Pasadena officials provide notice of fast food minimum wage raise

Pasadena officials on Wednesday called attention to the April 1 start of a $20 hourly minimum wage for fast food workers and issued a reminder about this summer’s citywide minimum wage hike.

The California minimum wage for fast food restaurant employees supersedes Pasadena’s local minimum wage ordinance, according to a city statement. All other workers who aren’t considered “fast food restaurant employees” remain eligible for Pasadena’s $16.93 hourly minimum wage.

Starting July 1, the Pasadena minimum wage will increase to $17.50 hourly for all other occupations regardless of a business’ number of employees. This new wage rate will remain in effect until June 30, 2025, when it will again increase.

Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law Assembly Bill 1228 on Sept. 28, raising the minimum wage for certain fast food restaurant workers.

To be considered a “fast food restaurant,” the eatery must be a “‘limited-service restaurant’ that offers limited or no table service, where the customer’s order food or beverage items and pay for those items before the items are consumed,” officials said. The restaurant must also be “part of a restaurant chain of at least 60 establishments nationwide … (and be) primarily engaged in selling food and beverages for immediate consumption.”

Starting Jan. 1, 2025, “the hourly minimum wage for fast food restaurant employees may be increased by a state-appointed Fast Food Council … at a rate tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers,” according to the city statement. “The Council and its authority expires at the end of 2029.”

Officials said questions about enforcement of the new state law should be directed to the California Labor Commissioner’s Office. Information and the address and telephone number of branch offices are online at Dir.Ca.Gov/DLSE/dlse.html or under a search for “California Labor Commissioner’s Office,” officials said.

Additionally, the state Department of Industrial Relations has a “Frequently Asked Questions” webpage on the fast food minimum wage.

For inquiries to the city, officials said to contact the City Service Center during business hours at 626-744-7311.