employment & worker protection volume peers and same-state archive siblings for this ENACTED · DENSE row.

ENACTED DENSE

Oregon · 6 enacted

Oregon holds 6 enacted employment & worker protection rows (more by 0 than California); tracker 62/100.

Colorado · 5 enacted

Colorado holds 5 enacted employment & worker protection rows (fewer by 1 than California); tracker 76/100.

Illinois · 5 enacted

Illinois holds 5 enacted employment & worker protection rows (fewer by 1 than California); tracker 62/100.

New York · 5 enacted

New York holds 5 enacted employment & worker protection rows (fewer by 1 than California); tracker 62/100.

California AI Transparency Act · ENACTED

Another California archive row (AI Regulation) stamped ENACTED beside ENACTED California Minimum Wage.

Generative AI Training Data Transparency Act · ENACTED

Another California archive row (AI Regulation) stamped ENACTED beside ENACTED California Minimum Wage.

Disclaimer: This summary is provided for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Regulation details may have changed since this data was compiled (2026-03-18). Always consult official sources and qualified legal counsel for compliance guidance.

More California Regulations

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California AI Transparency Act
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California Non-Compete Ban

Read our methodology - how this data is sourced, computed, and verified.

Data sourced from official state legislatures, IAPP, NCSL, and federal regulatory trackers. See our methodology for details. Retrieved and formatted by PlainRegWatch.

Verify with the official California source →

Every figure on PlainRegWatch is rendered from curated state legislative and Federal Register source data, no number is typed in by an editor. Status, dates, and source URL are this record's row in the curated archive, not a live legislature scrape. See our editorial standards & corrections policy, the methodology behind these numbers, or report a data error. Data current as of July 2026. Tracker scores and rule counts are curated records in five tracked categories - not enforcement strength, legal advice, a complete inventory of US law, or a live bill-status feed.