While California fast food workers recently had their minimum wage increased to $20 an hour, the state’s healthcare workers will likely have to wait to see their minimum wage rise.
That’s due to the state’s looming budget deficit of $27.6 billion.
The backstory: Last year Gov. Gavin Newsom signed Senate Bill 525, which would begin gradually increasing to $25 an hour.
- SB 525 set the increase starting on June 1.
The big picture: On Monday, Sen. Maria Elena Durazo (D–Los Angeles) introduced a bill to delay the first increase to July 1.
- That would give the state more time to implement the program in the face of the budget deficit.
- The Newsom administration expects the minimum wage increase to add $4 billion to state costs.
What they’re saying: “SB 525 provided a historic wage increase to more than 450,000 health care workers, mainly women and people of color, who take care of us and keep our health care system functioning,” Durazo said in a statement to KCRA.
- “It is clear that these workers need this to help support their families and I appreciate health care employers that recognized this and have begun to increase wages. SB 828 moves the start date of the health care minimum wage by one month to July 1, 2024. This aligns SB 525 with the budget year and allows the Legislature to continue discussions with the Administration and technical changes to ensure health care workers get their raises.”
