This page covers what is specific to Sonoma: local employers, seasonal hiring, and where to get help. For the statewide rules, see the CalSavers requirements and deadlines.
ZIP codes with a Sonoma mailing address had 1,218 business locations in 2023, with about 13,154 people on payroll in the March pay period.
CalSavers applies from the first employee, so each of those 1,218 locations belongs to an employer that, if it is a business that meets the state's other conditions (such as time in business), needs either its own retirement plan or the state program.
The most common types of business in these ZIP codes are construction (160 locations), professional, scientific and technical services (147 locations) and retail trade (120 locations). Across Sonoma County, the largest industry by employment is health care and social assistance (28,928 jobs), and private leisure and hospitality employment ran from 24,729 in January 2024 to 26,343 in July 2024.
155 of the 1,218 business locations in Sonoma's ZIP codes are in accommodation and food services or arts, entertainment and recreation, the leisure and hospitality industries where staffing levels tend to change with the season. California counts employees under Cal. Code Regs. tit. 10, §10001(a). The rule reads: “average number of employees during the previous calendar year, as reported to EDD on Form DE 9C for the quarter ending Dec 31 and the preceding three quarters”. If your Sonoma business's headcount rises and falls during the year, that wording decides whether you meet the threshold, so confirm your status with CalSavers.
Free one-on-one advising for Sonoma businesses is available from the Sonoma SBDC, the Norcal SBDC center for Sonoma County.
Local business network for Sonoma: Sonoma Valley Chamber of Commerce.
CalSavers employer assistance: 855-650-6916.
If your business has at least one employee in California and offers no qualified retirement plan, CalSavers requires you to register or certify an exemption. All announced registration deadlines have passed.
Book a free 15-minute compliance audit. We'll show your exact requirement, your real exposure, and whether your own plan saves you money.