California Domestic Workers Coalition

At the time of hire

At the time of hire and also at any time there are changes to your wages or employer’s information, you should receive a written notice in the language you and your employer communicate in, telling you:

  • Your rate(s) of pay
  • Whether you will be paid by the hour, shift, day, week, salary, piece, commission, or otherwise, including any rates for overtime, if applicable.
  • How often you will be paid
  • The employer’s name, address, and phone number, and the name, address and phone number of the employer’s worker’s compensation insurance carrier.

Right to minimum wage

All domestic workers are entitled to minimum wage, except babysitters under the age of 18 and the employer’s parent, child, or spouse. You are owed the HIGHEST rate that applied. Since the federal minimum wage is $7.25/hour, you are entitled to the higher California minimum wage OR your city’s local minimum

$9.00 / hour (as of July 2014)
$11.00 / hour (as of Jan. 2019)
$10.00 / hour (as of Jan. 2016)$12.00 / hour (as of Jan. 2020)
$10.50 / hour (as of Jan. 2018)$13.00 / hour (as of Jan. 2021)

Some cities have a higher minimum wage. Check out some of the cities with higher minimum wage ordinances below (these wages are based on small business sizes of 26 employees or less, if you work at a larger agency, the minimum wage may be even higher):

  • Berkeley: $15.59 / hour, effective July 1, 2019
  • Emeryville: $16.30 / hour, effective July 1, 2019
  • Los Angeles City and County: $13.25 / hour, effective July 1, 2019
  • Oakland: $13.80 / hour, effective January 1, 2018
  • Pasadena: $13.25 / hour, effective July 1, 2019
  • Palo Alto: $15.00 / hour, effective January 1, 2019
  • Richmond: $15.00 / hour, effective January 1, 2019
  • San Diego: $12.00 / hour, effective January 1, 2019
  • San Francisco: $15.59/ hour, effective July 1, 2019
  • San Mateo: $15.00/hour, effective January 2019
  • San Jose: $15.00 / hour, effective January 1, 2019
  • Santa Monica: $13.25 / hour, effective July 1, 2018
  • For a complete list of minimum wage ordinances in California, go to Economic Policy Institute Minimum Wage Tracker