California’s Newsom Won’t Delay Minimum Wage Boost in Pandemic

California Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) has declined to suspend a scheduled increase in the state minimum wage, choosing to help struggling workers despite concerns the raise will hurt small businesses already facing an uncertain future in a pandemic-fueled recession.

Newsom announced Wednesday that he will enforce a $1-an-hour raise after Jan. 1, 2021, even though he is allowed to keep the current state minimum wage—$12 per hour for employers with 25 or fewer employees, and $13 per hour for larger businesses—due to the economic downturn in the state.

“Not allowing this increase to go forward will only make life harder ...