Workplace Laws and Minimum Wage Increases Taking Effect July 1, 2026

Several new workplace laws and minimum wage increases take effect on July 1, 2026. Below is a summary of the key changes for multi-location operators in the QSR, franchise, and hourly workforce space.

Note: This list should not be relied upon as a comprehensive source. Check with your local and state laws for complete requirements.

Minimum Wage Increases Taking Effect

Alaska $13.00 → $14.00/hr

California - State and Local California's general statewide minimum wage remains $17.00, but several cities and counties are increasing. Check local government websites where you operate for further details, including any industry-specific local wage rates.

Several cities also have industry-specific rates increasing July 1:

• Glendale: $25.00/hr for hotel workers
• Los Angeles (City): $25.00/hr for hotel and airport workers (note: employers not providing required health benefits must pay additional wages)
• Long Beach: $26.50/hr for hotel workers
• San Diego (City): $19.00/hr for hotel and amusement park workers; $21.06/hr for certain event center workers
• Santa Monica: $25.00/hr for hotel workers
• West Hollywood: $20.87/hr for hotel workers

District of Columbia $17.95 → $18.40/hr; Tipped workers: $10.00 → $10.30/hr

Illinois

• Chicago: $16.60 → $17.05/hr

• Tipped workers (Chicago): $12.62 → $12.96/hr

• Cook County: $15.00 → $15.40/hr

• Tipped workers (Cook County): $9.00 → $9.25/hr

Maryland - Montgomery County

• 51+ employees: $17.65 → $18.00/hr
• 11-50 employees: $16.00 → $16.50/hr
• 10 or fewer employees: $15.50 → $15.95/hr

Minnesota - Saint Paul

• Small businesses (6-100 employees): $15.00 → $16.37/hr
• Micro businesses (5 or fewer employees): $13.25 → $14.25/hr

Oregon

• Standard statewide: $15.05 → $15.55/hr

• Portland metro: $16.30 → $16.80/hr

• Non-urban counties: $14.05 → $14.55/hr

Florida (Effective September 30, 2026) $14.00 → $15.00/hr
Tipped workers: $10.98 → $11.98/hr
Florida operators: There is also a new operations charge disclosure law affecting food service establishments with wage-and-hour implications for tipped workers. See the Florida entry in the Workplace Laws section below.

Workplace Laws Taking Effect

California
Allergen Disclosure Requirements for Restaurant Chains
Restaurant chains with 20 or more locations nationally - including at least one in California - must now disclose allergen information on their menus. If you operate at scale in California, review your menu formats across all channels, including dine-in, digital, and delivery platforms, to confirm compliance.

Colorado
Higher Wage Claim Threshold
The state's Division of Labor Standards and Statistics can now hear wage claims up to $13,000, up from $7,500. That is nearly double the previous ceiling, which means the Division will handle significantly more wage disputes going forward. Multi-location operators with Colorado employees should expect increased scrutiny on pay practices.

Connecticut
Warehousing Worker Protection Standards
Large warehouse distribution centers in Connecticut must now comply with the state's new Warehouse Worker Protection law, which restricts productivity quotas, sets new worker condition requirements, and more. Covered employers should update their processes for onboarding new hires, implementing quota changes, and responding to employee data requests.

Florida
Hospitality "Operations Charge" Disclosure Law
Florida public food service establishments must now disclose all mandatory fees to customers - including service charges, automatic gratuities, credit card surcharges, and delivery fees - with greater specificity on menus, receipts, and websites. This also has wage-and-hour implications for tipped workers. If you operate restaurants in Florida, update your customer-facing materials and review how these fee disclosures interact with your tip policies.

Georgia
New Voluntary Portable Benefits Act
Georgia has established a new framework allowing independent contractors to receive portable benefits through dedicated accounts - without affecting their employment classification. This is a notable development for operators who use independent contractors as part of their staffing model.

Changes to Sub-minimum Wage (14(c) Certificates)
Georgia employers using 14(c) certificates must now pay workers with disabilities at least half the federal minimum wage. After June 30, 2027 (or when the certificate expires, whichever comes first), the program is fully prohibited in Georgia and all workers must receive at least the full federal minimum wage.

Indiana
Immigration Enforcement and E-Verify
Indiana employers now face state-level penalties for knowingly hiring or continuing to employ unauthorized workers. The state attorney general is authorized to investigate violations and courts can order suspension or revocation of operating authorizations for repeat offenses. Employers that use E-Verify properly are protected by safe harbor provisions. If you operate in Indiana, ensure your I-9 and E-Verify practices are current.

Maine (Effective July 29, 2026)
Pay Transparency Requirements
Maine employers must soon disclose pay ranges in job postings and maintain employee compensation records. If you are posting hourly roles in Maine, update your job listing templates ahead of the July 29 effective date.

Workplace Monitoring and Surveillance Restrictions
Maine employers face new disclosure requirements and outright restrictions on electronic monitoring of employees - including via computers, phones, and other devices. This affects how operators can monitor employee activity. Review your monitoring practices, update your employee-facing disclosures accordingly and consider dedicated communication tools that operate compliantly within your workerapps.

Nebraska (Effective July 17, 2026)
Mini WARN Act
Nebraska is rolling out new advance notice requirements for mass layoffs and facility closures. The law also creates new protections for non-English-speaking workers. Multi-location operators with Nebraska locations should review their reduction-in-force procedures and employee communications processes.

New Jersey (Effective July 17, 2026)
Expanded Family Leave Act
The New Jersey Family Leave Act now applies to employers with 15 or more employees, down from the previous threshold of 30. More employees will qualify for job-protected family leave, and employee protections related to other types of leave are also strengthened. If you recently crossed the 15-employee threshold in New Jersey, you are now covered.

New York
Secure Choice Savings Program - Final Registration Deadline
New York employers with 10 to 14 employees who do not offer a qualified retirement plan must register for the state's Secure Choice Savings Program by July 15, 2026. Missing this deadline creates compliance exposure. Larger employer deadlines (30+ employees: March 18; 15-29 employees: May 15) have already passed.

Virginia
Salary History Ban and Pay Transparency
Virginia employers are now prohibited from asking job applicants about their salary history and must include a pay range in all external job postings and internal promotion or transfer opportunities. Violations carry up to $10,000 in statutory damages plus attorneys' fees. If you are hiring in Virginia, update your application forms and job posting templates immediately.

State-Facilitated IRA Savings Program Changes
Virginia's Commonwealth Savers Plan now applies to employers with five or more employees, down from 25. The 30-hours-per-week eligibility requirement for employees has also been removed. If you have five or more Virginia employees and do not offer a qualified retirement plan, review your obligations under the program.

Washington
Fair Chance Act Expansion
Washington has expanded protections for job applicants under the state's Fair Chance Act. Employers must wait until after a conditional job offer before running criminal background checks, and can't blanket-exclude applicants with criminal records. The new restrictions apply starting July 1 for employers with 15 or more employees. If you run background checks on applicants in Washington, review your screening policy and timing to ensure compliance.

Stronger Protections for Working Minors
Washington has significantly increased civil penalties for child labor violations, with fines now tiered by severity. 16- and 17-year-olds enrolled in a qualifying career and technical education program are now allowed to work the same hours during the school year as during school vacations, provided the work is with an employer approved by the program. If you employ CTE-enrolled teens in Washington, this expands your scheduling flexibility with those workers.

A Note on Tipped Workers

Several of the wage changes above include separate rates for tipped employees - and with mandatory fee disclosure rules now in effect in Florida, the interaction between service charges, tip credits, and base pay is more consequential than ever. Operators in tip-heavy environments should verify that their payroll setup is calculating base wages, tip credits, and overtime correctly under the new rates.

Track Minimum Wage Changes Automatically in Workstream

Tracking minimum wage changes across dozens of states and localities - while managing hiring, onboarding, and scheduling for a distributed hourly workforce - is exactly where manual processes break down. Workstream Payroll automatically applies updated minimum wage rates so your team gets paid correctly, without requiring you to track every state and city change yourself.

KNOW HOW WORKSTREAM KEEPS YOU COMPLIANT >