San Francisco Minimum Wage 2026: Sick Leave, Scheduling & More

The San Francisco minimum wage is $19.61 an hour as of July 1, 2026, and it applies to almost every employee who works at least two hours a week inside the city, including part-time and temporary workers. That is $2.71 an hour more than California’s $16.90 state minimum, so a paycheck that is legal in Sacramento can be short in San Francisco.

San Francisco also has its own paid sick leave, chain-store scheduling, health care spending, paid parental leave and fair chance laws. This guide covers who each one protects and how to file a complaint with the city’s Office of Labor Standards Enforcement (OLSE). For rates in other cities, see our California minimum wage by city table.

San Francisco minimum wage 2026

San Francisco’s Minimum Wage Ordinance (Labor and Employment Code Article 1) sets the rate and adjusts it every July 1 based on the increase in the Consumer Price Index. The current figures are:

Who	Hourly minimum	Effective
Most employees working in San Francisco	$19.61	July 1, 2026
“Government supported employees” (a small group, see below)	$17.35	July 1, 2026
California state minimum (for comparison)	$16.90	January 1, 2026
California state minimum, next year	$17.40	January 1, 2027

You are covered if, in a given week, you perform at least two hours of work for an employer within San Francisco’s boundaries and you are entitled to the minimum wage under California law. Employer size does not matter, and the ordinance reaches workers placed through temp and staffing agencies. Tips cannot be counted toward the minimum wage in California, so servers and bartenders must receive the full $19.61 before tips.

The lower $17.35 rate applies only to “government supported employees”: workers under 18 in subsidized after-school, summer or training programs, and certain workers over 55 in government-subsidized positions at qualifying nonprofits. If that is not you, your floor is $19.61.

What about 2027? San Francisco has not announced its July 1, 2027 rate; OLSE publishes each new figure on its minimum wage page before it takes effect. The state minimum rises to $17.40 on January 1, 2027, still well below the city’s general rate. For government supported employees, the higher $17.40 state rate should control from January 1, 2027 until the city’s next adjustment.

By the numbers$19.61

Industry wages that can be higher

Some workers are owed more than the city minimum:

• Fast food: $20.00 an hour at limited-service restaurants that belong to a national chain with more than 60 establishments nationally (Labor Code 1474 et seq.).
• Health care: covered health care facility workers have their own state minimum wage schedule under SB 525, from $19.28 up to $25.00 an hour depending on the type of facility. See our health care minimum wage guide.
• City contracts: workers on certain City contracts and leases may also be covered by the Minimum Compensation Ordinance and the Health Care Accountability Ordinance, which OLSE enforces.

When more than one rate applies, your employer must pay the highest one.

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San Francisco paid sick leave

San Francisco was the first city in the country to require paid sick leave. Its Paid Sick Leave Ordinance (Labor and Employment Code Article 11) covers every employee who performs work in the city, including part-time and temporary workers. You earn 1 hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked.

Rule	San Francisco ordinance	California law (Labor Code 246)
Accrual	1 hour per 30 hours worked	1 hour per 30 hours, or at least 40 hours/5 days by the 200th day
Balance cap, employers with 10+ employees	72 hours	Employer may cap accrual at 80 hours/10 days
Balance cap, employers with fewer than 10	40 hours	Employer may cap accrual at 80 hours/10 days
Yearly use	Limited by the balance caps above	Employer may limit use to 40 hours/5 days

Employers must follow both laws, and the Labor Commissioner says the local amount controls when it is higher; where state law is more generous, it applies. OLSE notes the city ordinance does not cover SFO or the Presidio. For the full state rules, including what you can use sick leave for and the ban on retaliation, read our California paid sick leave guide.

Retail scheduling: the Formula Retail Employee Rights Ordinances

San Francisco’s predictive scheduling law applies to chain stores with at least 40 formula retail establishments worldwide and 20 or more employees in San Francisco, plus their janitorial and security contractors (Labor and Employment Code Articles 41 and 42). If you work for a covered chain, you have the right to:

• A good-faith written estimate of your expected minimum number of shifts per month, and the days and hours, when you are hired.
• Your schedule two weeks in advance, posted at work or available electronically.
• Predictability pay of 1 to 4 hours at your regular rate when your schedule changes with less than seven days’ notice.
• On-call pay of 2 to 4 hours at your regular rate when you are required to be on call but are not called in.
• First offer of extra hours, in writing, before the employer hires new staff or uses temps or contractors.
• Equal treatment of part-time workers in starting wage, access to time off, and eligibility for promotion.
• 90 days of job retention if the store is sold, for employees who worked at least six months for the former owner.

Predictability pay and on-call pay are not owed in limited situations, such as when you swap shifts or ask for the change, when another worker calls out without seven days’ notice, or when operations stop because of threats, utility failures or events outside the employer’s control.

💡 Example (hypothetical): Alex works at a covered chain store and earns $21.00 an hour. With three days’ notice, his manager cancels a scheduled shift. Under the ordinance he is owed predictability pay of 1 to 4 hours at his regular rate, depending on the notice and the length of the shift, or between $21.00 and $84.00.

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Health care, parental leave, caregiver and fair chance rules

Health Care Security Ordinance

Employers with 20 or more workers must spend a minimum amount on health care each quarter for employees who have worked for them more than 90 days and regularly work at least 8 hours a week in San Francisco. Starting January 1, 2027, the required rate is $4.49 per hour for businesses with 100 or more employees and $2.99 for businesses with 20 to 99. Managerial, supervisory and confidential employees earning more than $128,861 a year in 2026 are exempt.

Paid Parental Leave Ordinance

Employers with 20 or more employees worldwide must supplement California Paid Family Leave when you take bonding leave, up to a cap OLSE sets each year ($2,522 for 2026). You currently qualify if you are eligible for state Paid Family Leave for bonding, worked for the employer at least 180 days before leave, and work at least 8 hours a week and 40% of your hours in San Francisco. The 180-day requirement drops to 90 days at employers with 100+ employees on January 1, 2027, and at all covered employers on January 1, 2028.

Family Friendly Workplace Ordinance

At employers with 20 or more employees, workers who have been employed six months or more, work at least 8 hours a week, and are the primary caregiver for a child, a family member with a serious health condition, or a family member 65 or older can request a flexible or predictable schedule in writing. The employer must respond within 21 days and can deny the request only for undue hardship, in writing.

Fair Chance Ordinance

Employers with 5 or more employees cannot ask about arrest or conviction records until after a conditional job offer, for jobs of at least 8 hours a week in the city. They can never consider certain records, including arrests that did not lead to conviction (other than unresolved arrests), expunged convictions, juvenile records, and most convictions more than seven years old. Before taking adverse action, the employer must give you notice and seven days to respond. California’s Fair Chance Act applies too.

By the numbersOne hour

How to file a complaint in San Francisco

OLSE enforces the city’s labor laws from City Hall, 1 Dr. Carlton B. Goodlett Place, Room 430. Each law has its own line:

Issue	OLSE contact
Minimum wage	415-554-6292, mwo@sfgov.org
Paid sick leave	415-554-6271, psl@sfgov.org
Retail scheduling (FRERO)	415-554-6461, frero@sfgov.org
Health care spending (HCSO)	415-554-7892, hcso@sfgov.org
Paid parental leave	415-554-4190, pplo@sfgov.org
Family friendly workplace	415-554-6424, ffwo@sfgov.org
Fair chance	415-554-5192, fco@sfgov.org

Complaint forms are on OLSE’s “File a labor law complaint” page at sf.gov. OLSE states that it helps workers regardless of immigration status or whether they were paid in cash, and that it will not ask about immigration status.

State options: the Labor Commissioner (DLSE) handles state wage claims, which generally must be brought within three years (Code of Civil Procedure 338), and the Civil Rights Department handles discrimination complaints, generally within three years. Our guide on filing with the Labor Commissioner vs. hiring a lawyer compares the routes.

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Worked example: what an underpayment adds up to

💡 Example (hypothetical): Maria works 30 hours a week at a San Francisco cafe and is paid $18.00 an hour, which is above the state minimum but below the city’s $19.61. She is short $1.61 an hour, or $48.30 a week. Over 20 weeks that is $966.00 in unpaid minimum wages, before any penalties, interest or the waiting time penalties that can apply if she leaves the job without being paid in full.

You can run your own numbers with our wage and hour calculator.

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What to do if you are underpaid in San Francisco

1. Write down your hours and save your pay stubs.
2. Compare your rate to $19.61 (or the higher sector rate that applies to you).
3. Check your sick leave balance on your pay stub or in your employer’s system against the 1-for-30 accrual rule.
4. File with OLSE or get legal advice before deadlines run. Retaliation for asserting these rights is illegal under both city and state law.

If you were let go in a layoff, see our page on San Francisco layoffs and San Francisco County layoffs.

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Frequently asked questions

What is the minimum wage in San Francisco in 2026?

$19.61 an hour, effective July 1, 2026, for employees who work at least two hours a week in the city. A small group of government supported employees has a $17.35 rate.

Does San Francisco’s minimum wage apply to small businesses?

Yes. There is no small-business exemption for the minimum wage.

When will San Francisco announce the 2027 minimum wage?

The new rate takes effect each July 1. San Francisco has not announced the July 1, 2027 figure yet. OLSE posts it on its minimum wage page before it takes effect.

How much sick leave do San Francisco workers get?

1 hour for every 30 hours worked, with a balance cap of 72 hours (10+ employees) or 40 hours (smaller employers). State minimums apply where more generous.

Can I file a complaint if I am undocumented?

Yes. San Francisco’s labor laws protect workers regardless of immigration status, and OLSE says it will not ask about it. State wage laws also apply regardless of status.

Underpaid or denied leave in San Francisco? Our wage and hour attorneys represent workers throughout California, including the Bay Area. Our nearest office is in Fresno.

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