Los Angeles County's 2021 Hero Pay ordinance added $5 per hour for grocery workers but expired after 120 days following federal litigation. Today LA grocery employees are covered by the general LAMC §187.00 minimum wage and any union contract.
In March 2021 the LA County Board of Supervisors adopted an emergency Hero Pay ordinance requiring large grocers to pay an extra $5 per hour during the COVID emergency. The California Grocers Association sued in federal court (CGA v. Los Angeles County) arguing preemption under the National Labor Relations Act. The ordinance survived initial challenge but expired by its own 120-day sunset clause and was not renewed. Grocery workers in LA city now fall under LAMC §187.00 ($17.28/hour as of July 2024). UFCW Local 770 contracts set higher chain-specific floors. The Office of Wage Standards enforces the citywide rate, not any grocery-specific premium.
Failure to pay LAMC §187.00 minimum wage triggers Office of Wage Standards citations: civil penalties up to $500 per employee per day, restitution of unpaid wages, and liquidated damages under LAMC §188.04.
Los Angeles, CA
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Los Angeles, CA
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See how Los Angeles's grocery worker wage rules stack up against other locations.
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