ARTICLE. February 11, 2020
$15 per hour wage to take effect January 1, 2021
Half Moon Bay, CA – At its meeting of February 4, 2020, the City Council of Half Moon Bay adopted an ordinance to increase the minimum wage within the city to $15 per hour, effective January 1, 2021. The ordinance also applies annual cost of living increases to the local minimum wage based on the Consumer Price Index (CPI), commencing on January 1, 2022. The current statewide minimum wage is $13 per hour for businesses with 26 or more employees, and $12 per hour for businesses with 25 or less employees. State law requires that those wages increase one dollar per year until they reach $15.
Last year, the Half Moon Bay City Council prioritized increasing the local minimum wage in order to take action sooner than state law requires. An increased minimum wage provides the community’s lowest-paid workers with a meaningful level of additional income, increases their purchasing power, helps them keep up with inflation, helps reduce poverty, and puts more money into the local economy.
“An increase in the minimum wage is long overdue, here and throughout the state,” said Half Moon Bay Mayor Adam Eisen. “After a lot of research, talking to businesses, and thoughtful discussion, we decided that there was no reason to wait for the State law to take effect – the workers here need this, and we were happy to be able to bring this issue to the forefront in our community.”
As part of developing this ordinance, the City spoke with groups such as the Chamber of Commerce, the Downtown Business Association, the Hotel Business Improvement District Board, the Farm Bureau, and others to understand the impacts of an increased minimum wage. Staff also held discussions with local labor organizations, researched academic studies on the issue, and met with other cities to learn from their experiences in implementing a local minimum wage.
The new ordinance follows the model set by other cities in San Mateo County that have already enacted local minimum wage ordinances (San Mateo, Belmont, Redwood City, Daly City, South San Francisco, and Menlo Park). All of these cities are set to reach at least a $15 local minimum wage between 2020-2021.
Now that the ordinance has been adopted, as of January 1, 2021 most employers within the geographic boundaries of Half Moon Bay would be subject to paying the $15 per hour local minimum wage for employees working two or more hours a week. This includes non-profit organizations. Background and more information about Half Moon Bay’s local minimum wage ordinance is on the City‘s web page at www.hmbcity.com/minimumwage
Located 28 miles south of San Francisco, the City of Half Moon Bay is a community of about 12,500 people, situated on the peninsula between forested hills and some of the most beautiful coastlines that California has to offer. Its historic downtown is home to numerous shops, art galleries, restaurants, bed and breakfasts, and other businesses, and its celebrated beaches and parks are wonders of nature, accessible to pedestrians, bicyclists, and equestrians. With its many activities and events, beautiful natural scenery, old-town charm, and abundance of retail and commercial services, Half Moon Bay is a regional destination. The City‘s website is www.hmbcity.com
Contact: Jessica Blair
Half Moon Bay Communications Director/City Clerk
(650) 726-8271
(650) 726-8271
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