Despite the challenging fiscal environment brought on by recent federal and state budget constraints, the University of California remains steadfast in its commitment to our dedicated employees and bringing up wages for our lowest-paid team members.
We’re excited to share that beginning July 1, 2025, UC is rolling out a series of wage increases for our valued employees. These changes follow the passage of Senate Bill 525 in fall 2023, and mark an important step forward in recognizing the vital role our teams play every day.
As part of this effort, UC health care employees will see their minimum wage rise to $24/hour on July 1, 2025, and then to $25/hour on July 1, 2026. Additionally, UC’s recent offers to AFSCME and UPTE include bringing all UC team members in these units up to $25 an hour by July 1, 2025. These increases would apply across our health care and campus locations.
We’re also expanding overtime eligibility to include more health care employees. Starting July 1, 2025, those earning less than $74,880 annually will become eligible for overtime pay, with the threshold increasing to $78,000 on July 1, 2026. Employees who qualify will receive detailed information about how this affects them, including updates on timekeeping practices.
“We recognize and deeply value the hard work, talent, and resilience of our employees across all campuses, medical centers and departments,” said Associate Vice President for Systemwide Employee and Labor Relations Missy Matella. “While the road ahead may be complex, we are optimistic about the future and fully committed to working together to find sustainable solutions. Our goal is to ensure that every member of our UC community is fairly compensated and supported, now and in the years to come. These changes reflect our ongoing dedication to fairly compensating our workforce and ensuring that all our employees are supported as essential members of the UC community.”
UC’s work to protect its comprehensive pay, leave and benefits offerings continues. At the beginning of this year, UC significantly expanded paid sick leave, including ensuring access for part-time as well as full-time employees. The UC Employee Benefits Survey, launched on April 11, 2025, is designed to help shape UC’s benefits offerings to better meet the needs of our employees moving forward. And last year, UC enacted a handful of measures to provide additional support for employees, including:
- Time off for reproductive loss
- A new anti-discrimination policy and the creation of a new Systemwide Office of Civil Rights
- Employer-paid identity theft protection
- Expanded paid sick leave for employees