It’s time to review all of your employee wage rates to make sure they are all in compliance with 2026 minimum wage laws. Keep in mind that minimum wages are typically based on where the employee performs the work. Here is the California summary:
| Minimum Wage for | Effective Date | Rates |
| California Minimum Wage | January 1, 2026 | $16.90 per hour |
| Employee Working in the City of San Diego | January 1, 2026 | $17.75 per hour |
| Exempt Employees | January 1, 2026 | $70,304 per year $5,858.67 per month $33.80 per hour (2x min. wage) |
| Computer Software Exempt Employees | January 1, 2026 | $122,573.13 per year $10,214.43 per month $58.93 per hour |
| Licensed Physicians Exempt Employees | January 1, 2026 | $107.17 per hour |
Industry- Specific Minimum Wage
Industry Specific Minimum wage in California include:
- Covered Healthcare Employees $24.00/hour
- Covered Fast-Food Employees working in large fast-food chains $20.00/hour
Out-of-State Minimum Wage
Twenty-one (21) additional states will be raising minimum wages in 2026.
If you would like information for industry-specific minimum wages or for a different state, please contact us at OpsTeam@MyOpsManager.com.
And don’t forget, all employees need to be retrained on preventing sexual harassment every two years or within six months of assuming a supervisory position. The California Department of Fair Housing & Employment (DFEH) now has free training available. The link for their training is Sexual Harassment Prevention Training | DFEH (ca.gov).