Fremont Considers Minimum Wage Hike

FREMONT, CA — California is gradually raising the minimum wage in this state to $15 an hour, by 2022 or 2023, depending on how many employees a company or small business has. Fremont is thinking about accelerating the schedule, following other cities in Alameda and Santa Clara counties.

The current statewide minimum wage is $10.50 per hour for small businesses and $11 per hour for large businesses.

To date, eight of the 15 cities in Santa Clara County have adopted local ordinances, targeting 2018 or 2019 for the $15 hourly minimum wage. Among Alameda County’s 13 cities, three have adopted minimum wage ordinances targeting $15 per hour by 2018 or 2020.

In Fremont, the proposed minimum wage ordinance would most directly affect employees in occupations such as security guards, food service and retail positions, building and ground cleaning positions, child care workers, and personal care positions. In addition, the 2018 Silicon Valley Index estimates that jobs paying at or close to the minimum wage constitute almost a third of total employment in Silicon Valley.

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While adoption of this minimum wage ordinance could help some families remain housed and achieve a higher level of economic self-sufficiency, it also may impact Fremont’s efforts to attract new retail stores and cause some businesses to increase product prices and decrease hours for minimum wage employees.

The City of Fremont is asking residents and community stakeholders to take an online survey about the proposed increase. Responses will be accepted until mid-October.

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