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$10 minimum wage set to begin in California

December 30, 2015

moneyThe minimum wage in California will increase by $1 to $10 per hour on New Years. California and Massachusetts will become the first two states in the country to mandate a $10 minimum wage, according to the National Conference of State Legislatures (NCSL).

In 2016, the minimum wage will increase in 14 states. Alaska will have the third highest minimum wage — $9.75 — among states, according to the NCSL.

Some states are expected to surpass California in coming years. The federal minimum wage is currently $7.25.

In 2013, California Gov. Jerry Brown signed a bill that raised the minimum wage to $9 on July 1, 2014 and to $10 at the start of 2016. Prior to 2014, the last minimum wage increase in California occurred in 2008.

This year, the California Senate voted 23-15 in support of a bill that would raise the minimum wage to $11 in 2016 and $13 in 2017. But, the bill did not advance beyond a committee hearing in the Assembly.

Some cities in California have adopted ordinances that set a minimum wage higher than the state mandate. San Francisco’s minimum wage is due to increase to $15 by 2018, and Los Angeles’ minimum wage will rise to $15 by 2020.


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I still can’t believe the few that defend minimum wage and that we need to pay $15 or more per hour. I ask in all sincerity, those defending do any of you work minimum wage jobs and if not why? My guess is it doesn’t pay well and no job security. Why? If I can train you in ten minutes for a job or I hire someone that puts in four years of schooling or numerous hours at a trade school, who is more valuable?


I can’t understand why that is SOOO hard to get through to people. Minimum wage jobs were never meant to be a job for a family man. I don’t recall growing up, one of my friends who’s dad came home after a long day at the Quickie Mart.


They worked in manufacturing or sales, etc. Get off your high horses of preaching to the common sense people how we need to pay, low skilled people an equal wage. How about preaching to the low skilled person to increase their skills?


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People used to be able to walk out of high school and in to factory jobs that supported a family, or a sales job that allowed the same. Please tell me of places where that happens in today’s world? Are there even factory jobs AT ALL anymore? Don’t we get like all of our steel from China now?


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Actually yes. One of the areas that is going unmet in this country is a lot of Blue Collar jobs. Have read where we are in short supply of machinist as one example. Skilled trades in construction is another. The problem is a lot of people complain about the………hard work. Around the North County a lot of the picking jobs out in the Vineyards pays around $12 an hour. That is more than minimum but I don’t see a lot of people doing that. I know of many a guys that started as ditch diggers now making $20-25 an hour doing labor. Yes it is LABOR but you can at least make a wage.


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Here’s a thought, don’t start having kids and making a family while you work at a McDonalds!! Minimum wage jobs are paid minimum wage because they require a minimal amount of effort. They’re designed for high school and college kids to earn some extra cash, not support a family! If you want more money, apply yourself, stop living and doing things outside of your means, and maybe one day you’ll be financially comfortable. Assuming you’ll get a raise just because you work at some place for a long time is ridiculous. The harder you work, the more you’ll make. Some people in society need to stop being lazy and looking for handouts all the time. OK rant over. HAPPY NEW YEAR!


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“Look, at some point, people need a raise, because it costs a LOT of money to live in CA”


Then why now $20/hr?

You can’t raise a family on $7.75/hr any better than you can really on $10/hr, so why not make a real living wage of $20…no…lets say $35/hr?


Why….you know the answer because a burger flipping or sales clerk in a bagel shop is not WORTH $35/hr.


I know in this world we can’t say that out loud…it makes you a hater….but folks if you think raising the prices of everything will really help the poor…ha ha ha….you funny.


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Rich in MB says:”You can’t raise a family on $7.75/hr any better than you can really on $10/hr”


But you can live better on $10 a hour then on $7.50.


Rich in MB says:”so why not make a real living wage of $20…no…lets say $35/hr?”


Yes another ridiculous pointless comparison like the $100/hr guy.


“it makes you a hater” Yes and probably a lousy tipper.


Lake Havasu is that way>>>>>>>>>


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When I was growing up, it was understood that you are paid for your experience. If I can hire a monkey and replace you in a half an hour, why would any SANE person pay you a large sum of money? If that is the case then why work hard? Why go to college for four years? Why bust your ass to own you own business? What you propose is communism. How well did that work out for Russia and everyone walking around in a Vodka stupor? Oh and your tipper and all thinks conservative evil implied………I like most I know tip 15%. If you do a great job 20% or more. Nice spin as always.


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Ha ha ha….all the liberal hate and rage Kettle.


This is why he and Adam Hill get along so well.


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Well Rich, with that mentality, all social security increases should stop too. Let’s just stop all cost of living increases from now on. Old folks should not need any more money. If pills cost any more, just cut them in half! Seniors already get discounts at restaurants, they can just not go to bingo and Chumash as often.


You are right, increases won’t help the poor. Like the old, or the college student, or the disabled. That would be…hateful.


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I LOVE those automated Fast Food Order Kiosks.


Folks…this has nothing to do with getting more money in the poors hands, but everything to do with getting more money in the Governments Hands. Higher wages…higher payroll Taxes!


Once again the poor are used as pawns by the Liberal politicians


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and amazingly ebnough, the automated food kiosks provide you with the correct change UNLIKE the humans do EVEN when the register tells them exactly how much to rteturn to the customer….too funny.


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What the BLS says on the matter is,


“(0f the 77.2 million hourly workers), 1.3 million earned exactly the prevailing federal minimum wage of $7.25 per hour.” I did not find a figure for kalifornia.


Some sectors (notably food service and agriculture) skew the average. It is these sectors that will bear the lion’s share of the social engineering experiment. The changes will look, to us, like more expensive hamburgers, fewer jobs for hamburger workers, and less quality control with fewer eyes on the process. Seems like it sucks for everybody.


And unintended consequence is that much of fast food is consumed by minimum wage workers. In a sick sense, then, they are funding their own raises thru higher prices at the drive-up.


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This could ratchet down or even stop the explosion of eateries downtown and in the area, raise prices of food (notice how Subway has raised prices about 10% already in the past year), and decrease service with less employees. Raising wages quickly has its benefits but also its consequences. However, it makes the politicians look good.


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Get your thumb downs ready Debbie Downers.


Look, at some point, people need a raise, because it costs a LOT of money to live in CA. Not only that, but employers are not as flexible as they used to be. Many aren’t willing to employ workers full time. They aren’t willing to work around an employee’s 2-3 part time jobs. If we DIDN’T mandate a minimum wage, there would be employers out there paying sweatshop wages simply because it would be legal to do so. A race to the bottom.


Wages have not scaled with inflation and the cost of living over the last 40 years. Not in any sector really. The opportunities for my kids will not be the same as they were for my parents. My father walked out of high school into a career that allowed him to buy a 3 bedroom home and my mother to stay home.


Social security recipients get raises based on Consumer Price index. Why? Because it is humane. But if you complain about your “crappy” or “no” raise, you are a HYPOCRITE.


I know the economy has been rough on a lot of people. Many of my middle class comrades have worked harder than ever, and at some point, employers SHOULD start rewarding employees if they have not already with raises. No, employers do not “have to” do anything, but what you ARE going to start seeing is employees leaving careers, being less productive, or just really re-thinking what is important and changing their entire lifestyles. We do not know what effect this will have on our economy, but my guess would be a constricting effect, which would be BAD.


Our economy is spending driven. People need money to drive the economy. I didn’t choose this economic model, so don’t get mad at me.


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I think you make some good points, however, raises are earned, not given. If you don’t want to earn $9.00 per hour, work harder than everyone around you, look for a different job, start your own business, or go to school and learn some skills. All those are ways to earn more than minimum wage. Minimum wage isn’t supposed to be a career wage. It’s entry level. If people aren’t willing to put in effort and provide additional value to the business that has hired them, there is no reason to pay more than entry level. If a person all of the sudden shows some leadership, works hard with a smile, and comes up with ways to improve the business operation, then by all means, they will earn a raise.


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You assume they will earn a raise. Says who?


I know workers in all pay scales who have not had raises they have earned in several years. Their employee reviews reflect they have earned a raise. They just aren’t receiving them.


When the economy is bad, the employER has the upper hand. They don’t “have to” do anything they don’t want to. They can be completely rude to the loyal and hardworking employee that is standing by their business. Yes, they can choose to leave. Some might. My thought is that the employer will only have to now recruit and retrain a new employee, one that might not be as loyal and productive as the one they lost. Sad.


There used to be a mindset amongst middle class in which hard work was rewarded with raises. Isn’t that why we strive to do better?


We are moving the minimum wage up by FORCE because employers are not doing the right thing on their own. The minimum wage needs to afford people not to starve. I am sorry that upsets people. There are actually formulas for this sort of thing. In CA, they look at the rent, food, transportation, etc and figure out basic living expenses. It’s not my fault it is so expensive to live here.


I have to be honest; I look at the salaries around here and it is really comical. You can thumb this down some more, but I actually talk to real live human beings who agree with me. We all know this. We simply say, “yeah, but we do it for ‘the lifestyle’.”


I think our political leaders need to remember that there is a HUGE segment of the voting population living here who are making a conscious decision to take a LARGE step down in lifestyle to live on the central coast. No one is doing the mass educated sectors living here a “favor”. So quit acting like it. Demanding a non poverty wage is reasonable.


I think at some point, people need to pick up a calculator and do some number crunching. It is basic math.


Lastly, I am sick to death of the talking point. “Raises are earned, not given.” How do you know that employees not being given raises haven’t earned them? Have you SEEN their performance reviews? Perhaps they are AMAZING employees, and yet their bosses just choose not to reward their hard work with increased pay. California is an at will State. If they employee sucks, they can simply fire them. Why wouldn’t they simply fire that employee and get another “dime a dozen” worker?


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RN, you obviously have no clue what it costs an employer just to employ an employee.

The employer is responsible for their share of payroll taxes, just like the employee.

Then there’s liability insurance, permits, and all the other costs associated with doing business.

No one can be wondering why employee hours have been slashed to less than 32 hours/week. Do you know what it costs an employer to add just one person to the healthcare policy? Many have had to hire another person JUST to keep up with the new rules, regulations and reporting. It is a nightmare, and does nothing to add to the bottom line which IS WHERE RAISES COME FROM.

The reason businesses are leaving CA in droves isn’t because employers are a bunch of tight wads who don’t want to pay their employees a good wage—it’s because the behind the scenes cost of doing business in our state makes it all but impossible for many to make a profit.

I’ve never met an employer who didn’t want to do what it takes to keep good, solid employees happy. Sadly that’s not always possible.


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I am fully aware.


Look at what you just typed. A good employee costs a lot of money. One would think the employer would want to keep them after doing all this work to hire them.


A good employee is a valuable work asset that will bring your business profit, longevity. A bad employee is a bad investment. Treat each accordingly.


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Unless you are making payroll you are not fully aware. Sorry, it’s just not the same when you’re the recipient of the paycheck.


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Ah another simplistic answer. If it is so simple RN. why did you become and RN? Maybe to make more money? I like a lot of people started at minimum wage. Got some job experience, showed I could be a good worker and show up on time. Then I promoted. Then I got different jobs. Then I learned more, promoted more and soon started my own business. All from a guy that decide I couldn’t live on minimum wage. It took a lot of hard work and ANYONE else could have done what I did. All they had to do was…………..work hard.


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Things are a bit different now.


It does seem so simple.


I came from some very poor and very hard working people. I worked and still work very hard. I think the difference is that I have the privilege of getting to work with many generations. It gives me perspective and it gives me empathy. My Grandpa’s generation and different challenges and benefits than my grandchildren’s generation will.


My grandpa bought a home for 10,000. LOL.

My dad’s home is paid for and he bought it in 1979 for 32,000. LOL

My dad got a job right out of high school and my mom never worked. LOL

Gas was 89 cents a gallon when I was in college and I worked part time at Burger King and I had 3 scholarships and a grant so my parents didn’t even have to help me with college. LOL

I had 3 job offers right out of school. LOL.


The house down the street from mine is a “starter” home. It is 1000 square feet and is for sale for $350,000. That is the most bargain-y house around.


My point of all of this?


The opportunities for your generation, my generation, are not the same as those as those for my kids, later generations. I am 40 years old. Generation X. I have worked continuously since age 15, since a work permit was allowed. This matters in this discussion because this “work harder if you want better” debate is BULLcrap. I cannot convey this enough.


I think not only should we be demanding fair wages, we should demand Congress stop H1B Visas, foreign workers Visas IMMEDIATELY until we can be SURE that US workers are not being replaced with Visa workers like what was happening at companies like Disney.


Before you assume people aren’t working hard, perhaps we need to look at what is going on in our country. Either our politicians are screwing us over, or parents did a TERRIBLE job raising their kids….


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Thank you, you make my point. You put down a list of everything costing (including housing) more. Especially in CA. Hmm wonder why? Could it be all the social programs we added in the last forty years? So we added social programs to help the poor, we drove up costs and who was hurt? The poor. Ironic huh??


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Maybe NAFTA had something to do with it. You know, the North American Free Trade Agreement?


Could it possibly be that with the downfall of unionization, it has allowed employers to sneak in cheap/slave labor, weaken safety conditions, pay and wages, worker’s rights, and more. OSHA is about all the worker safety left, and employers would LOVE to get rid of that.


Did you know that Cesar Chavez opposed illegal immigrants (as opposed to LEGAL immigrants) because they drove down wages of migrant workers?????? Ironic, huh?


My Grandmother literally was in a Tent City for 2 months. Because of her experience, That woman would NEVER let a person go hungry until the day she died. People like my Grandmother would tell you that giving food, medicine, and access to doctors to our people are social service programs that are never wasteful.


What kind of society do we want? Do we want to be Serfs? We are on our way. Our government officials are already stealing from us, and when we call them on their actions, we are pretty much getting a proverbial “so what”.


The sanitation district has probably pilfered THOUSANDS from rate payers (I’m one of them). Who the hell do they think they are? They think they are the Lords of the land, and that money is theirs to pillage.


Look, I am not asking you to AGREE with me. At least be open to the possibility of new information. Those with power are making bad decisions and rewarding corporations, laying off workers, and blaming social service programs. It ain’t so.


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$15 /hour national minimum wage so that people that work full time don’t have to live in poverty.


Only one candidate for president proposes this realistic increase …and implemented on a reasonable gradual basis: Senator Bernie Sanders . Mrs. Clinton says to raise the minimum wage, but only to $12/hour.


Republicans want to either keep the minimum wage stagnant, or to eliminate it entirely ( hello, slavery ! ), while the fatuous billionaire says that ” wages are too high”.


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Why not $100 per hour? Or $500 per hour? If raising the minimum wage is always good regardless of the economic value the person brings, then make the minimum wage $ 250k per year.


You have obviously never had a payroll.


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“Why not $100 per hour?” This is how you get everyone to ignore what you wrote.


Ridiculous and a likely trump voter.


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Seems like a reasonable test of veracity, to take a theory to its extreme to stress check it. I agree with achilles.


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Slower faster thinks that raising the minimum wage has no affect on prices. That’s where the lack of logic shines through.


Raise minimum wage to $20 per hour and Taco Bell costs $18. There is no improvement in the purchasing power of the individual and it costs people with no skills jobs.


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How much you want to bet ‘ol slowerfaster has NEVER created a job nor made a payroll? The guy lives in his own bitter, bitter world, spewing nothing but a bunch of hate. Gotta feel sorry for him, sure seems like one miserable dude.


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Dirty little secret. Businesses operate on thin margins. Prices go up when labor costs increase, or if the business cannot competitively raise prices, they decrease labor costs by downsizing their workforce. I know. I have done it.


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Raising the minimum wage only pushes for more automation in the food service industry resulting in more unskilled workers being laid off……. At least the robots will get your order correct the first time…………….


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I guess we can safely assume that state employees wages and benefits will be going up as well.


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