$15.20/hour *As of July 1, 2021, the City of Los Angeles will make no distinction between smaller or midsize businesses. Only one minimum wage rate applies. 2021 California Salary Increases for Exempt Employees For individuals to qualify as exempt employees, California requires that: They perform exempt duties more than 50 percent of their work time; and Exempt executive, administrative, and professional employees earn a salary of no less than two times the state minimum wage for full-time employment. The minimum annual salary is based on the current state minimum wage, calculated as follows: (minimum wage x 2) x 2,080 hours. Effective January 1, 2021, the minimum salary threshold for these exemptions is as follows: