Opinion: An $18 minimum wage mandate will cripple California businesses even further
After years of navigating California’s jungle of labor regulations, an $18 minimum wage would be kicking companies while they’re down.
In addition to the highest state minimum wage, the Golden State notoriously has one of the most complex labor codes in the country. Regulations ranging from break documentation, bathroom signs, and temperature controls keep employers stuck focusing on a 1,100-page labor law digest instead of plans to grow the business.
The situation is so dire, companies headquartered in California have been increasingly fleeing the state in recent years. The Hoover Institution documented twice as many companies on average left every month in 2021 than in the year prior.