The legislature of California has approved the highest minimum wage based on the state level. SB-3 is approved by the Assembly and State Senate. This means that by 2022, the minimum wage in the state will increase up to $15 per hour. The latest bill will hike the minimum wage for small and large businesses depending on two schedules.
The bill has been signed by Governor Jerry Brown on Monday in Los Angeles at the Ronald Reagan State Building. In the same morning, Governor of New York Andrew Cuomo also signed the bill to hike the minimum wage up to $15 in New York City by 2018.
During the bill signing procedure amid cheering union workers and legislative leaders, Governor Brown said, “This is the work of many hands and many minds and many hearts.”
The final signature on the bill SB-3 arrives a week after the legislative leaders, governor, and labor groups announced this deal to hike the minimum wage of the state after Service Employees International Union United Healthcare Workers West passed November ballot’s initiative. According to brown, lawmakers came under pressure after ballot initiative. The lawmakers were asked to establish a plan to hike the minimum wage, which satisfied both employers and labors.
Under the law, written by D-San Francisco and state Sen. Mark Leno, in next two years each, the minimum pay in the state will increase by 50 cents. In 2017, it will increase to $10.50 and in 2018 it will increase to $11. Small business owners with employees up to 25 or less will get an allowance for an extra year before increasing the minimum pay of their employees.
The legislation hikes the minimum pay for workers over time to halt unnecessary wage increase if negative budgetary or economic conditions emerge by any chance. As soon as the minimum pay for employees reaches the mark of $15 per hour for every business sector, wages for workers could then be hiked every year to 3.5% for the purpose of inflation.