Happy New Year!  This Friday’s five video covers five reminders about the minimum wage increase:

1. As of January 1, 2019, the minimum wage in California increased from $11.00 to $12.00 per hour for employers with 26 or more employees (the increase is from $10.50 per hour to $11.00 per hour for employers with 25 or fewer employees on January 1, 2019). 

2. With the increase in the state minimum wage, there is a corresponding raise in the minimum salary required to qualify as exempt under the “white collar” exemptions. 

Therefore, on January 1, 2019, in order to qualify for a white collar exemption, the employee must receive an annual salary of at least $49,920 for large employers and $45,760 for small employers.

3. Salary amount need to be guaranteed, fixed amount.

4. The law also requires that the employee perform more than 50% of their time performing exempt duties. 

More information about the types of duties that qualify for the white collar exemptions can be read at my prior post here.

5. Employers bear the burden of proof to establish the exemptions.