West Hollywood’s minimum wage will rise to $20.25 on January 1st, 2026.
The increase applies to all non-hotel workers businesses in the City of West Hollywood but does not apply to hotel workers. In June 2021 the city council voted to add yearly adjustments to the minimum wage based on the consumer price index (CPI). Prior to 2021, West Hollywood followed the State of California minimum wage rules which are not based on CPI and have more measured rates of increases in wages.
CPI adjustment for hotel employees is based on a January to December calendar. CPI adjustment for non-hotel workers is based on July to June CPI average. The net result of differences in CPI between those periods resulted in a larger increase in non-hotel employees, said Paolo Kespradit, Business Development Manager for the City of West Hollywood.
After the increase on January 1, 2026, all non-hotel businesses will be paying a higher minimum wage and worker package than hotel workers. The current minimum wage for hotel workers is $20.23
In addition to the minimum wage West Hollywood employers are required to give all full time employees for all businesses at least 96 compensated hours and 80 uncompensated hours per year for sick leave, vacation, or personal necessity. Part-time employees are to be provided compensated and uncompensated hours in increments proportional to that accrued by someone who works 40 hours in a week.
The city council no longer has any authority to make any changes on worker policy in the City of West Hollywood. In the 2024 city council election UNITE HERE Local 11 gathered signatures from voters to ‘put on the ballot’, changes to worker rules, and combined the petition with an popular ‘ban on short term rentals’. After the city clerk validated the signatures of petition for those items the city council adopted the petition into law bypassing the voters right to weigh in.
In case you want to catch up on what happened we wrote about it here
McDonalds has already moved to touch screens instead of staff to take orders. After the min wage went to $20. Raising the min wage seems to just create more part time employees and more self check outs and automation
It’s always been a job killer.
Whats the fix
The Real Cost of “Doing the Right Thing” in West Hollywood At The Collar Club, we believe workers deserve fair pay and benefits — they’re the heart of every great business. But what many people don’t see is the bigger picture behind those paychecks. West Hollywood’s minimum wage increases — now tied to the Consumer Price Index — mean that by January 2026, all non-hotel businesses will be paying more per hour than huge corporate hotels themselves. No, we already paid more than 10% more than the requirement and have been doing so for years.. whoever had a certain point… Read more »
An atrocity for business owners through-out the City of West Hollywood. This EXACTLY why and omelette and coffee costs $24.99 in Weho. Pathetic.
How to we get it on the ballot to remove this ridiculous runaway wage train?
Im working on it.
The race to the bottom is almost complete. Well done.
Thanks for this article A great reminder how Unite Here Local 11 ‘s night majority council members to push these unsustainable requirements for businesses to operate here. The fact that council gave away their ability to change course was amazing to witness. Shame on them
Another nail in the coffin for West Hollywood. The decline will continue.
If $20 is good, why not $30?
I wonder how many more businesses will close because of this? There is a pattern.
And they just cut the hours of workers at Gelson’s due to the business-killing minimum wage.
AND there are fewer checkout counters in Pavillions. I have no idea why, though. Thanks COUNCIL!!!! Clowns.