Pasadena’s minimum wage is $18.57 per hour, not California’s general statewide rate of $16.90. That difference matters when reviewing a recent pay stub, accepting a job offer, or questioning an employer’s explanation of your hourly pay.
To check your pay, identify every wage rule that applies to your work and compare the highest applicable rate with what you were actually paid.
Pasadena’s Minimum Wage Through June 2027
The current citywide rate is $18.57 per hour for employees working in Pasadena, regardless of the employer’s size. It took effect July 1, 2026, and remains in effect through June 30, 2027.
California’s statewide minimum wage is $16.90 per hour through December 31, 2026. Employers must pay the highest minimum wage that applies under local, state, and industry rules, so the Pasadena ordinance often controls over the general California rate.
The City’s Planning and Community Development Department, Code Compliance Division, administers the local ordinance. The division coordinates enforcement with the California Department of Industrial Relations and the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement, also known as the California Labor Commissioner’s Office.
Check Whether a Higher Wage Rule Applies
The citywide rate is an important starting point, but it isn’t always the final answer. Your job duties, employer type, work location, and dates worked can determine whether a higher rate applies.
Statewide Rate Change in 2027
California’s general minimum wage will rise to $17.40 per hour on January 1, 2027. Pasadena’s $18.57 rate remains higher through June 30, 2027, so employees covered by the local ordinance should continue to use the local rate during that period.
Fast-Food Chain Employees
Employees at qualifying national fast-food chain establishments are subject to California’s $20.00 per hour fast-food minimum wage. That rate exceeds the city’s general rate, but not every restaurant or fast-food business meets the statutory definition of a covered national fast-food chain.
Healthcare Facility Employees
California also has a separate, higher minimum-wage structure for certain healthcare facility employers. Coverage depends on the facility and employer’s status under the applicable law, so a job title alone doesn’t settle the question.
If you’re unsure which rule applies, begin with your employer’s identity and type, where and when you worked, and your job duties. Those details help distinguish a general minimum-wage issue from an industry-specific wage issue.
What an Underpayment Can Add Up To
A minimum-wage shortfall is the difference between the wage you should have received and the wage you actually received, multiplied by each compensable hour worked. For example, an employee paid $17.00 per hour for 30 hours of work in Pasadena after July 1, 2026, would have a base shortfall of $47.10 for that week: $1.57 multiplied by 30 hours.
Small hourly differences can become significant when they continue over weeks or months. Compare the rate on each pay stub with the highest applicable minimum wage for the dates covered rather than relying on a single paycheck or an employer’s verbal explanation.
The same records can expose unpaid wages and overtime disputes. They may also show meal and rest break violations or support employee misclassification claims. Preserve the following records:
- Pay stubs: Review the hourly rate, total hours, overtime entries, and covered dates.
- Time records: Keep copies or photographs of timecards, clock-in records, and schedules.
- Payment records: Save direct-deposit statements, paychecks, and wage-rate notices.
- Written communications: Preserve texts, emails, or messages discussing your schedule, hours, or pay rate.
For nonexempt employees, California overtime rules generally require one and one-half times the regular rate after more than eight hours in a workday or 40 hours in a workweek. Work beyond 12 hours in one day is generally paid at double time. A minimum-wage problem can overlap with unpaid overtime when hours are omitted or calculated incorrectly.
Steps to Take When Your Pay Is Below the Required Rate
Documenting the issue before confronting an employer or filing a claim creates a clearer record of what happened. You don’t need perfect records to raise a concern, but contemporaneous documents are often more useful than a timeline reconstructed much later.
Create a chronological record that includes:
- The dates covered and the hours you worked.
- The rate you were told you would receive and the rate shown on your pay stub.
- The amount you believe is missing.
- Notes about conversations in which you questioned the discrepancy or received an explanation.
Workers seeking unpaid wages or benefits may file a wage claim with the California Labor Commissioner’s Office, also known as the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement. Pasadena’s Code Compliance Division also administers the local ordinance through education, outreach, training, and coordinated enforcement with state labor authorities.
Timing matters. Claims for unpaid minimum wages or overtime generally have a three-year filing period from the alleged underpayment or nonpayment, although the deadline depends on the claims involved and how they’re pursued. Preserving records and obtaining an informed assessment early can keep a deadline from becoming the deciding issue.
When a Wage Issue Affects More Than One Worker
A recurring pay practice can affect multiple employees. Examples include using an outdated hourly rate after Pasadena’s increase, automatically deducting time that employees worked, or applying the wrong overtime calculation across a department.
You don’t need to decide whether a shared practice belongs in an individual claim, representative action, or class action before documenting it. Record what you personally observed, including whether coworkers with similar jobs appeared to experience the same practice.
We represent employees in individual wage claims, large-scale representative actions, and class actions. Our work has included a $5.5 million class action and Private Attorneys General Act settlement involving approximately 2,200 current and former hourly and nonexempt employees of a California healthcare organization over alleged wage and hour violations.
Don’t assume an underpayment is too small to matter or too widespread to address. Compare each paycheck with the highest wage rate that applied at the time, preserve the records supporting your calculation, and act before a filing deadline expires.
If you have unresolved questions about unpaid wages in Pasadena, Domb Rauchwerger LLP’s Wage & Hour Law practice can assess the records and issues on a contingency basis. Contact our team at (213) 772-5882 to discuss your situation.