California Minimum Wage — As of January 1, 2026, the minimum wage in California is $16.90 per hour, rising to $17.40 on January 1, 2027, with many cities setting even higher local rates. California does not allow tip credits: servers, bartenders, and other tipped workers must receive the full minimum wage in cash, with tips on top.
California Overtime — California has the strongest overtime rules in the country. Non-exempt employees earn 1.5 times their regular rate after 8 hours in a day or 40 in a week, double time after 12 hours in a day, and premium pay on the seventh consecutive workday. Salaried employees are only exempt if they earn at least $70,304 per year ($1,352/week) and meet strict duties tests — a job title means nothing on its own. Missed meal or rest breaks also trigger one hour of premium pay per violation, per day.
