Anaheim Employment Law: Worker Rights & Living Wage Ordinance (2026)

California Employment Law Topics

Anaheim is home to Disneyland Resort and the tourism industry that drives Orange County's economy. In 2018, voters passed Measure L, a living wage ordinance that requires certain employers receiving city subsidies to pay higher wages. This landmark ordinance led to a historic $233 million settlement with Disney for wage violations.

Quick Facts: Anaheim Employment Law

Topic	Anaheim (Measure L)	California State
General Minimum Wage	$16.50/hour	$16.50/hour
Living Wage (Subsidized)	$19.90+/hour	N/A
Local Ordinance	Measure L (2018)	N/A
Discrimination Law	FEHA	FEHA (5+ employees)
Filing Deadline	3 years (CRD)	3 years

What Makes Anaheim Different

Measure L - Living Wage Ordinance

Passed by voters in November 2018

Coverage: Employers that have received or benefited from city subsidies, primarily hospitality employers in the Anaheim Resort district.

Wage Requirements (Progressive Scale):

2019: $15.00/hour
2020: $16.00/hour
2021: $17.00/hour
2022: $18.00/hour
2023: $19.40/hour
2024: $19.90/hour
Continuing annual adjustments

Key Provisions:

Applies to hospitality employers benefiting from city subsidies
Covers resort area workers at hotels, convention center facilities
Established to ensure workers at subsidized businesses share in economic benefits

Disney $233 Million Settlement

Historic wage theft settlement approved in 2026

The largest wage theft settlement in Orange County history resulted from Disney's failure to comply with Measure L:

Settlement Details:

Total settlement: $233 million
Class members: 51,478 current and former Disneyland employees
Back wages: ~$179.6 million
Penalties to California Labor Agency: $17.5 million
Attorney fees: $35 million
Coverage period: January 1, 2019 - December 31, 2026

Key Outcome: The settlement confirmed that employers receiving city subsidies must comply with Measure L's living wage requirements.

Tourism and Hospitality Economy

Anaheim's economy is dominated by tourism:

Disneyland Resort
Anaheim Convention Center
Angel Stadium
Honda Center
Hotels and hospitality businesses

Filing Complaints in Anaheim

California Civil Rights Department (CRD)

For discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims:

Phone: 1-800-884-1684
Website: calcivilrights.ca.gov
Filing deadline: 3 years
Online filing available

Labor Commissioner (DLSE)

For wage theft and labor law violations:

Santa Ana Office (serves Anaheim):

2 MacArthur Place, Suite 800
Santa Ana, CA 92707
Phone: 714-558-4910

City of Anaheim

For Measure L violations:

Contact City Attorney's Office
File complaints regarding living wage violations

Anaheim-Specific Resources

Legal Aid Organizations:

Community Legal Aid SoCal: 800-834-5001
Public Law Center: 714-541-1010
Legal Aid Society of Orange County: 800-834-5001

Worker Advocacy:

UNITE HERE Local 11 (hotel and hospitality workers)
UFCW Local 324
SEIU-USWW

Major Industries in Anaheim

Tourism and Theme Parks

Disneyland Resort and surrounding attractions:

Measure L living wage requirements for subsidized employers
Service charge protections
Tip theft and pooling disputes
Sexual harassment in hospitality
Scheduling violations
Overtime violations

Hotels and Convention

Major hotels and Anaheim Convention Center:

Living wage compliance for subsidized properties
Housekeeping meal and rest breaks
Discrimination claims
Retaliation for exercising Measure L rights

Sports and Entertainment

Angel Stadium, Honda Center, and related businesses:

Event worker wage issues
Independent contractor misclassification
Seasonal employment concerns

Healthcare

Orange County hospitals:

Meal and rest break violations
Mandatory overtime issues
Discrimination and harassment

Common Employment Issues in Anaheim

Living Wage Violations

Specific to Anaheim's Measure L:

Paying below living wage at subsidized businesses
Failure to comply with annual wage increases
Retaliation for asserting Measure L rights

Tourism Industry Issues

Common in Anaheim's dominant industry:

Unpaid overtime (daily overtime after 8 hours)
Missed meal and rest breaks (fast-paced hospitality environment)
Tip theft (management taking tips or service charges)
Scheduling violations (last-minute changes, on-call shifts)
Sexual harassment (prevalent in hospitality)

Wage and Hour Violations

Workers frequently experience:

Minimum wage theft (paying below applicable rate)
Off-the-clock work (pre-shift meetings, costume changes, cleanup)
Final paycheck delays (must be immediate upon termination)
Misclassification (calling employees independent contractors)

Discrimination and Harassment

FEHA protections apply fully:

No damages cap (unlike federal law)
5+ employee coverage
National origin and immigration status protections
3-year filing deadline

California Employment Law Applies

Anaheim workers receive all California employment protections:

FEHA discrimination protections (5+ employees, no damages cap)
Daily overtime (1.5x after 8 hours, 2x after 12 hours)
Mandatory meal and rest breaks
Paid Family Leave (8 weeks at 60-70% pay)
CFRA job-protected leave (12 weeks)
Non-compete ban (unenforceable in California)
Paid sick leave (40+ hours statewide)
Whistleblower protections

Related California Resources

Legal Disclaimer

This guide provides general information about employment law in Anaheim, California and is not legal advice. Employment law varies by situation, and this information may not apply to your specific circumstances. For advice about your situation, consult a licensed California employment attorney.

Official Resources:

City of Anaheim: https://anaheim.net
Civil Rights Department: https://calcivilrights.ca.gov | 1-800-884-1684
Labor Commissioner: https://dir.ca.gov/dlse | 1-833-526-4636