Pasadena City Hall (Photo – ColoradoBlvd.net)
The City of Pasadena announced that its citywide minimum wage will increase from $18.04 to $18.57 per hour beginning Wednesday, July 1, 2026, applying to all employers regardless of business size.
By News Desk
The adjustment follows Pasadena’s locally adopted minimum wage ordinance, approved by the City Council on March 14, 2016. Pasadena’s wage schedule was established before California enacted its own statewide minimum wage law, and the city’s requirements continue to operate independently. While the state sets a general minimum wage, Pasadena’s ordinance includes its own annual increases, now tied to changes in the Consumer Price Index. The new rate will remain in effect until June 30, 2027, when the next CPI‑based update is scheduled.
State law still supersedes Pasadena’s ordinance in one area: fast‑food chains. As of April 1, 2024, California requires a $20.00 hourly minimum wage for employees of qualifying “national fast‑food chain” establishments. That rate applies to all such businesses operating within Pasadena. Additional details on the state’s fast‑food wage rules are available through the California Department of Industrial Relations.
Jennifer Paige, Pasadena’s Planning & Community Development Director, underscored the importance of the city’s wage policy, noting its impact on low‑wage earners and immigrant workers. She emphasized that employees across all sectors contribute to Pasadena’s economic strength and that the City Council’s commitment to equitable wages supports the community’s overall prosperity.
Pasadena’s Planning & Community Development Department, through its Code Compliance Division, oversees enforcement of the minimum wage ordinance. The division provides outreach, education, and training, and coordinates enforcement efforts with the California Division of Labor Standards Enforcement.
Residents or workers seeking information or wishing to file a minimum wage‑related complaint may 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 resources are available at the city’s website under the Minimum Wage Ordinance section.
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