As the dust settles after another active California legislative session, employers still have more legislation to be on the lookout for by way of ballot measures. In the midterm elections this year, several cities in California will be voting on regulations that will impact employers.
Over the summer, several California cities considered, and some passed ordinances increasing the minimum wage for healthcare workers in those cities to $25.00. Since the summer, many of the ordinances are stayed pending referendums in the future, but two cities, Duarte and Inglewood, will vote on whether to implement a $25.00 minimum wage for healthcare workers effective 2024. The City of Los Angeles will ask voters whether to proceed with its healthcare minimum wage, but it won’t be on the ballot until March 2024.
Laguna Beach voters will consider whether to establish a Hotel Worker Protection Ordinance similar to one recently passed by the City of Los Angeles. Under the proposed ordinance, 60 days following the effective date of the ordinance, the minimum wage for hotel employees would increase to $18.00, and on January 1, 2023, it would increase to $19.00, with further increases annually. The proposed ordinance would also put in place protections for hotel workers from violent and threatening conduct, including providing personal security devices and paid time off to report violent and threatening conduct to law enforcement. The ordinance, if passed, would also establish certain limitations on workload, both time and amount of work, for hotel workers.
The success of these local ballot measures may be a precursor for similar industry-specific measures in other cities. Jackson Lewis will continue to track legislation that affects employers. If you have questions about these local ballot measures, contact a Jackson Lewis attorney to discuss.