It’s no surprise that California health care workers have questions about a new state law that will give them a higher minimum wage. It has different pay scales based on where they work and who they work for.
And, Gov. Gavin Newsom has turned its start date into a moving target, confusing both workers and employers.
Last fall, Newsom signed a law that phases in pay increases for the state’s lowest-paid health workers to $25 an hour. The labor union SEIU California advocated for Senate Bill 525, lifting the pay floor for hundreds of thousands of workers.
It mandated that employers must begin raising wages by June 1, but just hours before the deadline, Newsom signed a second piece of legislation delaying the raises to July 1.
Those extra 30 days are supposed to give the administration and the Legislature time to hash out an agreement that would essentially tie wages to the state’s fiscal health. Newsom asked for the change because his administration estimates this law will cost the state $4 billion. And, if you’ll recall, the state is facing a projected $28 billion deficit.
Amid the uncertainty, some employers went ahead and raised wages. Others are still waiting to hear the latest guidance from the state. In the months since the law passed, workers and employers have been seeking help to decipher it. They want to know if the new law applies to them, and if so, when they should expect their pay boost.
CalMatters has spoken with SEIU, employers and researchers who have analyzed the law to answer your questions. Below we answer some of the most common ones. If you have a question not answered here, please email Ana B. Ibarra at ana@calmatters.org.
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