The Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) has officially declared a bump in the city's minimum wage starting January 1, 2025, and this time, it's a significant move upward to $20.76 per hour for all employees, regardless of the size of the business or the workers' immigration status. Reflecting the changes in the cost of living, the new rate bases its increase on the Consumer Price Index (CPI-W) for the Seattle Tacoma Bellevue region, as reported in a recent announcement.
Under the new rule, small businesses must adjust their pay scales, no longer having the ability to include tips or medical benefits as part of the calculation for the minimum wage, and to keep up with the regional increase, large employers and those small employers who did not previously cover medical benefits or handle at least $2.72 per hour in tips are upping their minimum hourly rate from the current $19.97, which was the 2024 standard. Small enterprises that have been providing $2.72 per hour towards medical benefits or received the same amount in tips must lift their base pay from the present $17.25 per hour, signaling a closer gap between different types of enterprises and a more consistent minimum pay across the board.
OLS is set to direct a revised workplace poster to every licensed business in Seattle, detailing the 2025 labor standards; this ensures employers are up-to-date with all regulations, the posters, alongside their translations in 33 different languages, will soon be available, and companies looking to keep abreast of labor standards updates can sign up for the OLS newsletter on the OLS website. Providing further assistance, businesses can seek free guidance on compliance with Seattle's minimum wage and other laws by contacting the OLS directly via phone at 206-256-5297 or by email at [email protected], moreover, there's an online request form ready for convenience, as detailed by the City of Seattle.
For any inquiries, filing a complaint, or offering information regarding the labor standards, the OLS can be reached by calling the same number or through email at [email protected], with an available web form to fill out for those who prefer communicating digitally.
