City of Richmond to Raise Minimum Wage to $16.17 in 2023

The City of Richmond announced that beginning January 1, its minimum wage will be $16.17 per hour.

According to their ordinance, the cost of living in the City of Richmond was estimated at 20% greater than the overall national average when the City of Richmond Minimum Wage Ordinance was originally adopted and has since increased to 27% greater than the overall national average.

The original ordinance dates back to 2014 when Richmond raised the minimum wage to $12.30 an hour by 2017.  At the time, California minimum wage was just $8 and Richmond raised the standard to $9.60.

For a transition period beginning on January 1, 2015 and ending on December 31, 2015, the Minimum Wage shall be an hourly rate of nine dollars and sixty cents ($9.60). For a transition period beginning on January 1, 2016 and ending on December 31, 2016, the Minimum Wage shall be an hourly rate of eleven dollars and fifty-two cents ($11.52). For a transition period beginning on January 1, 2017 and ending on December 31, 2017, the Minimum Wage shall be an hourly rate of twelve dollars and thirty cents ($12.30).

Within the ordinance, to prevent inflation from eroding its value, beginning on January 1, 2019, and each year thereafter, the Minimum Wage shall increase by an amount corresponding to the prior year’s increase, if any, in the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers for the San Francisco-Oakland-San Jose, CA metropolitan statistical area, or any successor index as published by the U.S. Department of Labor or its successor agency.

Official Notice: Richmond Minimum Wage is $16.17 per hour

The minimum wage requirement set forth in the Richmond Minimum Wage Ordinance 11-14 N.S., codified in Richmond Municipal Code Chapter 7.108, applies to adult and minor employees who work two (2) or more hours a week for a covered Employer.

Each year, the City will adjust the minimum wage as stated in the Minimum Wage Ordinance until January 1, 2019, when it will increase to $15 per hour. However, beginning on January 1, 2020 and each year thereafter, the minimum wage shall increase by an amount corresponding to the prior year’s increase according to the Department of Labor’s Regional Consumer Price Index.

Under the Ordinance, employees who assert their rights to receive the City’s minimum wage are protected from retaliation. Employees may file a civil lawsuit against their employers for any violation of the Ordinance or may file a complaint with the Employment and Training Department. The City will investigate possible violations, will have access to payroll records, and will enforce violations of the minimum wage requirements.

Please note, the City Council amended the ordinance in July 2017 and eliminated certain exemptions relating to intermediate wages, small businesses, government grants and businesses that deliver goods and services outside of Richmond. The amended ordinance is available online at www.richmondworks.org.

If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact:
City of Richmond
Employment and Training Department
330 25th Street
Richmond, CA 94804
E-mail: [email protected]
Website: www.richmondworks.org

Ordinance

Employers shall pay Employees no less than the Minimum Wage set forth in this Ordinance for each hour worked within the geographic boundaries of the City of Richmond.

• Ordinance No.15-17 N.S. – Amended Minimum Wage Ordinance
  
• Ordinance No. 11-14 N.S. – Minimum Wage Ordinance

More info: https://www.ci.richmond.ca.us/2615/Minimum-Wage-Ordinance