SAN FRANCISCO—The minimum wage in the City of San Francisco is about to rise from $10.74 per hour to $11.05 per hour beginning January 1, 2015. Mayor Edwin M. Lee made the announcement on Thursday, October 30.
“San Francisco is leading the nation in addressing income inequality by supporting low wage earners and working families, but we must do more,” said Mayor Lee. “A hard day’s work deserves a fair day’s pay. That’s why I worked closely with Supervisor Jane Kim and the entire Board of Supervisors and with large and small businesses, nonprofits, labor groups, and those who represent working families to bring a fair and responsible consensus measure to increase the minimum wage to $15 per hour. This November, we have the opportunity to raise the minimum wage in a way that supports our businesses, protects our economic recovery, and boosts wages for working people.”
According to a press release from the Mayor’s website, back in November 2003, residents voted to enact a local minimum wage rate, and the law allows annual rate adjustments based on the previous year’s Consumer Price Index (CPI) for city wage earners in the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose metropolitan region. Employers are expected to pay San Francisco’s higher minimum wage for all covered work performed in the City.
The City’s wage was at $8.50 per hour in 2004, and was the highest wage in the country at the time. San Francisco still currently holds the highest minimum wage in the country at $10.74 per hour. The Federal minimum wage sits at $7.25 per hour. The minimum wage in the state of California sits at $9.00 per hour, and will increase to $10.00 per hour by January 2016.
SF voters will get the opportunity to raise the minimum wage to $15.00 per hour by July 1, 2018 during the November 4 election. Mayor Lee is an advocate who supports President Barack Obama’s movement to raise the Federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour.
“Given all that San Francisco has already done to support a living wage, it’s no surprise that we’re leading the nation again,” said Supervisor Jane Kim, lead co-sponsor of the Minimum Wage Ordinance on the November ballot. “Voters will get a chance to pass the most robust minimum wage increase in the country on November 4th. Our residents deserve to be able to live where they work and support their families, period.”
The City will be mailing updated multilingual poster of the new rate to registered businesses with employees in December. Employers are required to post the notice in their workplace. Additional information regarding San Francisco’s Minimum Wage Ordinance can be found at www.sfgov.org/olse/mwo or by calling 415-554-6292.
By Staff
