As we reported recently, the Washington State minimum wage beginning January 1, 2025, will be increased to $16.66 per hour. As explained in our prior blog post, this new state wage also impacts the salary exempt levels required.
Multiple jurisdictions within Washington have minimum wages that exceed the Washington State minimum wage, and which also increase each year to account for inflation. The following cities and unincorporated King County will have the noted minimum wages for 2025:
Bellingham
From January 1 – April 30, 2025, nonexempt employees working within the Bellingham city limits must be paid $17.66 per hour. From May 1 – December 31, 2025, the Bellingham minimum wage rises to $18.66 per hour.
Burien
Burien’s minimum wage is new in 2025 and has different rates depending on employer size as determined by the number of FTEs inside King County. Beginning January 1, 2025:
- Level 1 employers are those employers with 500 or more FTEs in King County, or franchisors who in the aggregate have 500 or more FTEs. Level 1 employers must pay nonexempt employees working inside the city limits of Burien $19.66 per hour.
- Level 2 employers are those with 21-499 FTEs in King County, required to pay nonexempt Burien employees at least $18.66 per hour.
- Level 3 employers are those with 1-20 FTEs and must pay at least the state minimum wage of $16.66 per hour.
Note, Burien permits employers to apply tips and medical plan expenses to offset the additional Burien minimum wage amounts. (Such offsets are not permitted against the required state minimum wage).
Renton
The applicable minimum wage that must be paid to employees working within the city limits of Renton varies by employer size:
- Large employers (those with more than 500 employees worldwide) must pay Renton nonexempt employees at least $20.90 per hour.
- Mid-size employers (those with 15-500 employees worldwide or more than $2 million annual gross revenues) must pay nonexempt employees $18.90 per hour from January 1 – June 30, 2025, and $19.90 per hour from July 1 – December 31, 2025.
- Small employers (fewer than 15 employees worldwide and less than $2 million annual gross revenues) must pay at least the state minimum wage of $16.66 per hour.
SeaTac
SeaTac sets a different minimum wage for employees in the hospitality and transportation industries. Nonexempt employees working in those industries must be paid at least $20.17 per hour beginning January 1, 2025.
Seattle
Until this year, Seattle allowed smaller employers to claim a tip or benefits credit against the city minimum wage. Beginning January 1, 2025, however, no such credits are allowed. Rather, all employers must pay nonexempt employees working in Seattle the full Seattle minimum wage of $20.76 per hour.
Tukwila
For the first six months of 2025, Tukwila will set different minimum wages for large and mid-size employers.
- Beginning January 1, 2025, large employers (more than 500 employees worldwide, including in a franchise network) must pay nonexempt employees at least $21.10 per hour.
- From January 1 – June 30, 2025, mid-size employers (15-500 employees worldwide or $ 2 million of annual revenue in Tukwila) must pay nonexempt employees at least $20.10 per hour. Beginning July 1, 2025, mid-size employers must pay nonexempt employees at least $21.10 per hour.
- Small employers (fewer than 15 employees worldwide and less than $2 million annual gross revenues) must pay at least the state minimum wage of $16.66 per hour.
Unincorporated King County
Effective January 1, 2025, all nonexempt employees working anywhere in unincorporated King County must be paid at least $20.29 per hour.
Key Takeaways for Washington Employers
Employers must have their payroll systems ready to apply the correct pay rate no later than January 1, 2025.
Complying with this patchwork of minimum wage laws could be challenging for employers who have operations in multiple different jurisdictions. Additionally, for individual employees who work in different jurisdictions during a workday or workweek, determining which rate to apply to any particular hour worked can be challenging.
Given that the consequences of failing to comply can be significant (additional wages, double or tripled for penalties, subject to 12 percent interest, the employees’ attorney fees in addition to the employer’s own attorney fees, and other penalties), employers who are uncertain as to their obligations should consult with employment counsel.
The legal issues impacting this topic are and will continue to be ever-changing (Employment Law in Motion!), and since publication of this blog post, new or additional information not referenced in this blog post may be available.
This article is provided for informational purposes only—it does not constitute legal advice and does not create an attorney-client relationship between the firm and the reader. Readers should consult legal counsel before taking action relating to the subject matter of this article.
