Pasadena Minimum Wage 2026 ($18.57) & Worker Rights Guide

The Pasadena minimum wage is $18.57 per hour as of July 1, 2026, and it covers almost every worker who performs at least two hours of work in a week inside Pasadena city limits. That is $1.67 an hour more than California’s statewide minimum of $16.90, so an employer that pays “only” the state rate for work done in Pasadena is underpaying you.

The gap adds up fast. At 30 hours a week, $1.67 an hour is $50.10 a week, or more than $2,600 over a year. Pasadena’s ordinance lets workers recover those back wages, and it makes it illegal for an employer to punish you for asking.

This guide covers the 2026 rate and who it covers, what changes in 2027, which sick leave and scheduling rules apply in Pasadena, and how to report a violation. For other cities, see our California minimum wage by city table. Employees First Labor Law is headquartered in Pasadena, at 1 S. Fair Oaks Ave., Suite 200.

Pasadena minimum wage 2026: $18.57 an hour

Pasadena’s minimum wage comes from Chapter 5.02 of the Pasadena Municipal Code. The City’s official notice lists $18.57 per hour effective July 1, 2026. The rate changes every July 1 by the change in the consumer price index (CPI), so the Pasadena year runs July to June, not January to December like the state rate.

Rule	Pasadena
Hourly minimum (from July 1, 2026)	$18.57
Who is covered	Adult and minor employees who work at least 2 hours in a week within Pasadena
Employer size	All employers; the one-year deferral that once applied to employers with 25 or fewer employees and some nonprofits is no longer in effect
Annual change	Every July 1, by CPI (PMC 5.02.015)
Tips	Do not count toward the minimum wage
Enforcement	City of Pasadena, or a lawsuit in court

Where your employer is based does not matter. The ordinance applies to “all employers regardless of where they are located” for each hour worked inside Pasadena, so a company headquartered in another city that sends you to Pasadena for two or more hours a week owes the Pasadena rate for that work. The City’s FAQ also confirms that the law protects every worker, regardless of immigration status.

A few details matter in practice. Health insurance, vacation, sick leave and other benefits cannot be counted toward the minimum wage. Commissions can count only if your total pay for the hours worked still meets the minimum. And “learners” ages 14 to 17 may be paid 85 percent of the minimum wage during their first 160 hours of employment, then the full rate.

By the numbers$18.57

Pasadena vs. California minimum wage in 2026 and 2027

California’s minimum wage is $16.90 an hour in 2026 and rises to $17.40 on January 1, 2027, according to the Department of Industrial Relations. Because Pasadena’s rate is higher than both figures, the state increase will not change what most Pasadena workers are owed. When a local and a state minimum wage both apply, your employer must pay the higher one.

Period	Pasadena	California	You are owed
July 1 – Dec. 31, 2026	$18.57	$16.90	$18.57
Jan. 1 – June 30, 2027	$18.57	$17.40	$18.57
From July 1, 2027	CPI increase (not yet announced)	$17.40	The higher rate

As of October 2026, the City has not announced the July 1, 2027 rate. Pasadena publishes an official notice before each July 1 adjustment; we will update this guide when the new figure is posted.

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Industry minimum wages that can be higher

Some workers in Pasadena are owed more than $18.57 because of statewide industry rules:

• Fast food: limited-service restaurants that are part of a national chain with more than 60 establishments nationwide must pay at least $20.00 an hour (Labor Code 1475, AB 1228). The City’s own notice points out that this rate applies in Pasadena.
• Health care: covered health care facilities must pay the statewide health care worker minimum wage under SB 525, which varies by type of facility and is higher than Pasadena’s rate in every category as of July 1, 2026. See our health care minimum wage guide.

Pasadena has not adopted a separate hotel-worker minimum wage like those in Los Angeles or Long Beach, so hotel workers in Pasadena are covered by the citywide $18.57 rate unless a higher state rule applies.

Paid sick leave in Pasadena

Pasadena’s minimum wage chapter does not contain its own paid sick leave rules, so California’s paid sick leave law applies (Labor Code 245–249). Under state law:

• You earn at least 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked, or your employer can front-load the time.
• Your employer can limit use to 40 hours or 5 days per year, whichever is more, and can cap total accrual at 80 hours or 10 days.
• You can start using sick leave on your 90th day of employment.
• Covered uses include your own or a family member’s illness, preventive care, and time off related to domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.
• Sick leave is paid at your regular rate, and your employer cannot discipline or fire you for using it.

Pasadena is a separate city from Los Angeles, so the City of Los Angeles sick leave ordinance does not cover work performed in Pasadena. For the full rules, read our guide to California paid sick leave rights.

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Scheduling, hotel and layoff protections

Pasadena does not have a local fair workweek (predictable scheduling) ordinance or a hotel-worker safety ordinance. During the pandemic, the City adopted a COVID-19 right of recall and a COVID-19 worker retention ordinance for hotel and related workers (Pasadena Municipal Code Chapters 5.80 and 5.82), but both were written to expire 12 months after the City’s COVID-19 emergency declaration ended, so they are not a general protection for layoffs today. State rules still protect you:

• Reporting time and split shifts: if you are sent home early or work a split shift, state wage orders may require extra pay. See split shift and reporting time pay.
• Right of recall: Labor Code 2810.8 gives certain laid-off hotel, event center, airport hospitality and building service workers a right to be offered their old jobs. It covers workers laid off on or after March 4, 2020 for reasons related to the COVID-19 pandemic, and it remains operative only until January 1, 2027.
• Mass layoffs: Cal-WARN generally requires 60 days’ notice before a covered mass layoff or closure. Check recent notices on our Pasadena layoffs page and the Los Angeles County layoffs page.

By the numbersTwo hours

Retaliation is illegal, and presumed within 90 days

Pasadena Municipal Code 5.02.030 bars an employer from firing you, cutting your pay or otherwise discriminating against you for opposing a violation, taking part in a proceeding, or trying to enforce your rights under the ordinance. If your employer takes adverse action within 90 days of you exercising those rights, the law presumes the action was retaliation, and the employer has to prove otherwise.

State law adds more protection. Labor Code 98.6 prohibits retaliation for complaining about unpaid wages, and Labor Code 1102.5 protects workers who report violations of law to a government agency or a supervisor.

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How to report a minimum wage violation in Pasadena

1. Collect your records. Save pay stubs, schedules, time records and texts. California requires itemized wage statements (see pay stub rules). Note which days and hours you worked inside Pasadena.
2. Estimate what you are owed. Our wage and hour calculator can help you total the shortfall.
3. File with the City. Pasadena accepts minimum wage complaints through the online form on its Minimum Wage Ordinance page, in person at the Permit Center (175 N. Garfield Ave.) or at the Pasadena Community Job Center (500 N. Lake Ave.). The City’s contact line is (626) 744-6831. The City can order back wages, reinstatement and penalties.
4. Or file a state claim. The Labor Commissioner (DLSE) handles state wage claims, which generally must be filed within three years (Code of Civil Procedure 338). Retaliation complaints to the Labor Commissioner generally must be filed within one year (Labor Code 98.7). Compare your options in Labor Commissioner claim vs. hiring a lawyer.
5. Or go to court. Under PMC 5.02.050, any person harmed by a violation can sue. Available relief includes back wages, an additional amount as liquidated damages, reinstatement, and reasonable attorney’s fees and costs for a worker who wins.
6. Discrimination is separate. If you were also treated differently because of a protected characteristic, you can file with the California Civil Rights Department, generally within three years.

Minimum wage violations rarely travel alone. Workers who are underpaid on the hourly rate often also miss overtime, meal and rest breaks, or final pay. Our wage and hour violations page explains those claims.

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Example: what underpayment looks like

💡 Example: Ana (a hypothetical worker) works 32 hours a week at a café in Pasadena. For 26 weeks in the second half of 2026, she is paid $16.90 an hour, the state minimum, instead of Pasadena’s $18.57. She is short $1.67 an hour, or $53.44 a week ($1.67 × 32). Over 26 weeks, that is $1,389.44 in unpaid minimum wages ($53.44 × 26), before any liquidated damages, interest or penalties.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum wage in Pasadena in 2026?

$18.57 an hour, effective July 1, 2026. It applies to adult and minor employees who work at least two hours in a week within Pasadena city limits.

Does the Pasadena minimum wage apply if my employer is based outside Pasadena?

Yes. The ordinance applies to all employers, wherever they are located, for hours worked inside Pasadena by employees who meet the two-hour weekly threshold.

Will Pasadena’s minimum wage go up in 2027?

Pasadena’s rate adjusts each July 1 by CPI. As of October 2026, the July 1, 2027 rate has not been announced. The state rate of $17.40 that takes effect January 1, 2027 is lower than Pasadena’s current rate, so it does not change what Pasadena workers are owed.

Does Pasadena have its own paid sick leave law?

No. Pasadena’s minimum wage chapter has no sick leave provisions, so California’s paid sick leave law applies: at least 1 hour per 30 hours worked, with at least 40 hours or 5 days available to use each year.

Can my employer count tips toward the Pasadena minimum wage?

No. Tips belong to you and cannot be used to reach the $18.57 minimum. Your employer must pay the full hourly rate on top of any tips.

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