California Updates IWC Wage Orders

Appropriate Wage Order Must Be Conspicuously Posted

The California Department of Industrial Relations has recently updated the Industrial Welfare Commission (IWC) Wage Orders with the 2017-2018 state minimum wages and meal/lodging credit information.

Background
IWC Wage Orders regulate wages, hours, and working conditions and are numbered by industry or occupation group.

In order to determine which IWC Order applies to an employer or a business, it is first necessary to determine if a business is covered by an industry order. An industry order (IWC Orders 1, 2, 3, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, 11, 12, and 13) regulates wages, hours, and working conditions in specific industries. An order is an industry order if the title of the order contains the word “industry.” Otherwise, the order is an occupational order (IWC Orders 4, 14, 15, 16, and 17). Wage, hour, and working condition regulations contained in an occupational order only apply when a business is not covered by an industry order.

The State of California offers a guide and an alphabetical index of businesses and occupations for determining the classifications of businesses and occupations under the IWC Wage Orders.

Updated Wage Orders
The IWC Wage Orders have been revised to include the 2017-2018 state minimum wages and meal/lodging credit information (except for Wage Orders 14 and 17, which do not appear to have been revised).

Every employer who is subject to an IWC Wage Order must post a copy of the order and keep it posted in a conspicuous location frequented by employees during the hours of the workday.

Note: California employers also must comply with any applicable local minimum wage requirements, which may be higher than the state minimum wage and include additional notice requirements.

Click here to review and download the IWC Wage Orders.