LIVABLE WAGE The California Livable Wage & Job Security Act
If you work full time in California, you should be able to pay your rent, feed your family, and see a doctor — without needing food stamps to get by.
Zones
Tax Credits / yr
Before Layoffs
Enforcement / yr
Millions of Californians work full-time jobs and still can't afford the basics. Their wages haven't kept up with the cost of living — and taxpayers pick up the tab through food assistance, Medi-Cal, and housing subsidies.
Meanwhile, workers get laid off with days of warning, employees are misclassified as "contractors" to cheat them out of benefits, and pay secrecy lets discrimination hide in plain sight. This act draws a line.
THE CALIFORNIA LIVABLE WAGE
What does it actually cost to live in your part of California? This act answers that question for every region using the MIT Living Wage Calculator — the gold standard for measuring the real cost of food, housing, healthcare, childcare, and transportation.
The state calculates a Livable Wage for each of 8 regions, updated every year. It's based on what a single parent with one child needs to earn per hour, working full time, to get by without public assistance.
Right now, this number isn't just a suggestion — it's a requirement for every state contractor and every employer receiving more than $100,000 in state funding. If California is paying the bill, California's workers get paid enough to live.
And it's never less than the state minimum wage. It's a floor, not a ceiling.
- Bay AreaHighest Cost
- Greater Los AngelesHighest Cost
- San DiegoHighest Cost
- Central CoastHigh Cost
- SacramentoHigh Cost
- San Joaquin ValleyModerate
- North StateModerate
- Eastern SierraModerate
HELP FOR SMALL BUSINESSES
PAY TRANSPARENCY
Every job posting from employers with 15+ workers must include a salary range. Not a vague "competitive pay" — a real number with a minimum and maximum.
That range can't be absurdly wide, either. It's capped at $25,000 for salaried jobs or $12/hour for hourly positions.
And employers can never ask about your past salary. What you earned before shouldn't determine what you're worth now.
Current employees can ask for the pay range of their position — and any job they might transfer or promote into — and get an answer within 10 business days. No retaliation allowed.
Pay Data Reporting
Employers with 100+ workers submit annual pay data broken down by race, ethnicity, and gender. The state uses it to spot discrimination patterns and direct enforcement resources.
YOUR JOB, YOUR SECURITY
90 Days' Warning Before Layoffs
If an employer plans to lay off 25 or more workers, they must give 90 days' written notice — to every affected employee, the state, the local workforce board, and city officials. For 200+ workers, that jumps to 120 days.
Stronger than federal WARN ActPay Continues If They Don't Warn You
If your employer skips the required notice, they owe you full wages and benefits for every day they fell short. Workers with 5+ years of service get extra severance — up to 16 additional weeks of pay.
Wage continuation + benefitsHealth Insurance Keeps Going
Laid-off workers keep their employer health coverage for at least 3 months — or longer if wage continuation applies. The employer also provides COBRA info and Covered California options.
Minimum 3 months coverageHardship Safety Valve
A company facing genuine insolvency can apply for relief — but must prove that full compliance would cause more layoffs. Even then, they still pay, just on a longer timeline secured by business assets.
Good faith requiredSTOP CALLING EMPLOYEES "CONTRACTORS"
When employers misclassify workers as independent contractors, those workers lose minimum wage protection, overtime pay, unemployment insurance, workers' comp, and sick leave. This act makes the penalties real — and gives investigators the budget to find it.
| Violation | Penalty Per Worker |
|---|---|
| First offense | $10,000 |
| Second offense | $25,000 |
| Third+ offense | $50,000 |
Misclassification Enforcement Fund: Dedicated investigators, joint task forces, tech tools to spot patterns, and legal aid grants for cheated workers. Penalties collected go right back into enforcement.
FAIR SCHEDULING CERTIFICATION
Unpredictable schedules wreck childcare, kill second jobs, and make life impossible. This act doesn't mandate specific schedules — but it rewards employers who do right by their workers with a state certification, public recognition, and preference on state contracts.
14-Day Advance Notice
Schedules posted two weeks ahead so workers can plan their lives.
Predictability Pay
Last-minute changes? Workers get extra pay. Less than 24 hours' notice = 2 hours extra.
Right to Rest
At least 11 hours between shifts unless the worker agrees — with 1.5x pay if they do.
Access to Hours
Current employees get offered extra shifts before the company hires someone new.
Request Changes
Workers can ask for schedule adjustments for caregiving, school, or a second job — and get a response in 14 days.
5% Contract Advantage
Certified employers get scored higher on state contracts — cooperation pays.
This program is 100% voluntary. No penalties for non-participation. No mandates.
WORK SHOULD PAY ENOUGH TO LIVE ON
The California Livable Wage & Job Security Act sets a real standard for what workers deserve: wages that match the cost of living, transparency in what every job pays, real notice before layoffs, protection from misclassification, and recognition for employers who treat workers right.
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