HEALTHCARE WORKERS MINIMUM WAGE ORDINANCE

You have reached the landing page for the City of Long Beach Healthcare Workers Minimum Wage Ordinance.

September 22, 2022 UPDATE: A referendum petition was filed with the City of Long Beach on September 21, 2022. Pursuant to state law, upon submittal of a referendum petition to the City, the Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance is now automatically suspended and will not go into effect pending review. Once appropriate steps have been taken to verify the referendum petition, the City Council will make a decision at a future date to either submit the ordinance to the Long Beach voters, or to repeal the ordinance. View the memorandum.

 This update is to advise the public that under the law, the ordinance will not take effect due to a referendum and businesses are not required to pay the Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage until further notice.

The Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance was approved by City Council on August 16, and signed by the Mayor on August 26, 2022. In accordance with City Charter Section 213(a)(1), the ordinance will become effective 31 days after signature by the Mayor. The Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance will become effective on September 26, 2022. The Ordinance creates a healthcare worker minimum wage of $25.00 per hour for covered employees. View the Ordinance. 

This is a very new regulation and the City will be developing educational materials to provide assistance to the community, for both the workers and the employers. These materials are expected to be available on this website in the near future.

In the meantime, each business should evaluate the ordinance as written to determine if it applies to them and take the necessary steps to comply. The definitions are located in section 5.96.020 of the ordinance. 

• If your business falls within the definition of “Covered Healthcare Facility,” as defined under Section 5.96.020(B), then the ordinance applies to your business.

• If your business falls within the definition of “Covered Physician Group,” as defined under Section 5.96.020(C), then the ordinance applies to your business.

• If your business falls within the definition of “Integrated Healthcare Delivery System,” as defined under Section 5.96.020(G), then the ordnance applies to your business.

Individual businesses are in the best position to know the underlying facts relevant to the business in relation to these definitions and whether the ordinance might apply.

If you have questions regarding the ordinance, its adoption or the associated timeline, you may contact Deputy City Attorney Erin Weesner-McKinley at erin.weesner-mckinley@longbeach.gov in the City Attorney's Office.

A process for reporting complaints will be published on this page for employees alleging violations of the Ordinance. In the meantime, employees can email questions or comments to minimumwage@longbeach.gov.

Legal Notices
Upon the effective date of the Ordinance (September 26, 2022), every Privately-Owned healthcare facility in the City of Long Beach shall post in a conspicuous place at any workplace or jobsite where an employee works, the notice published by the City informing qualifying healthcare workers of the current minimum wage rate. 

Healthcare Worker Minimum Wage Bulletin (downloadable PDF coming soon)

One-Year Court-Granted Waiver
Per Ordinance Section 5.96.090,  a court may grant a one-year waiver from the Minimum Wage requirements of this Ordinance if an Employer can demonstrate by substantial evidence that compliance with the Ordinance would raise substatial doubt about the Employer's ability to continue as a going concern under generally accepted accounting standards. Waiver requests are filed with the court, not with the City. Visit Ordinance Section 5.96.090 for more information.

For more information contact us at minimumwage@longbeach.gov.