Pasadena’s Minimum Wage Ordinance Moves Forward with Tougher Enforcement Language

The Pasadena City Council tonight unanimously approved the first reading of the City’s new minimum wage ordinance after making changes that beef up enforcement powers. This moves the ordinance ever closer to being officially enacted on July 1, 2016, the beginning of the City’s new fiscal year.

The Council directed the City Attorney to add what is called a “rebuttal presumption clause” to the language of the ordinance. The new clause would stipulate that any damaging actions taken by an employer against an employee would automatically be considered “retaliation,” and would be prosecuted accordingly. While the ordinance itself contains language against employee retaliation in wage theft cases, for example, the new clause would strengthen the city’s enforcement capabilities.

The Council also changed a date in the ordinance which would tie future wage hikes to the Consumer Price Index for LA, Orange and Riverside Counties, to 2022, instead of 2021.

“This is a momentous day,” said Pasadena Mayor Terry Tornek, following the passage of the first reading.

Robert Nothoff, Director at the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy (LAANE) of the Minimum Wage project., added, “Tonight, the City Council took strides to improving the quality of life for 10,000 hardworking Pasadenans and their families with the first reading of the local minimum wage ordinance.”

“It’s heartening to see the City Council strengthen their initial proposed language to discourage wage theft amongst lawbreaking businesses,” he continued. “We look forward to the City Council establishing a fully funded enforcement bureau by July 1st, when the ordinance will take effect.”

“It’s a strong ordinance and a momentous day,” said Ed Washatka, of the Pasadena Livable Wage Coalition, who first suggested the inclusion of the rebuttal presumption clause.

“There is the architecture and the broad outline here for a strong law,” added attorney Dale Gronemeier.

The council chambers were crowded with supporters of the new ordinance, such as Pablo Alvarado of the Pasadena Job Center, who thanked the council for the ordinance and said that his organization would begin distributing window stickers for businesses who choose to begin paying their employees the higher wage now, “which they can do.”

“Let’s move forward with this now,” said Councilmember Victor Gordo, who said that the Economic Development and Technology Committee would continue to work on “metrics, outreach and enforcement” for the new ordinance.

The new amended ordinance will come back to the full City Council for a second reading in about 30 days.

 

The Council also heard a presentation from Pasadena Water and Power Interim General Manager Shari Thomas on the City’s current Level 4 emergency status, during this week’s upgrade of the Weymouth Water Treatment plant in La Verne.

According to Thomas, the plant upgrade is slightly ahead of schedule, and should be completed by Wednesday, March 9, with the city’s restored water deliveries reaching Pasadena by Thursday morning. While the city initially failed to meet its water savings goal the first two days of the shutdown, Pasadena has since managed to save an average of 16 million gallons a day since then, Thomas said.

Thomas also reported there are currently four city wells in operation servicing the city’s needs, and new water is also being delivered from the City’s Jensen Reservoir in Granada Hills.

Once the city’s water deliveries resume Thursday, the City will return to its Level 2 water conservation status, and will remove billboards and freeway signs regarding the City’s current emergency water status.