California · Wages · Updated April 2026

Fast food workers earn $20. Healthcare workers earn $18.63 to $24.

Two California industries have their own statutory minimum wages above the general state minimum. Fast food workers (chains of 60+ restaurants nationally) earn $20/hour under AB 1228. Healthcare workers earn between $18.63 and $24.00/hour depending on facility type under SB 525.

Fast Food
$20.00
Healthcare Range
$18.63 – $24.00
Authorities
AB 1228 / SB 525
Active

Industry Minimum Wage Routing

Auto-applies industry-specific minimums for roles tagged as fast food (AB 1228) or healthcare (SB 525). Industry minimum overrides state minimum where applicable.

Block save below industry minimum
Tag role with industry classification
Always running

What the rule does for industry-tagged roles.

The hero card configuration: Block below industry minimum, Flag on industry tag. Here's what each does at runtime.

Block · on save below industry minimum

A role tagged as "fast food" cannot be saved with a rate below $20/hour. A healthcare role cannot be saved below the applicable facility-tier minimum (varies $18.63 to $24).

Flag · industry classification

Roles are tagged at config time. The industry tag determines which minimum applies and how exempt-salary thresholds are calculated (industry minimums affect exempt thresholds for those workers).

Skip the configuration

Deploy CA industry minimums in your Teambridge.

Tell us about your fast food or healthcare workforce. We'll spin up the industry-specific minimums — alongside the other 20 California policies — in a sandbox tenant.

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The rule, plainly stated

Two industries, two specific structures.

California's industry minimum wages have specific eligibility rules. Both apply to a narrow but high-impact subset of California's hourly workforce.

AB 1228 (Cal. Labor Code § 1474) and SB 525 (Cal. Labor Code § 1182.14): AB 1228 establishes a $20 minimum wage for fast food restaurant employees — defined as employees of limited-service restaurants in chains of 60+ restaurants nationally that primarily sell food and beverages for immediate consumption. SB 525 establishes tiered minimum wages for covered health care employees ranging from $18.63 to $24.00 per hour, depending on facility type, with scheduled increases through 2033.

Fast food eligibility (AB 1228)

A 'fast food restaurant' for AB 1228 purposes must (1) be a limited-service restaurant (limited or no table service; customer orders and pays before consuming), (2) be part of a chain with 60+ restaurants nationally, and (3) primarily engage in selling food and beverages for immediate consumption. The 60-restaurant threshold counts national, not California-only.

Healthcare tiered structure (SB 525)

Healthcare worker minimums are tiered by facility type. Large hospital systems and dialysis clinics start at $24/hour. Some other facility types start at $18.63 or $21. The minimums increase July 1 each year through 2033, eventually reaching at least $25/hour across all covered facilities.

On autopilot

Teambridge tags roles, then applies the right rate.

Industry rules are role-driven, not location-driven. Teambridge handles the role tagging at config time and the rate determination at shift creation.

01 · Role tagging

Industry classification at config.

When configuring a role, Teambridge prompts for industry classification (general, fast food, healthcare-tier-1, healthcare-tier-2, etc.). The tag persists with the role.

02 · Per-shift rate determination

Highest applicable rate.

For each shift, Teambridge calculates the highest of: state minimum, local minimum, industry minimum (based on role tag). The highest controls.

03 · Annual industry rate updates

July 1 healthcare increases tracked.

SB 525 healthcare minimums increase July 1 each year through 2033. Teambridge applies the new rates from each effective date automatically.

04 · Exempt threshold calculation

Industry-derived for industry workers.

For fast food and healthcare workers classified as exempt, the salary threshold is calculated from the industry minimum (not state minimum). Teambridge enforces this distinction.

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FAQ

People also ask.

Who qualifies as a fast food worker for the $20 minimum?
Employees of limited-service restaurants (limited or no table service, customer orders and pays before consuming) in chains with 60+ restaurants nationally that primarily sell food and beverages for immediate consumption. The chain threshold is 60 restaurants nationally, not California-only.
How does the healthcare worker minimum work?
Tiered by facility type. Large hospital systems start at $24/hour. Some other facility types start at $18.63, $21, or other tier amounts depending on the facility. Annual increases on July 1 through 2033, eventually reaching at least $25/hour across all covered facilities.
What if a local minimum is higher than the industry minimum?
The higher rate applies. If West Hollywood's $20.25 is higher than the industry rate for a covered role, the worker earns $20.25. The industry minimum is a floor, not a ceiling.
Does AB 1228 apply to single-location restaurants?
No. The chain threshold is 60+ restaurants nationally. Single-location restaurants and small chains (under 60 nationally) are not covered by the $20 minimum — they fall under the general state minimum.
How does this interact with exempt classification?
For fast food and healthcare workers classified as exempt, the exempt-salary threshold is calculated from the industry minimum (2× × 2,080 hours). Fast food exempt threshold is $83,200/year. Healthcare exempt thresholds vary by tier.
How does Teambridge apply this?
Roles are tagged at config time as general, fast food, or healthcare (with tier). The tag determines which industry minimum applies. For each shift, Teambridge calculates the highest of state, local, and industry rates.