According to a new report from the Associated Press, California will raise the minimum wage for fast food workers to $20 per hour. The change will go into effect on April 1, 2024. Prior to the increase, California already boasted one of the highest minimum wages in the U.S. at $15.50 per hour. Governor Gavin Newsom signed the law into effect this week, calling the change a "tectonic plate that had to be moved."
The new law will apply to all restaurants "with at least 60 locations nationwide," the AP's Adam Beam reported, but certain chains will be exempt if they "make and sell their own bread, like Panera Bread." The current wage ($15.50) oftentimes puts the bulk of fast food workers below the poverty line level of a yearly 35,000 salary, while the shift to $16 on January 1 and the future change to $20 in April will certainly help to change that. According to Sean Kennedy, the executive vice president of public affairs at the National Restaurant Association, "the governor's signature on this bill brings to an end a years-long and expensive fight over the regulation of the California quick service industry."
