West Hollywood approves highest minimum wage in country at $17.64 an hour

West Hollywood city officials voted to approve the highest minimum wage in the country in a meeting that went late into the night.

LOS ANGELES - West Hollywood city leaders voted to approve the highest minimum wage in the country late Wednesday night.

The West Hollywood City Council voted in favor of increasing the wage to $17.64 an hour.

The ordinance will take effect Jan 1. 2022, for hospitality workers and will then extend to all city workers on July 1.

However, according to the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, the living wage in Los Angeles equates to making $19.35 an hour.

California's state minimum wage is $13/hour for employees with 25 workers or fewer and $14/hour for staff with employers with 26 or more staff members.

Previously, Emeryville, Calif. had the highest local minimum wage in the country, offering $17.13/hour.

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