Led by LAANE, L.A. City’s living wage ordinance represents a landmark achievement in the national effort to alleviate working poverty. Passed in 1997, the ordinance was only the country’s third living wage law, and the first to include a provision for health care benefits. It was also the first piece of living wage legislation to bar retaliation by employers against their workers.

L.A. City’s living wage ordinance applies to certain businesses in four categories: those which have service contracts with the city, lease land from the city, require city operating permits, or receive city financial assistance. The law mandates that workers at these businesses be paid $7.72 an hour if the company provides health benefits, or $8.97 an hour if no health coverage is provided. The wage level is indexed to the city employees retirement plan, and is adjusted accordingly.

More than 10,000 workers are covered by L.A. City’s living wage ordinance, making it second only to San Francisco’s law in scope. Through the persistent efforts of advocacy groups, an effective enforcement system has been created to ensure that employers abide by the ordinance and that workers have appropriate recourse when violations occur.

More on the L.A. Living Wage Ordinance

L.A. City Living Wage Ordinance and Regulations

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