The Long Beach City Council voted today to raise minimum wage to $10.50 per hour beginning January 2017.
Under the ordinance, minimum wage will increase to $12 in 2018 and $13 in 2019, at which point the city will conduct a study on the effects of the wage increase. If the city finds little negative impact from the increase, wages will move to $14 in 2020 and $15 in 2021.
“An increased minimum wage will stimulate our economy and help many families who struggle to make ends meet,” Mayor Robert Garcia said in a statement. “I believe every worker in our city deserves a living wage.”
This ordinance follows the recommendation of the city’s Economic Development Commission, which studied the City of Los Angeles’ decision to raise minimum wage in June 2015. Los Angeles approved raising its minimum wage in June 2015.
Businesses with 25 or fewer employees and all nonprofits will have an extra year before implementing the new minimum wage, according to the mayor’s office.
Over the fall, Long Beach held multiple community review sessions, allowing citizens to review the study and comment on its potential impact.
The ordinance will be submitted for the council’s final approval next month.