PASADENA, Calif. – The City of Pasadena reminds local employers and employees that the citywide minimum wage will increase from $18.04 to $18.57 per hour for all businesses, regardless of size, effective Wednesday, July 1, 2026.
The Pasadena City Council adopted the city’s minimum wage ordinance on March 14, 2016. These rules were implemented prior to the State of California’s minimum wage legislation, and the state’s minimum wage requirements do not override Pasadena’s ordinance. Pasadena’s minimum wage follows a distinct schedule that includes higher incremental increases. After several planned annual adjustments, the Pasadena minimum wage is now updated each year based on changes in the Consumer Price Index. This new rate will remain in effect until June 30, 2027, when the next adjustment will occur.
As of April 1, 2024, the State of California established a $20.00 per hour minimum wage for employees of “national fast-food chain” establishments. This state requirement applies to all qualifying fast-food businesses operating within Pasadena and supersedes the city’s minimum wage when an employer meets the state’s definition of a national fast-food chain. For more information on the state’s fast-food minimum wage, visit the California Department of Industrial Relations at Dir.Ca.gov/Dlse/Faq_MinimumWage.htm.
Planning & Community Development Director Jennifer Paige emphasized the importance of Pasadena’s local minimum wage, particularly for low‑wage earners and members of the immigrant community. She noted that workers at all levels contribute to the city’s economic vitality and that Pasadena’s prosperity is made possible by the City Council’s commitment to ensuring fair and equitable wages.
The Planning & Community Development Department, Code Compliance Division, administers Pasadena’s minimum wage ordinance through outreach, education, training, and coordinated enforcement with the California Department of Industrial Relations / Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. For more information or to file a complaint related to the Pasadena minimum wage ordinance, contact Code Compliance Manager Jon Pollard at (626) 744-6831 or JPollard@CityOfPasadena.net, or Outreach, Education and Training Coordinator Julieta Aragon at (626) 440-1031 or Julieta@Ndlon.org. Official notices and additional resources are available at CityOfPasadena.net/Planning/Code-Compliance/Minimum-Wage-Ordinance/.
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