Los Angeles City Hotel, Airport Worker Minimum Wage Increase Now in Effect, Affects Santa Monica Hotel Workers
In late June 2025, a referendum petition challenging Los Angeles City’s hotel and airport worker minimum wage ordinance was filed with the Los Angeles City Clerk. The petition temporarily placed the minimum wage increase on hold, delaying provisions that were scheduled to begin on July 1. However, starting last week, all those provisions are now in effect so covered hotel and airport employers should make sure they’re following the ordinance’s provisions.
On September 8, 2025, the Los Angeles City Clerk issued a certification that the referendum effort did not meet the necessary requirements. Accordingly, the ordinance became effective the same day. And as of September 8, 2025, hotel and airport employers in Los Angeles must now comply with the $22.50 minimum wage and related requirements.
These related requirements require these covered hotel and airport employers who don’t offer health benefits to add an additional amount to the required hourly wages. Airport employers must provide these enhanced health benefits starting September 8, 2025. Hotel employers must do so starting July 1, 2026.
And a new training requirement for hotel workers will take effect on December 1, 2025.
Employers should review their pay practices to confirm compliance. Keep in mind — because Santa Monica follows Los Angeles City’s hotel workers’ minimum wage rate, the Santa Monica hotel worker minimum wage rate also increased to $22.50 per hour on September 8, 2025.
For official information, visit the City of Los Angeles website on hotel worker ordinances. Employers with questions about how this change affects their workplace are encouraged to consult with legal counsel.
Vanessa M. Greene, J.D., Employment Law Subject Matter Expert, CalChamber
CalChamber members can reference HRCalifornia’s Local Ordinances section, which includes summaries of many local ordinances in Northern California and Southern California. Not a member? Learn how to power your business with a CalChamber membership.