What is the minimum wage?
As of January 1, 2002, the minimum wage in California is $6.75 per hour. The minimum wage is an obligation of the employer and cannot be waived by any agreement. Some employees are exempt from the minimum wage law, including outside salespersons, individuals who are the parent, spouse or child of the employer, and apprentices regularly indentured under the State Division of Apprenticeship Standards.
The federal minimum wage for covered nonexempt employees is $5.15 per hour. The federal minimum wage provisions are contained in the Fair Labor Standards Act. Many states also have minimum wage laws. Where an employee is subject to both the state and federal minimum wage laws, the employee is entitled to the higher of the two minimum wages. Various minimum wage exceptions apply under specific circumstances to workers with disabilities, full-time students, youth under age 20 in their first 90 consecutive calendar days of employment, tipped employees and student-learners.
