$20 Burgers: Newsom Signs Bill Mandating $20/Hr Minimum Wage for Fast Food Workers

Democratic California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a law Thursday that will raise the minimum wage for fast food workers, a press release from the governor’s office announced.

The law raises the current minimum wage to $20 per hour for all fast food workers beginning April 1, 2024, and also requires the fast food minimum wage to increase by 3.5% each following year until 2029, according to its text. Newsom hailed the new law as a chance to reduce “inequity” in the fast food industry and an opportunity to “reward” workers for their “contribution” at the signing, video showed.

“We recognize businesses cannot thrive in a world that’s failing,” Newsom said at the signing. “And that’s an important point, because we’re not just about growth. This state’s about inclusion. And that’s the foundational principle we’re advancing here today.”

The law limits fast food restaurants to those that operate on a national scale, have at least 60 restaurants and do not make bread to sell as a stand-alone item, according to its text. It also establishes a “fast food council” that will create “minimum standards” for wages, working hours, working conditions and employee health and safety.

“We did not just raise the minimum wage to $20 an hour for fast food workers,” Democratic Assemblymember Chris Holden, who authored the bill, said, according to the press release. “We helped a father or mother feed their children, we helped a student put gas in their car, and helped a grandparent get their grandchild a birthday gift.”

The California legislature passed a similar bill to raise the minimum wage for health care workers over the next decade to $25 per hour, the Associated Press reported. Newsom has not yet indicated if he intends to sign or veto the legislation.

The California governor’s office did not immediately respond to the Daily Caller News Foundation’s request for comment.