In this guide7 sections
The minimum wage in Los Altos is $18.70 an hour in 2026. It applies to adult and minor employees who work two or more hours a week in the city, for every hour worked within Los Altos city limits, and it is $1.80 more than California’s 2026 minimum of $16.90. Tips do not count toward it.
Los Altos does not have its own paid sick leave or scheduling law, so state law covers those topics. This guide explains the city wage, the few things employers can and cannot count toward it, and how to file a complaint with the City of Los Altos. For other cities, see our California minimum wage by city table.
- Los Altos’s minimum wage is $18.70 an hour in 2026, $1.80 above the state minimum.
- It covers adult and minor employees who work at least two hours a week in the city.
- Discretionary tips never count toward the wage; commissions or guaranteed gratuities count only in limited cases.
- The 2027 rate had not been posted as of October 5, 2026.
- Complaints go to the City Manager’s Office: 650-947-2700 or info@losaltosca.gov.
Los Altos minimum wage 2026
Los Altos adopted its Minimum Wage Ordinance (Ordinance No. 2016-424, Los Altos Municipal Code Chapter 3.50) in 2016. The wage reached $15.00 in 2019 and has been adjusted every January 1 since 2020 by the August-to-August change in the Bay Area Consumer Price Index for urban wage earners, capped at 5% and rounded to the nearest five cents.
| Period | Los Altos minimum wage | California minimum wage |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 to December 31, 2026 | $18.70 | $16.90 |
| Starting January 1, 2027 | Not yet posted | $17.40 |
As of October 5, 2026, the city’s minimum wage page had not posted a 2027 rate. The ordinance calls for the new rate to be announced by October 1, or as soon as practicable after that, and to take effect January 1. Because the formula never lowers the wage, Los Altos workers will continue to earn more than the state’s $17.40 in 2027.
Who is covered and what counts toward the wage
- Two hours a week. You are covered if you work at least two hours in a calendar week for an employer in Los Altos and are entitled to the California minimum wage.
- Covered employers. Any employer that is subject to the city’s business license requirements or keeps a business facility in Los Altos, including through a temp or staffing agency.
- Hours in the city. The city wage applies to each hour worked within Los Altos.
- Exemptions. Federal and state agencies, school districts and certain college auxiliary organizations are exempt for work related to their governmental function. A union contract can waive the ordinance only in clear and unambiguous terms.
Discretionary tips never count toward the Los Altos minimum wage. The ordinance does allow commissions or guaranteed gratuities to count, but only when they are paid together with your other pay and add up to at least the minimum wage for each pay period. An employer may offset part of the wage for housing or meals only to the extent state law allows, and only if you agreed voluntarily in advance.
Employers must post the city’s notice in the top three languages spoken in Los Altos, give you the employer’s name, address and phone number in writing when you are hired, and keep payroll records for four years. If the employer’s records are missing or inadequate, your account of what you were paid is presumed accurate unless the employer proves otherwise by clear and convincing evidence.
State wages, sick leave and other protections
Some workers are owed more than $18.70 under state law. Limited-service restaurant workers at national chains with more than 60 establishments nationwide earn $20.00 an hour (Labor Code sections 1474 to 1476), and covered health care workers earn between $19.28 and $25.00 an hour from July 1, 2026 (Labor Code 1182.14).
Los Altos has no local paid sick leave ordinance. Under Labor Code 246, most employees accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked and can use at least 40 hours, or five days, a year; see our paid sick leave guide. The city also has no local fair workweek, hotel worker, worker retention or gig worker pay law. For layoffs in the area, see our Santa Clara County layoff tracker.
You may be owed back wages, interest and daily penalties. Get a free, confidential case review from our wage and hour attorneys.
How to file a Los Altos minimum wage complaint
The City of Los Altos takes minimum wage complaints through the City Manager’s Office, and the city says its services are free and confidential:
- Phone: 650-947-2700
- Email: info@losaltosca.gov
- Mail: City Manager’s Office, 1 N San Antonio Road, Los Altos, CA 94022
Be ready to give your name and contact information, your employer’s name, address and phone number, the manager or owner’s name, the type of work you do, and how and when you are paid. Copies of pay stubs and your own records of hours worked help.
The city can investigate, review payroll records, issue citations of up to $50 per day for each affected employee, and order reinstatement, back wages and penalties. You can also sue in court for back wages, a $50-per-day penalty for each day the violation continued, reinstatement and reasonable attorney’s fees if you win, without filing with the city first. For state-law claims such as overtime and missed breaks, you can file with the California Labor Commissioner, generally within three years for unpaid wages. See Labor Commissioner claim vs. hiring a lawyer and our wage and hour practice. Discrimination complaints go to the Civil Rights Department.
Retaliation is prohibited
Your employer cannot punish you for filing a complaint, telling coworkers about the city wage, or helping someone assert their rights, even if your good-faith complaint turns out to be mistaken. Adverse action within 90 days of exercising these rights creates a rebuttable presumption of retaliation. See also fired after complaining to HR.
Example: what an underpayment looks like
💡 Example: Ana works 20 hours a week at a shop in downtown Los Altos and is paid $17.00 an hour. The 2026 city rate is $18.70, so she is short $1.70 an hour, or $34.00 a week. After 10 weeks that is $340 in unpaid wages, plus interest. (Hypothetical example.)
Check your own pay with our wage and hour calculator.
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Los Altos in 2026?
$18.70 an hour, effective January 1, 2026, for employees who work at least two hours a week in Los Altos.
Is the Los Altos minimum wage the same as Palo Alto’s?
For 2026, yes: both cities are at $18.70. Palo Alto has already announced $19.25 for 2027; Los Altos had not posted its 2027 rate as of early October 2026. See our Palo Alto minimum wage guide.
Do minors and part-time workers get the Los Altos minimum wage?
Yes. The city says the ordinance applies to adult and minor employees who work two or more hours a week.
Can my employer count my tips toward the minimum wage?
No. Discretionary tips cannot be counted. Only commissions or guaranteed gratuities paid with your wages can count, and only if your total pay still meets the minimum for each pay period.
Workers only. Never employers.
At Employees First Labor Law, we represent California workers only, never employers. Our team has recovered more than $200 million for our clients, and we prepare every case as if it is going to trial. We have offices in Pasadena, Irvine, Long Beach, Pomona, Riverside, Bakersfield and Fresno, and we serve workers throughout California. Meet our team.
If your Los Altos employer is paying below the city minimum wage or retaliating against you for raising it, we can review your pay records and explain your options. Our nearest office is in Fresno, and we represent workers throughout California.
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This article provides general information about California law and is not legal advice for any specific situation. Reading it does not create an attorney-client relationship. Past results do not guarantee a similar outcome.
