Los Angeles County, CA Hotels & Lodging: Hotel Living Wage (2026)
Key Facts
- Workload cap (40+ room hotels)
- 3,500 sq ft per 8-hour workday
- Workload cap (<40 room hotels)
- 4,500 sq ft per 8-hour workday
- Penalty for exceeding cap
- 2x regular rate of pay for every hour worked that day
- Operative date
- April 1, 2026
Summary
Hotel employers in unincorporated LA County must pay room attendants double their regular rate for every hour worked on any day their cleaning workload exceeds 3,500 square feet (for hotels with 40+ rooms) or 4,500 square feet (for smaller hotels).
For Hotels with fewer than 40 Guest Rooms, a Hotel Employer shall not require a Room Attendant to clean rooms amounting to a total of more than 4,500 square feet of floor space in any eight-hour workday, unless the Hotel Employer pays the Room Attendant twice the Room Attendant's regular rate of pay for each and every hour worked during the workday. For Hotels with 40 or more Guest Rooms, a Hotel Employer shall not require a Room Attendant to clean rooms amounting to a total of more than 3,500 square feet of floor space in any eight-hour workday, unless the Hotel Employer pays the Room Attendant twice the Room Attendant's regular rate of pay for each and every hour worked during the workday. If a Room Attendant is assigned to clean seven or more Checkout Rooms or Additional Bedrooms during any eight-hour workday, each such Checkout Room or Additional Bedroom shall for purposes of this Subsection count as 500 square feet, regardless of the actual square footage of each room.
Full Breakdown
Section 8.21.050 (Ord. 2025-0041) sets maximum room-cleaning workloads for room attendants. Hotels with 40 or more guest rooms: the cap is 3,500 square feet per 8-hour workday. Hotels with fewer than 40 guest rooms: the cap is 4,500 square feet. If the hotel employer requires a room attendant to exceed these limits, it must pay that attendant twice their regular rate of pay for every hour worked that day. Seven or more checkout rooms or additional bedrooms in a single workday each count as 500 square feet regardless of actual size. The limits apply to any combination of spaces including meeting rooms. Room attendants may not be required to work more than 10 hours per day unless they consent in writing with 7 days' advance notice. The ordinance becomes operative April 1, 2026.
Violations & Fines
Violations are subject to civil action, with actual damages, statutory damages up to $100 per employee per day (or trebled for willful violations), plus attorney fees awarded to prevailing workers. Failure to maintain records carries separate penalties up to $1,000 per day.
Frequently Asked Questions
Does the double-pay penalty apply only to the hours over the limit or to the whole day?
Can a hotel require a room attendant to work overtime?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Los Angeles County
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