Workers in unincorporated San Mateo County will earn a minimum of $16.50 per hour starting April 1, 2023, which must be implemented for jobs ranging from commercial corridors to coastal agricultural lands.
The minimum wage must be paid to employees who work at least two hours a week, with few exceptions, the city council said in a statement.
The agency also said businesses of any size must pay workers at least $16.50 per hour for all time worked within the unincorporated geographic boundaries of San Mateo County.
This includes North Fair Oaks, farmland stretching from south of Pacifica to Pescadero, Broadmoor Village in north county, and other unincorporated areas.
The Board of Supervisors in November 2022 approved setting the minimum wage at $16.50 per hour to put more money in the pockets of fast food employees, farmworkers, and other workers who typically earn low wages.
It is worth noting that this new minimum wage is one dollar per hour above the minimum wage established by the state of California, which increased on January 1, 2023.
“The Board is proud to stand up for the workers who are the backbone of our community,” said Dave Pine, Chairman of the Board of Supervisors. “Many of these workers were deemed essential during COVID, and it is absolutely critical that we do what we can for them.”
This minimum wage for unincorporated areas of the county will apply to all workers, regardless of immigration status.
For its part, the California Labor Commissioner's Office He said it will enforce the minimum wage, which will avoid the establishment of a new local enforcement agency while providing consistency across jurisdictions. The ordinance also allows an individual employee to sue his or her employer for noncompliance.
The new minimum wage applies to so-called gig workers, those who receive tips, and both adults and children.
Mirroring the state's minimum wage requirements, there is an exception for "apprentices," who can earn 85 percent of the minimum wage for the first 160 hours of employment, then the full $16.50 per hour.
However, beginning Jan. 1, 2024, and annually thereafter, the county's minimum wage will be set based on a formula involving the Consumer Price Index, which tracks prices for goods and services, and the increase from the previous year.
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