Daily Business Report: Friday, June 6, 2025
New Federal Data Reveals California Has Lost Over 36,000 Fast Food Jobs Since $20 Minimum Wage Law
By Evan Symon | California Globe
New data from the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics was released Thursday, revealing a staggering 36,565 fast food jobs have been lost since September 2023 when the $20 per hour minimum wage law, AB 1228, was signed into law.
According to the seasonally adjusted BLS data, the number of “All Employees: Leisure and Hospitality: Limited-Service Restaurants and Other Eating Places in California” fell from 740,105 in September 2023 (When AB 1228 was signed into law) to 730,078 in April 2024 (When AB 1228 went into effect) to 703,540 in April 2025. In total, 10,027 fast food jobs were lost between September 2023 and April 2024, with 36,565 being lost between September 2023 and April 2025.
The 36,565 number is more of the worst case scenario in terms of job loss, as only three months ago the BLS’ Current Employment Statistics (CES) was reporting that 22,717 fast food jobs have been lost in the past year when seasonally adjusted. It also differs from a BLS Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages (QCEW) report from March that showed that California lost as many as 16,000 fast food jobs. While the exact number of lost fast food jobs is likely to be exact thanks to so many different parameters for data gathering, the new data released on Thursday showed a continued drop in fast food jobs, demonstrating that the industry still hasn’t recovered since AB 1228 was first put into place.
Fired County Official Alleges Discrimination
By Lisa Halverstadt | Voice of San Diego
The county’s longtime purchasing and contracting chief has sued the county, alleging he was fired based on his age and race.
Jack Pellegrino is a 65-year-old White man. In his March lawsuit, Pellegrino revealed that Chief Administrative Officer Ebony Shelton terminated him with no explanation last September and alleged that he was discriminated against “based on his race and/or color” because the county planned to replace him with a person of color.
Pellegrino’s replacement, however, was not a person of color. The county appointed Pellegrino’s deputy Allen Hunsberger, who is White, to serve first as the acting director and then the permanent leader of the county’s purchasing and contracting department.
Water Authority Floats Lower Rate Hike — Council Says Not Good Enough
By Tessa Balc | Voice of San Diego
next year’s proposed water rate increase. Officials initially proposed an 18 percent increase, then lowered their proposal to 12 percent. On Tuesday, they came down on the rate hike again, suggesting to the San Diego City Council an increase of 10.4 percent.
That wasn’t good enough for several councilmembers.
Councilmember Sean Elo-Rivera was adamant the Water Authority could find ways to reduce the rate increase even more.
