Hourly living wage for Sonoma County employees increasing to $17.65 in July

Sonoma County contractors and employees will start earning $17.65 an hour, a 2.26% increase, on July 1 after the Board of Supervisors unanimously voted Tuesday for the increase.

This is the second increase to be approved by the board in three months and, according to a news release, will help shield low-wage workers from inflation, which has caused prices on goods, like groceries and gas, to rise over the last two years.

“Low-wage workers are hurt most by inflation, which erodes their ability to purchase food, shelter, clothing, transportation and other basics,” supervisor Chris Coursey, chair of the Board of Supervisors, said in the news release.

“By requiring the county and its contractors to boost wages for their lowest-paid workers, we are setting an example for other employers to match.”

Consumer prices have risen 6% over the last year, according to the U.S. Labor Department’s consumer price index for all urban consumers in October 2022. The February consumer price index noted that prices on all items increased by 6%, as well.

The board raised the living wage to $17.25 an hour in December 2022 and agreed to consider a second increase in the spring.

The two increases have effectively raised the living wage by 5% to match the cost-of-living adjustment proposed to the county’s largest union, Service Employees’ International Union Local 1021, according to the news release.

The living wage increase will apply to all new county contracts on July 1 and expand to existing contracts on Sept. 30.

You can reach Staff Writer Sara Edwards at 707-521-5487 or sara.edwards@pressdemocrat. com. On Twitter @sedwards380.