Update: Los Angeles’ Citywide Hotel Minimum Wage Ordinance Is Already Having Disastrous Effects on the Local Economy

The implementation of the City of Los Angeles’ Hotel Worker Minimum Wage Ordinance (“Ordinance”), which was adopted in May of 2025 and became effective in September of 2025, has already had disastrous effects in the first six months. Employers have been forced to cut costs and the hotel industry, its employees, and its partners are paying dearly for this implementation: they are paying with their entire livelihood. Instead of smaller, incremental, merit based hourly wage increases, the minimum wage mandate forced an entire industry and those who rely on this industry to absorb extraordinary increases in costs nearly overnight.

Supreme Court: California Baker (who is a Devout Christian) Engaged in Discrimination When She Declined to Furnish a Cake for Same-Sex Couple’s Wedding

The U.S. Supreme Court recently affirmed a California appellate court’s ruling: Ms. Miller, a Christian woman who owns a bakery in California, engaged in discrimination by declining to furnish a “generic” cake for a same-sex wedding. This outcome should cause California business owners to pause and re-consider any policies they may have or considered having regarding their own rights to free speech and freedom of religion. California business owners do not have a broad right to free speech and freedom of religion.

California Fast Food Council Commands a Budget of $1.1 Million and Does Nothing For Most of 2025

The California Fast Food Council failed to hold meetings for most of 2025 and has yet to meet with all nine members present. Considering the Council’s massive budget of $1 Million and the fact that its decisions have had a major impact on California’s fast food employers, business owners, and employees, seeing this Council lay dormant for so long and fail to hold its required meetings is a massive disappointment.

Bar Owners and Nightclub Owners Are Now Required to Offer Drink Lids

As of July of 2025, bar owners and nightclub owners are now required to provide a lid with a customer’s drink upon request. Bar owners and nightclub owners are not required to have lids that fit all containers in which alcoholic beverages are served. However, bar owners and nightclub owners must be able to provide lids for at least one of the containers used on the premises. Again, the bars and nightclubs can charge customers a reasonable amount based on the wholesale price.

Bars, Business Owners, Employers, Liquor License, Nightclubs, RestaurantsKathleenFebruary 5, 2026bars, nightclub, drink cups with lids

California Employees Who are Caring for a “Designated Person” Can Receive Paid Family Leave Benefits.

California has expanded paid leave and wage replacement laws again under its Paid Family Leave Program (PFL). Starting on July 1, 2028, California’s PFL will include “designated persons” who are not legally or biologically related to the employee. This means that eligible employees can now receive 8 weeks of partial wage replacement when the employee takes time off of work to care for extended family and any “designated person” who has a “family-like” relationship with the employee.

L.A. Airport Workers and Hotel Workers Will Be Earning $30 An Hour by July 2028

The City of Los Angeles’ Ordinance requiring a $30 minimum wage for hotel and airport workers is no longer suspended, meaning the ordinance became effective on September 8, 2025. The referendum petition that had kept the new ordinance in suspension has failed due to insufficient signatures in support of the referendum.

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