July 2026 Local Ordinance Updates

This July 1st we have a number of local ordinance changes as usual, including for cities such as Los Angeles, San Francisco, and Chicago. An overwhelming majority of these local ordinance changes are scheduled minimum wage updates increasing the minimum wage in effect for the city / county based on various consumer price indices. Below you'll find an up-to-date collection of all cities and counties within the United States which will have a required labor notice update in effect this upcoming July 1st.

California

Alameda - First one on the list, Alameda, California, anually adjusts their wage for the city based on the Bay Area Consumer Price Index from February two years ago, to February last year. Though the wage is not to exceed a 5% increase from the previous year's wage. Alameda has officially raised the minimum wage to be paid within city limits to $19.61/hr.

Berkeley - The minimum wage to be paid to most employees throughout Berkeley, California, is set to increase to $19.61/hr as part of the city's scheduled yearly minimum wage rate increase. One notable exception is that for-profit employers who recieved $25,000 or more from the City of Berkeley, or non-profit employers who instead recieved $100,000 or more from the City of Berkely are instead subject to the Living Wage Ordinance. This means these employers must instead pay the Living Wage rate to their employers of $20.03/hr with an aditional $3.32/hr in medical benefits (or a rate of $23.33/hr if no medical benefits are provided) at minimum.

Emeryville - Based on the Regional Consumer Price Index applicable to Emeryville, California, the minimum wage rate to be paid to employees working within city limits is increasing to $20.34/hr - a significant raise from the state minimum wage of $16.90/hr. Interestingly, this is higher than the wage set by Emeryville's Living Wage Ordinance (which has a rate of $19.50/hr plus medical benefits) which in specific edge-cases would be applicable where the Emeryville Minimum Wage Ordinance is not. The Emeryville Living Wage Ordinance does not have a posting requirement at this time.

Fremont - Fremont, California is increasing the minimum wage from $17.75/hr to $18.05/hr this cycle. Of note, the Fremont Minimum Wage Ordinance must be posted conspicuously in the workplace in the top 5 most spoken languages within city limits. Most ordinances require workplace notices to be posted in the primary language of any employee working on site - sometimes with a qualifier on what percentage of the workforce at that location also primarily speaks the given language.

Los Angeles City - The mandatory minimum wage within the city limits of Los Angeles City is set to increase to $18.42/hr July 1st, 2026 as announced February 1st this year. This ordinance also contains some required Paid Sick Leave notice information, though there is no update to the Paid Sick Leave portion this update cycle.

Los Angeles County - Not to be confused with Los Angeles City, employees working within unincorporated Los Angeles County are instead subject to the Los Angeles County Minimum Wage Ordinance and must at minimum, be paid an hourly rate of $18.47/hr.

Malibu - Taking into account the last 12 month period inwhich the Consumer Price Index was measured for Malibu, California, the minimum wage is set to increase by 3.7% to $17.91/hr in effect July 1st, 2026. For those who are curious, the City of Malibu sited the 3.7% increase for the CPI of Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers within the greater Los Angeles - Long Beach - Anaheim region.

Milpitas - The city of Milpitas, California, is set to increase the minimum wage to be paid to individuals working within city limits to $18.50/hr. Employers subject to the city's business license requirement or otherwise operate their business within city limits must pay this rate. Of note, enforcement of this ordinance is handled by neighboring San Jose's Office of Equality Assurance.

Pasadena - The minimum wage to go into effect this cycle for Pasadena, California, will be $18.57/hr. This continues the history of incremental wage increases since Pasadena originally passed its Minimum Wage Ordinance back in 2016.

San Francisco - For all employees working within San Francisco city limits, the minimum wage is getting raised to $19.18. As per usual, this scheduled rate increase is based on Article 1.4 of the San Francisco Labor and Employment Code which as of 2019, increases the minimum wage to be paid in within city limits based on the prior year's CPI for urban wage earners and clerical workers within the Greater San Francisco, Oakland, and San Jose area. In addition to this wage, the Minimum Compensation Ordinance which is in effect for employees working on contracts with the City and County of San Francisco, is increasing all rates beyond the city-wide $19.18/hr rate. For-profit employers must at minimum pay $22.01/hr, Non-Profits at $23.50/hr*, and lastly Public Entities will have their rate raised to $25.00/hr September 1st* (*contingent on budget approval processes).

Santa Monica - The general minimum wage to be paid to employees working within the city confines of Santa Monica, California, is being raised from $17.81/hr to $18.47/hr this cycle. Like many other minimum wage increases included in this article, this is amount increases anually every July 1st based on a Consumer Price Index in some form or flavor. In Santa Monica's case, this raise is based on Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers within the Los Angeles metro area.

West Hollywood - The minimum wage to be paid specifically to hotel employees within West Hollywood, California will be $20.87/hr this cycle. West Hollywood also has a general Minimum Wage Ordinance (which is currently at $20.25/hr), but is increased yearly January 1st, where as this Hotel Minimum Wage instead increases yearly July 1st.

Illinois

Chicago - Chicago has released the wage rates to be paid within city limits for both tipped and non-tipped employees. The standard minimum wage rate will be $17.05/hr and the tipped wage rate will be $12.96/hr. Both Domestic and Youth works must now be paid the minimum wage of $17.05/hr. If they are a tipped worker and make less than $17.05/hr with tips, their employer must make up the difference. Other than the wage changes, the multi-supplement notice also adds the "Child Labor Trafficking" and "Gender Based Violence" sections. Lastly the Paid Sick and Safe Leave section added cases as to where it can be used.

Cook County - Cook County, Illinois, interestingly is set to the greatest of three minimum wages, those being the Federal Minimum Wage, the Illinois State Minimum Wage, and lastly the County's own calculation using the appropriate Consumer Price Index for the area. This cycle, the minimum wage for non-tipped wages will increase to a minimum of $15.40/hr, and tipped wages will instead increase to a minimum of $9.25/hr.

Maryland

Montgomery County - Lastly, Montgomery County, Maryland, will be increasing their minimum wage in tiers. Large employers, who are employers with 51 or more employees, must pay a minimum of $18.00/hr. Medium employers, those who have 11 to 50 employees, recieved the greatest minimum increase of 50 cents meaning they are now are required to pay a minimum wage of $16.50/hr. Small employers on the other hand, who are those with fewer than 11 employees, must pay a minimum wage of $15.95 an hour.

In addition to these local ordinance updates, multiple state level changes are expected to go into effect as well including Nevada, New Jersey, and Oregon. Make sure to keep an eye on these changes from the numerous sources available to you - including this blog - to ensure your company continues to stay in compliance with all local, state, and federal statutes.