With the arrival of the Olympic Games in Los Angeles in 2028, changes are already being made to ordinances to adapt to the major event that will host thousands of people, athletes, and workers from all walks of life. The goal is to achieve a minimum wage for hospitality workers of $30 by July 1, 2028, so that it can adapt to the cost of living.
FIFA World Cup will be the city’s first taste of the 2028 Olympic Games
The hospitality industry is one of the most demanding sectors, and its leaders know this. The physical and mental effort required can be tremendously exhausting. Hours and hours of nonstop work under the sun and heat, running around to make sure everything is ready for customers, always smiling, without losing composure, juggling languages to please customers, etc. Therefore, with the arrival of sporting events, this demand increases.
The expected influx of tourists in Los Angeles is massive. Not to mention the athletes, delegations from different countries, journalists, producers, and entire television networks traveling to the Mecca of cinema for a month… Not to mention that next year the city will also host the 2026 FIFA World Cup. It will be the city’s first taste of the 2028 Olympic Games.
The ordinance’s goal is to reach $30 per hour by July 2028
With all this in mind, the Los Angeles City Council passed an ordinance this year establishing a progressive increase in the minimum wage for hospitality and Los Angeles Airport (LAX) workers. The ordinance’s goal is to reach $30 per hour by July 2028. This measure was supported by 12 out of 15 votes cast. Right now, only the final signature of Mayor Karen Bass is missing.
It’s important to note that the current minimum wage in Los Angeles is $17.28 per hour, while fast-food workers in California earn $20 per hour at chains with at least 60 locations. With this new ordinance, hotel and airport workers will have one of the highest minimum wages in the state and the country.
How is this ordinance intended to be implemented?
It is expected to begin applying to hotels with more than 60 rooms and to private companies operating at the Los Angeles Airport. These companies include airlines and auxiliary services such as car rentals. The idea is that the majority of hotel industry workers will benefit from this wage increase. However, there are mixed opinions. On the one hand, workers and unions applaud the regulation as it helps to value a sector that lacks the respect and importance it deserves. However, on the other hand, hoteliers have already expressed their disagreement, citing the economic impact it could have on their companies.
Stays in hotels lasting more than a week, meals in restaurants, visits to museums, shows…
As we mentioned earlier, the increase won’t happen overnight. Workers will begin seeing the changes this month with a wage of $22.50 per hour. Thereafter, annual increases of $2.50 will be implemented until reaching $30 per hour in 2028:
July 2025: $22.50 per hour
July 2026: $25.00 per hour
July 2027: $27.50 per hour
July 2028: $30.00 per hour
Some business owners warn that these adjustments could lead to layoffs, reduced working hours, or even affect the sector’s competitiveness compared to other cities. What remains to be seen is the revenue and profits that, first the World Cup and then the Olympic Games, will bring to the capital of these companies. It is expected, as we say, that the influx of spectators will be massive. Stays in hotels lasting more than a week, meals in restaurants, visits to museums, shows, tour guides…
