Berkeley Minimum Wage (2026)
Local pay and leave rules for people who work in Berkeley, California, with the official city source for each — plus the state rules that still apply.
Short answer: $19.61 per hour, effective July 1, 2026 (up from $19.18). Applies to employees who work at least 2 hours in a week in Berkeley; tips do not count toward the minimum wage. The rate is adjusted each July 1. Berkeley Minimum Wage Ordinance
| Local minimum wage | $19.61 per hour, effective July 1, 2026 (up from $19.18). Applies to employees who work at least 2 hours in a week in Berkeley; tips do not count toward the minimum wage. The rate is adjusted each July 1. Source: Berkeley Minimum Wage Ordinance |
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| California state minimum wage | $16.90 per hour for all employers, effective January 1, 2026. Higher minimum wages apply to fast food workers and certain health care workers, and many cities and counties have their own higher local minimum wage; employers must pay whichever rate is highest. Scheduled increase: the statewide minimum wage rises to $17.40 per hour on January 1, 2027 (DIR News Release 2026-66: https://www.dir.ca.gov/DIRNews/2026/2026-66.html). The rate is adjusted each year for inflation, capped at 3.5% per year, and cannot go down. |
| Paid sick leave (local law) | Employees earn 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 25 employees may cap accrual at 48 hours and annual use at 48 hours. Employers with 25 or more employees may cap accrual at 72 hours but may not cap annual use. |
| Fair workweek (predictive scheduling) | Covered employers must give two weeks' notice of work schedules and pay predictability pay for last-minute changes. Employees may decline back-to-back shifts without adequate rest, and employers must offer new available hours to existing part-time employees. |
| Flexible schedule requests | Employers with 10 or more employees must let eligible employees request a flexible or predictable schedule and must respond in writing within 21 days. |
California labor laws · Minimum wage by state · Overtime calculator
General legal information, not legal advice. Laws change and local rules can differ; check the linked official source or talk to a lawyer about your situation.