Minimum Compensation Ordinance

Most City contractors and tenants (including at the Airport) must provide their covered employees with (a) no less than the MCO hourly wage in effect; (b) 12 paid days off per year (or cash equivalent); and (c) 10 days off per year without pay per year.

Updates

MCO Rate Increases (Effective July 1, 2023)

  • MCO For-Profit Rate increased to $20.22 per hour
  • MCO Non-Profit rate increased to $18.93 per hour.
  • MCO Public Entity Rate increased to $19.25 per hour. It will increase again on:
    • September 1, 2023 to $20.25 per hour
    • January 1, 2024 to $20.75 per hour

Posters and forms reflecting this rate increase are available below. 

Overview

The Minimum Compensation Ordinance (MCO) covers most City service contractors as well as tenants at the San Francisco International Airport.

The law generally requires covered employers to provide to their covered employees:

  1. No less than the MCO hourly wage in effect;
  2. 12 paid days off per year (or cash equivalent); and
  3. 10 days off without pay per year.

Wage rates

Find current and recent wage rates in the table provided. We also have an accessible version of the wage rate table with a link to all past wage rates.

MCO 2023 wage rate table

Poster and forms

MCO Poster - Must be displayed at each workplace.

MCO Know Your Rights - Employers must maintain copies signed by covered employee.

Legal authority

The San Francisco Board of Supervisors passed the Minimum Compensation Ordinance in August 2000.

MCO Rules: OLSE released new Rules Implementing the Minimum Compensation Ordinance on March 2, 2020. The Rules took effect on July 1, 2020.

  • The new MCO Rules replace the prior MCO Regulations, issued by the Office of Contract Administration in 2002

Resources

Complete MCO/HCAO Resource packets to download

​MCO Nonprofit Working Group: Report, Findings, & Recommendations

For City Departments

The following forms may be found on the City's Intranet:

  • MCO Form P-360 Exemption & Waiver
  • HCAO Form P-365 Exemption & Waiver

Video resources

Contact us

If you have any questions about your rights or responsibilities, contact us: 415-554-7903 or mco@sfgov.org.

You can file a complaint if you believe your rights have been violated.

Last updated October 30, 2023