You can find more information regarding the MWO on the city's website. You may also contact the city by phone at (650) 780-7300 or by email at localminimumwage@redwoodcity.org .

Minimum Wage Rate

• Effective January 1, 2026, the Redwood City minimum wage increased to $18.65 per hour, up from the 2025 rate of $18.20 per hour. This year's increase and future annual increases are tied to the Regional Consumer Price Index (CPI), up to 5 percent.2

In light of increased inflation, in October 2022, the City Council adopted the following policy amendments to the MWO:3

• A 5 percent cap on the annual increase in the minimum wage;4
• A CPI catch-up provision to allow wages to realign with inflation in later years. This means when the actual CPI exceeds the 5 percent cap, the percentage amount in excess of the cap will be applied to the following year’s cost of living increase, up to 5 percent. Excess amounts will be carried over from year to year until the actual CPI and the cap-adjusted cost of living increase are equivalent. For example, if the CPI increases by 6 percent in year one and by 2 percent in year two, the cap-adjusted cost of living increase for the purpose of calculating the minimum wage would be 5 percent in year one, and 3 percent5 in year two. In year three, the minimum wage would be calculated based on the actual CPI, provided it is below 5 percent; and
• Rounds the wage to the nearest 5 cents.6

• The Redwood City minimum wage is higher than the standard California state minimum wage but not the state minimum wage rates for the fast food and health care industries, effective April 1, 2024 and October 16, 2024, respectively. You must pay the higher minimum wage to employees eligible for it. For more information on the state minimum wage rates, see the HR Library’s HR Library’s Minimum Wage.

You can find the current Redwood City minimum wage on the city's website.

Coverage and Eligibility

A covered employee (employee) under the MWO is any employee who:

• Performs at least two hours of work in one calendar week in Redwood City, whether full or part-time; and
• Is entitled to payment of a California minimum wage.

You must pay employees at least the Redwood City minimum wage for each hour worked in Redwood City, not including tips and gratuities. The Redwood City minimum wage applies to employees working in Redwood City, regardless of where the employer is located or whether the employee is a Redwood City resident.7 Employees cannot waive their right to receive at least the Redwood City minimum wage, except through a valid collective bargaining agreement.8 However, this exception does not apply to janitors, landscapers, groundskeepers and security guards, who may not waive their right to receive at least the Redwood City minimum wage.

You may not reduce the hourly wage to any employee or increase charges to employees for parking, meals, uniforms or other items, or decrease benefits to employees to pay for the costs of the increased hourly wage imposed by the MWO.9

You do not need to pay the Redwood City minimum wage to individuals who are not entitled to the state minimum wage.10 For more information on these types of employees, see the HR Library's Minimum Wage page. The MWO includes “learners” under California law.

For the first 160 hours of employment, you do not have to pay the full Redwood City minimum wage to certain learners, but you must pay learners at least 85 percent of the applicable Redwood City minimum wage. You must pay the full applicable Redwood City minimum wage for every hour worked beyond 160 hours.11

You can find additional information regarding application of the MWO in a Frequently Asked Questions webpage.

Posting, Notice and Recordkeeping Requirements

The MWO requires you to post the official, city-provided notice specifying the minimum wage and describing employee rights under the MWO. The city has issued the notice in English, Spanish and Chinese, which you must display. The notice must be posted prominently in areas of the work site where it will be seen by all employees.12

• Redwood City Minimum Wage Poster

In addition, you must display the California Minimum Wage Order, which can be found on CalChamber’s California and Federal Labor Law posters.

• California and Federal Labor Law Posters

At the time of hire, you must provide employees your company's name, address and telephone number in writing.13

State law also requires you to provide Wage and Employment Notice to Employees (Labor Code section 2810.5) at the time of hire to all nonexempt employees that includes this information and meets the obligation under the MWO.14 More information about the notice can be found on the HR Library's New Employee Orientation page.

You also are required to retain payroll records pertaining to employees for a period of three years. The city must be permitted access to these records with appropriate notice and at a mutually agreeable time.15

If you do not keep adequate records documenting wages paid or you do not allow the city reasonable access to payroll records, the employee’s account of how much they were paid will be presumed to be accurate. The employer will have to offer evidence to rebut this presumption.

Enforcement

The MWO is enforced by the city.16The city has identified the city of San Jose’s Office of Equality Assurance to investigate possible violations of the MWO.17 The Office of Equality Assurance enforces minimum wage ordinances for the cities of Belmont, Los Altos, Palo Alto, San Jose, San Mateo, Santa Clara and Sunnyvale as well. The city may conduct investigations and take administrative actions to enforce the MWO.18

In addition, aggrieved employees or the city may file a civil lawsuit for any violation of the MWO.19

Remedies for violations may include: reinstatement, back pay, penalties of $50 owed to each employee for each day that the violation occurred, interest on wages owed, reimbursement of the city’s administrative costs of enforcement, and attorneys’ fees and costs. The city may also issue a civil penalty, payable to the city, in the amount $50 for each employee whose rights were violated, for each day that the violation occurred. This is in addition to the penalties payable to employees.20

The California Labor Commissioner also has the authority to investigate and enforce local minimum wage and overtime provisions, including such provisions in the MWO, and to issue citations and penalties against employers for violations. However, the Labor Commissioner and the city cannot both cite the employer for the same violation.

Retaliation

Employees who assert their rights under the MWO are protected against retaliation.21 For example, employees have the right to complain to their employer that they are not being paid the Redwood City minimum wage; file formal complaints; inform other employees of their right to the Redwood City minimum wage; or to assist other employees in asserting their rights.

If an employer takes adverse action against an employee within 90 days after the employee asserted rights protected by the MWO, the employer’s action will be presumed to be retaliatory.22 The employer will have to offer evidence to rebut this presumption.

1. Redwood City Code secs. 46.020(b), 46.030(a)

2. Redwood City Code sec. 46.030(b)

3. Redwood City Code sec. 46.030, as amended 11/30/22

4. Redwood City Code sec. 46.030 (b), as amended 11/30/22

5. Redwood City Code sec. 46.030 (c), as amended 11/30/22

6. Redwood City Code sec. 46.030 (b), as amended 11/30/22

7. Redwood City Code secs. 46.020(b)(1), 46.030(a), (d)

8. Redwood City Code sec. 46.050

9. Redwood City Code sec. 46.030(e)

10. Redwood City Code secs. 46.020(b)(2), 46.030(a)

11. Redwood City Code sec. 46.030(c)

12. Redwood City Code sec. 46.060(a), (b); see Redwood City Local Minimum Wage page for additional information.

13. Redwood City Code sec. 46.060(b)

14. Lab. Code sec. 2810.5

15. Redwood City Code sec. 46.060(c)

16. Redwood City Code sec. 46.090(a)

17. See Minimum Wage Frequently Asked Questions for additional information.

18. Redwood City Code sec. 46.080(a)

19. Redwood City Code sec. 46.090(a), (b)

20. Redwood City Code sec. 46.090(a)(1), (e)

21. Redwood City Code sec. 46.070(a)

22. Redwood City Code sec. 46.070(b)