A proposal to raise California’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by the year 2021 has qualified to appear on the state’s referendum ballot in November. Should the so-called Fair Wage Act of 2016 not be passed by state legislators, the measure could move to voters—and while polling suggests majority support for the hike, it would face stern opposition from the pro-business lobby. If passed, the new law would increase the wage floor to $11 per hour in 2017, with an additional dollar each year until it hits $15 in 2021.
