How would L.A.’s minimum wage law compare with other big cities?

The Los Angeles City Council is considering a plan to increase the city’s hourly minimum wage to $15 by 2020. Doing so would put Los Angeles in the same company as cities such as San Francisco and Seattle, which have already adopted new minimum wage laws.

California’s current minimum wage of $9 an hour is already higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25. Because minimum wage proposals have not progressed at the federal level, it has fallen to cities and states to reevaluate what they pay minimum wage employees. California’s hourly wage will increase to $10 on Jan. 1.

Here’s a look at what’s happening in other major cities:

Seattle

Companies with 501 or more employees will pay their workers $15 an hour beginning Jan. 1, 2017. Companies that also pay toward their employees’ medical plans have an additional year to comply, and small businesses must meet the wage requirement between 2019 and 2021.

San Francisco

As of May 1, hourly employees must be paid at least $12.25. The minimum wage will gradually increase on July 1 of each year until it reaches $15 in 2018. The wage will then increase annually based on the Consumer Price Index.

Oakland

Earlier this year, the city required all minimum wage employees to be paid $12.25 an hour. The wage increase, which also includes paid leave, was the result of a ballot measure approved by voters in November.

Washington

Wage advocates are trying to get a measure on the 2016 ballot that would increase wages to $15 an hour. On July 1, the minimum wage will increase to $10.50.

Chicago

By 2019, workers here will make at least $13 an hour. Mayor Rahm Emanuel expects 410,000 Chicagoans will see their pay increase as a result of the ordinance.

New York

New York Mayor Bill De Blasio wants the city’s minimum wage to increase to $13 in 2016 and $15 by 2019.

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