Contra Costa County's Proposed Minimum Wage Law: A Prospective Impact Study

This brief evaluates Contra Costa County's proposed minimum wage of $15 an hour and finds that it would increase average hourly wages by $2.40 and benefit over one-hundred thousand workers. It concludes that raising the minimum wage would have a negligible impact on the local economy despite potentially increasing restaurant operating costs. Finally, the brief emphasizes the importance of course monitoring during implementation to observe potential effects on employment.