Hayward Minimum Wage
$17.79 an hour for the largest employers · $0.89 above the state minimum · adjusts every January 1
The minimum wage in Hayward is $17.79 for 26 or more employees; $16.90 for 25 or fewer employees (the state minimum), in effect since January 1, 2026. Hayward's minimum wage rises to $18.39 for 26 or more employees; $17.40 for 25 or fewer employees (the state minimum) on January 1, 2027, a 3.4% increase that the city has already published.
What Hayward's minimum wage pays
Gross pay before taxes
Want take-home pay? Use the California paycheck calculator with this hourly rate.
Hayward minimum wage by year
| Effective | Rate | Change | State minimum then |
|---|---|---|---|
| January 1, 2027 (announced) | $18.39 · 26 or more employees $17.40 · 25 or fewer employees |
+$0.60 (3.4%) | $17.40 |
| January 1, 2026 (current) | $17.79 · 26 or more employees $16.90 · 25 or fewer employees |
— | $16.90 |
The rate adjusts every January 1 by the regional (San Francisco-Oakland-Hayward) Consumer Price Index, capped at 5% a year. At $17.79, a full-time job (2,080 hours) pays $37,003 a year before taxes, $1,851 more than the state minimum.
Who is covered
Employees for the hours they work inside the city limits, full- or part-time. Check the ordinance for any minimum-hours threshold.
- Employer size counts all full- and part-time employees, including those who work outside Hayward.
- Small employers (25 or fewer) pay the state minimum wage.
Some workers are owed more than the local rate under state law: fast food workers at chains with more than 60 locations ($20.00 an hour) and health care facility workers (see the health care minimum wage checker). Salaried workers must earn at least $70,304 a year to be exempt from overtime; that threshold is based on the state minimum wage, not the local one.
Other local minimum wages in Alameda County
| City or area | Rate |
|---|---|
| Alameda | $17.76 |
| Berkeley | $19.61 |
| Emeryville | $20.34 |
| Fremont | $18.05 |
| Oakland | $17.34 |
A local rate applies to hours worked inside that city's limits. Anywhere else in the county, the state minimum of $16.90 applies unless another ordinance covers the area.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the minimum wage in Hayward in 2026?
It is $17.79 for 26 or more employees; $16.90 for 25 or fewer employees (the state minimum), in effect since January 1, 2026. That is $0.89 an hour above California's $16.90 statewide minimum for the largest employers.
When does the Hayward minimum wage go up next?
Hayward's minimum wage rises to $18.39 for 26 or more employees; $17.40 for 25 or fewer employees (the state minimum) on January 1, 2027, a 3.4% increase that the city has already published.
Do small businesses in Hayward pay less?
Yes. Hayward sets different rates by employer size: $17.79 for 26 or more employees; $16.90 for 25 or fewer employees (the state minimum). Employer size counts all full- and part-time employees, including those who work outside Hayward.
Do fast food workers in Hayward get a higher wage?
Workers at limited-service restaurants in national chains with more than 60 locations earn California's fast food minimum of $20.00 an hour, which is higher than Hayward's $17.79. Other restaurant workers get the local rate.
Who has to be paid the Hayward minimum wage?
Employees for the hours they work inside the city limits, full- or part-time. Check the ordinance for any minimum-hours threshold.
Sources
- Hayward official minimum wage page (checked: City of Hayward minimum wage page, fetched 2026-09-30)
- UC Berkeley Labor Center inventory of local minimum wage ordinances
- California Labor Commissioner: minimum wage FAQ
Educational information only, not legal advice. Local ordinances have exemptions and details not listed here; the city's ordinance and official notice control. When local, state and federal rates differ, the employer must pay the highest one that applies.