Many employers may be eager to put 2020 in the rearview mirror. But before ringing in the New Year, employers should carefully evaluate whether they need to make any changes to their current practices to ensure that they remain in compliance with state and local laws, including those relating to minimum wage.
As reflected in the chart below, in 2021, minimum wage will increase in more than two dozen states, with most of the changes set to take effect on January 1. Minimum wage will also increase at the local level in a number of counties and cities. Accordingly, employers with minimum wage workers should consult with counsel to ensure that their compensation practices are compliant with the laws in all of the jurisdictions in which they operate.
| Jurisdiction | 2020 Minimum Wage | 2021 Minimum Wage |
| Alaska | $10.19 | $10.34 |
| Arizona | $12.00 | $12.15 |
| Flagstaff, AZ | $13.00 | $15.00, or $2 above state minimum wage, whichever is greater |
| Arkansas | $10.00 | $11.00 |
| California | $12.00 – 25 or fewer employees
$13.00 – 26+ employees |
$13 per hour for employers with 25 or fewer employees
$14 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees |
| Belmont, CA | $15.00 | $15.90 |
| Berkeley, CA | $16.07 | No update provided yet, eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Cupertino, CA | $15.35 | $15.65 |
| Daly City, CA | $13.75 | $15.00 |
| El Cerrito, CA | $15.37 | $15.61 |
| Emeryville, CA | $16.84 | No update provided yet, eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Los Altos, CA | $15.40 | $15.65 |
| Los Angeles City, CA | $15.00 (26+ employees)
$14.25 (25 or fewer) |
$15.00 (26+ employees)
$15.00 (25 or fewer), eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Los Angeles County, CA | $15.00 (26+ employees)
$14.25 (25 or fewer) |
$15.00 (26+ employees)
$15.00 (25 or fewer), eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Malibu, CA | $15.00 (26+ employees)
$14.25 (25 or fewer) |
$15.00 for all employers, eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Menlo Park, CA | $15.00 | $15.25 |
| Milpitas, CA | $15.40 | No update provided yet, eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Mountain View, CA | $16.05 | $16.30 |
| Oakland, CA | $14.14 | $14.36 |
| Palo Alto, CA | $15.40 | $15.65 |
| Pasadena, CA | $15.00 (26+ employees)
$14.25 (25 or fewer) |
$15.00 (26+ employees)
$15.00 (25 or fewer), eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Petaluma, CA | $15.00 (26+ employees)
$14.00 (25 or fewer) |
$15.20 for all employers, regardless of size |
| Redwood City, CA | $15.38 | $15.62 |
| Richmond, CA | $15.00 | $15.21 |
| San Diego, CA | $13.00 | $14.00 |
| San Francisco, CA | $16.07 | No update provided yet, eff. 7/1/2021 |
| San Jose, CA | $15.25 | $15.45 |
| San Mateo, CA | $15.38 | $15.62 |
| Santa Clara, CA | $15.40 | $15.65 |
| Santa Monica, CA | $15.00 (26+ employees)
$14.25(25 or fewer) |
$15.00 (all employees), eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Sonoma, CA | $13.50 (26+ employees)
$12.50 (25 or fewer) |
$15.00 (26+ employees)
$14.00 (25 or fewer) |
| Sunnyvale, CA | $16.05 | $16.30 |
| Colorado | $12.00 | $12.32 |
| Denver, CO | $12.85 | $14.77 |
| Connecticut | $12.00, eff. 9/1/2020 | $13.00, eff. 8/1/2021 |
| Florida | $8.56 | $8.65, eff. 1/1/2021
$10.00, eff. 9/30/2021 |
| Illinois | $10.00 | $11.00 |
| Chicago, IL | $14.00 (for employers of 21+)
$13.50 (for employers 4 to 20) |
$15.00 (for employers of 21+), eff. 7/1/2021
$14.00 (for employers 4 to 20 ), eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Cook County, IL | $13.00 | $13.00 (no increase listed, several municipalities have opted out and are subject to IL minimum wage), eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Maine | $12.00 | $12.15 |
| Maryland | $11.00 | $11.75 (15+ employees)
$11.60 (14 or fewer) |
| Prince George County, MD | $11.50 | $11.50 |
| Montgomery County, MA | 14.00 (51+ employees)
$13.25 (11-50 employees) $13.00 (10 or fewer) |
$15.00 (51+ employees), eff. 7/1/2021
$14.00 (11-50 employees), eff. 7/1/2021 $13.50 (10 or fewer), eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Massachusetts | $12.75 | $13.50 |
| Michigan | $9.65 | $9.87 |
| Minnesota | $10.00 for large employers (annual gross sales of $500,000 or more)
$8.15 for small employers |
$10.08 for large employers
$8.21 for small employers |
| Minneapolis, MN | $13.25 (100+ employees)
$11.75 (fewer than 100) |
$14.25 (100+ employees), eff. 7/1/2021
$12.50 (fewer than 100), eff. 7/1/2021 |
| St. Paul, MN | $12.50 for macro businesses (more than 10,000 employees)
$11.50 (101 to 10,000 employees) $10.00 (6 to 100 employees) $9.25 (5 or fewer) |
$12.50 for macro businesses (more than 10,000 employees), eff. 7/1/2021
$12.50 (101 to 10,000 employees), eff. 7/1/2021 $11.00 (6 to 100 employees), eff. 7/1/2021 $10.00 (5 or fewer), eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Missouri | $9.45 | $10.30 |
| Montana | $8.65 | $8.75 |
| Nevada | $8.00 (for employers offering specified health benefits)
$9.00 (for all other employers) |
$8.75 (for employers offering specified health benefits), eff. 7/1/2021
$9.75 (for all other employers), eff. 7/1/2021 |
| New Jersey | $11.00, for most employers
$10.30, small employers (fewer than 6 employees, seasonal employees) |
$12.00, for most employers
$11.10, for small employers
|
| New Mexico | $9.00 | $10.50 |
| Santa Fe, NM | $12.10 | No update provided yet, eff. 3/1/2021 |
| New York | $11.80 | $12.50, eff. 12/31/2020 |
| New York City, NY | $15.00 | $15.00 |
| Nassau, Suffolk, Westchester, NY | $13.00 (increasing to $14.00 on Dec. 31, 2020) | $14.00 (increasing to$15.00 by Dec. 31, 2021) |
| Ohio | $8.70 | $8.80 |
| Oregon | $12.00 | $12.75, eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Portland, OR | $13.25 | $14.00, eff. 7/1/2021 |
| Non-Urban Counties, OR | $11.50 | $12.00, eff. 7/1/2021 |
| South Dakota | $9.30 | $9.45 |
| Vermont | $10.96 | $11.75 |
| Virginia | $7.25 | $9.50, eff. 5/1/2021 |
| Washington | $13.50 | $13.69 |
| Seattle, WA | $15.75 (500 or fewer employees)
$13.50 (500 or fewer and money plus tips and benefits paid by employer) $16.39 (more than 500 employees) |
$16.69 (500 or fewer employees)
$15.00 (500 or fewer, plus tips and benefits paid by employer)
$16.69 (more than 500 employees
|
