California Assembly Bill 1228 establishes a $20 hourly minimum wage for fast food restaurant employees, effective April 1, 2024. The bill applies to “national fast food chains,” meaning those consisting of more than 60 establishments nationally that share a common brand, or that are characterized by standardized options for decor, marketing, packaging, products, and services, and which are primarily engaged in providing food and beverages for immediate consumption on or off premises where patrons generally order or select items and pay before consuming, with limited or no table service.
Note that a fast food restaurant operator may not discharge or in any manner discriminate or retaliate against any employee due to the employee’s participation in or testimony to any proceeding convened by the Fast Food Council (part of the state’s Department of Industrial Relations).
