Today is the day that the California Minimum Wage increases from $8 per hour to $9 per hour. In addition, because of this change the minimum monthly salary for employees in exempt executive, administrative and professional positions increases from $2,773.33 per month ($33,280 annually) to $3,120 per month ($37,440 annually). Check with your payroll folks to ensure they are prepared to comply. Note that you do not need to issue new wage notices to impacted hourly employees as a result of this change provided the new hourly rate will be visible on his/her paystub.
Also starting today California employees may obtain Paid Family Leave (PFL) wage replacement benefits to care for a seriously ill grandparent, grandchild, sibling or parent-in-law in addition to the categories of family members identified in the prior version of the law. Employers with personnel in California should update their PFL handbook policies and be sure to use the updated (7/14) version of Form DE2511 [pdf]. Form DE2511 must be distributed to new hires and to employees who request leave to care for a seriously ill family member or bond with a new child. As a result of this change, employees may now apply for PFL benefits for the following reasons:
(1) to care for a seriously ill child, spouse, parent or registered domestic partner, sibling, grandparent, grandchild or parent-in-law, or
(2) to bond with a new child during the first year after the child’s birth or placement with the employee for adoption or foster care.
