LOS ANGELES – The Los Angeles City Attorney’s office has introduced a draft ordinance that could significantly raise wages for thousands of workers in the city’s tourism sector. Under the proposal, hotel and airport workers would earn a minimum wage of $22.50 per hour starting July 1, 2025, with annual increases reaching $30 per hour by 2028.
The ordinance, recently approved by the City Council’s Economic Development and Jobs Committee, now awaits a full City Council vote expected later this month.
In addition to wage increases, the proposed legislation includes a mandatory healthcare benefit of $8.35 per hour, requiring employers to either meet or compensate the difference in healthcare coverage. Hotels with more than 60 rooms would also be required to provide at least six hours of paid training to housekeeping staff. The training would focus on workplace safety, human trafficking awareness, and workers’ rights—paid at regular hourly rates and conducted by certified agencies.
The measure includes limited hardship exemptions, allowing smaller airport concessionaires and hotels facing financial distress to apply for temporary waivers or implementation delays.
Supporters, including Councilmember Hugo Soto-Martínez, argue that the wage hike is critical in light of rising living costs and the anticipated surge in tourism for the 2028 Olympic Games. “This is about dignity and fairness for the workers who keep our city running,” Soto-Martínez said.
However, business groups and some city leaders have raised concerns about the timing and scale of the increases, warning that higher labor costs could lead to layoffs, service reductions, or even hotel closures—particularly as the hospitality industry continues its post-pandemic recovery.
If passed, the ordinance would set one of the highest sector-specific minimum wages in the country and reshape labor standards across Los Angeles’ hotel and airport industries.
