The city and county of Los Angeles are set to raise the minimum wage to $10.50 per hour, and the county held a workshop to let business owners in the unincorporated areas, who have 26 or more employees, know how the new wage increase will work.
The increase will impact individuals who work at least two hours per week in a business that is located in unincorporated Los Angeles County territory.
In conjunction with helping small firms understand their responsibilities as its relates to increasing the wages, the Los Angeles County Department of Consumer and Business Affairs will also hold a small business utilization roundtable designed to help firms increase their business by learning how to win county government contracts.
According to a spokesperson for the Department of Consumer and Business Affairs, the county is required to do 25 percent of its business with smaller firms and 3 percent with disabled veteran businesses.
Eligible companies must have been located in L.A. County for the last 12 months; have 100 or fewer employees; and must have a three-year average annual gross receipts of $14 million or less.
Disabled veteran-owned businesses do not have to be located in L.A. County, but must be a certified disabled veteran who owns a small business recognized by the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs or a certified disabled veteran enterprise approved by the state of California. It must also be at least 51 percent owned by one or more disabled veterans and the daily business operations must be managed and controlled by one or more disabled veterans.
The county also operates the Community Business Enterprise Program which was established to allow businesses owned by minorities, women, the disadvantaged and disabled veterans to take advantage of government and private-sector procurement programs.
These firms must also be at least 51 percent owned by minorities, women or veterans and be managed by the daily business operations controlled by one or ore minorities or women.
Interested business owners must complete an application for participating and acknowledgment of sanctions found at: file.lacounty.gov/dca/ cms1_230943.pdf or call (855) 230-6430.
Companies that want to be eligible to apply or bid on these contracts must register with the department at http://camisvr.co.la.ca.us/webven. To see what types of contracts are available visit: http://camisvr.co.la.ca.us/lacobids.
In addition, the county offers a free Small Business Concierge service that is a one-stop shop to help entrepreneurs open a business in the county. Additionally, a Procurement Technical assistance Center (PTAC) will connect businesses with federal, state and local contracting opportunities
