California Local Minimum Wage Increases 2014

In the November 2014 elections, voters in the Northern California cities of San Francisco and Oakland have approved local increases to the minimum wage, that will apply to employees working within the city limits:

San Francisco: The minimum wage will rise to $15 per hour in 2018. The first increase - from the current $10.74 - is to $12.25, effective May 1, 2015.

Oakland: The minimum wage will rise from its current $9.00 to $12.25 per hour on March 2, 2015. Employers must also pay out all accrued, unpaid vacation time on this date. (March 1 is a Sunday; hence, the March 2 effective date.)

For localiites without a minimum wage ordinance, the statewide minimum wage remains at $9.00 per hour, but will increase to $10.00 on January 1, 2016.

Mayor Proposes City of Los Angeles Minimum Wage Increase

Following an increase in the California state minimum wage (with another coming in 2016), Los Angeles mayor Eric Garcetti has proposed raising the City's minimum wage by steps to $13.25 by 2017. San Francisco already has, and San Diego recently passed, a minimum wage ordinance that exceeds that required by California (which in turn exceeds the U.S. federal minimum). Employers must pay the highest of the wage rates where their employees work.

Garcetti / Los Angeles, latimes.com 9/12/2014

San Diego, cnn.com, 8/18/2014

How Not to Leave an Inheritance to a Child

A good example of why it's often not a good idea to leave an inheritance outright to a young child, and better to instead consider an ongoing trust, staggered and/or contingent distribution schedule, or simply a greater age than 18, 21, or 25 for outright distribution:

From Trust Fund Kid to Average Joe: What Blowing a $250K Inheritance Taught Me, as told to Marianne Hayes, LearnVest.com, September 9, 2014.

California Minimum Wage Increase for 2014

California's minimum wage increased from $8.00 to $9.00 per hour today (a 12.5% increase), and will rise again to $10.00 on January 1, 2016 (a further 11.1% increase). California employers must pay the higher of the applicable federal, state, or local minimum wage. For unionized workers, the minimum specified in the collective bargaining agreement.

Historical Minimum Wage Information (California Department of Industrial Relations)

DIY Legal Mistakes Haunt Deceased

A recent Forbes article highlights three recent cases where do-it-yourself legal planning and failure to follow through on the details resulted in unintended postmortem consequences:

[L]egal mistakes made during a lifetime can create a mess at death... I think it’s important for people to understand the consequences of inattention to legal matters and of not involving an attorney. “Penny wise and pound foolish” can be a particularly compelling adage when dealing with legal matters.

Client Launches Online Drones, Unmanned Systems, and Robotics Resource

Client BriMar Entprises, LLC has launched their fascinating new website

TheFutureIsUnmanned.com

focusing on unmanned systems and robotic technology.

The site provides news, information, and commentary about what are more popularly known as robots and drones, as well as job postings for careers in the industry and discussion forums. It aims to keep readers abreast of these fast-moving and newswothy topics. Please bookmark, subscribe, and enjoy.

Unpaid Internships and the Minimum Wage

As reported yesterday by the Wall Street Journal (Colleges, Employers Rethink Internship Policies) unpaid interns continue to cause labor law issues for companies and non-profit organizations, leading to the elimination of some internships and the conversion of others to paid positions meeting minimum wage and overtime standards.

California's minimum wage is presently $8.00 per hour, but rises to $9.00 on July 1, 2014, and is then slated to increase to $10.00 on January 1, 2016.

S Corporation Self-Employment Tax Savings

My article discussing S corporation taxation and potential self-employment tax savings has been updated for 2014:

Self-Employment Tax Savings With An S Corporation

California's New LLC Act (2014) - Revised Uniform Limited Liability Act

California's existing limited liability company law was replaced with the California Revised Uniform Limited Liabilty Act, effective January 1, 2014. For a brief discussion, please see this article I co-authored with New York of-counsel Domenic Romano, Esq. For specific legal advice regarding your LLC, please contact me to schedule a consultation.

New California LLC Law Underscores the Importance of Accuracy