## California minimum wage
### Standard minimum wage
$16.00/hour (2024) — going to $16.50 in 2025; many cities have higher local minimums.
### Tipped employees
Same as regular minimum (no tip credit allowed).
**Worth knowing about California:** California has the highest baseline state minimum wage. Fast-food workers got a separate $20/hour minimum in 2024 (AB 1228). Healthcare workers have their own tiered schedule under SB 525.
## How federal and state minimum wage interact
When state and federal minimums differ, the **higher** number wins:
- **Federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA)** sets the floor at $7.25/hour (unchanged since 2009)
- **State minimum** can be higher (most are now)
- **City/county minimums** can be higher still (Seattle, NYC, San Francisco, DC)
- **Industry-specific minimums** can be higher (CA fast-food $20, healthcare workers tiered)
Employers must pay whichever is highest and applicable.
## Tipped workers — how the tip credit works
Federal law and many states allow employers to pay a sub-minimum cash wage IF tips bring the worker up to the full minimum. The mechanics:
1. Employer pays the cash wage (e.g., $2.13 federal)
2. Worker receives tips
3. If cash + tips reach minimum wage, the employer met its obligation
4. If cash + tips fall short, employer must make up the difference
**No-tip-credit states** (CA, NV, MN, MT, OR, WA, AK, and DC after 2027) require the full minimum wage as cash regardless of tips. Tips are pure additional income.
## Overtime
Federal law (FLSA) requires overtime — 1.5x regular rate — for hours over 40 in a week (with many exemptions). Some states add daily overtime:
- **California** — 1.5x after 8 hours/day; 2x after 12 hours/day (and after 8 hours on the 7th day)
- **Alaska, Nevada, Colorado** — daily overtime at 8 or 12 hours
- **Other states** — follow federal weekly-only standard
## Common exemptions
Not every worker is entitled to minimum wage and overtime. Major federal exemptions:
- **Executive, administrative, and professional employees** — must meet duties test AND salary threshold ($684/week federal as of 2024; $1,128/week starting 2025 if reinstated)
- **Outside sales employees**
- **Independent contractors** (real ones — misclassification is a major source of wage disputes)
- **Certain agricultural and seasonal workers**
- **Some computer professionals**
- **Volunteers, interns, students** (with limits)
Misclassification of employees as exempt or as contractors is one of the most common wage-and-hour violations.
## Recovering unpaid wages
If you've been paid less than minimum wage or denied overtime, you can recover:
- **Back wages** — what you should have been paid
- **Liquidated damages** — equal to back wages (effectively doubles recovery)
- **Attorney's fees** — winners' fees come from the employer (FLSA fee-shifting)
- **Civil penalties** — additional in some states
Statute of limitations is typically 2 years (3 for willful violations).
## What you should do
Wage-and-hour cases are routinely brought on contingency by employment attorneys — you usually don't pay anything out of pocket. Most California employment attorneys offer free initial consultations. The Department of Labor (federal) and California's state labor agency also accept complaints and investigate.
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*This guide is general information about California law as of early 2026 and is not legal advice. Minimum-wage figures change frequently — most states have annual indexing or scheduled increases. Talk to a licensed California employment attorney or check your state's labor agency for the current rate.*
This guide is for general information only and does not constitute legal advice. Laws change and outcomes depend on your specific situation — talk to a licensed attorney before acting on anything you read here.