A significant wage increase is on the horizon for most fast food workers in California as a new law, set to take effect on Monday, mandates a minimum wage of $20 per hour. This move aims to provide greater financial stability to a profession historically characterized by low pay rates, though it also poses the potential for price hikes in a state already grappling with a high cost of living.
The legislation, passed by Democrats in the state Legislature last year, reflects a recognition that a substantial portion of the over 500,000 individuals employed in fast food establishments are not merely teenagers seeking disposable income but adults striving to support themselves and their families.
Among those impacted is Ingrid Vilorio, an immigrant who began working at a McDonald’s shortly after her arrival in the United States in 2019. Fast food employment constituted her full-time occupation until last year, after which she reduced her hours to approximately eight per week at a Jack in the Box while seeking additional employment opportunities.
Expressing her perspective through a translator, Vilorio welcomed the $20 wage raise, emphasizing that its implementation could have alleviated the need for her to pursue multiple jobs across various locations.
“The $20 raise is great. I wish this would have come sooner,” Vilorio remarked, underscoring the potential benefits for workers like herself in the fast food industry.
