Effective Jan. 1, 2024, Menlo Park City has increased the local minimum wage to $16.70 per hour, a $0.50 adjustment due to annual inflation protection, according to the City's records. This action is a part of the City's ongoing efforts to enhance working conditions and financial stability for its residents.

In response to escalating living costs, Menlo Park's local government has been incrementally raising the minimum wage since Jan. 1, 2020. Reflecting on the city rules, minimum wage changes were moderated by the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W), such as the 1.6% increase on Jan. 1, 2021, and the maximum 3% adjustments in 2022 and 2023 per City's documentation.

The local minimum wage ordinance (Ordinance No. 1058) was adopted to provide a better living wage to help local workers meet their basic needs, against the harshness of the Bay Area's high living expenses, according to the City of Menlo Park. The City believes a higher minimum wage helps keep families out of poverty, thereby serving both individual and economic benefits.

Reducing high workplace turnover, absenteeism, and instability are the primary goals of the minimum wage ordinance. Providing stable, well-remunerated employment enables residents to plan for their futures and build financial resilience. The ordinance reinforces that a living wage is essential not only to employees but also to the overall health of the City.