Soon, Seattle’s Minimum Wage Ordinance will go into effect establishing the minimum wage rate for work performed in Seattle, as follows:
- $11.00 per hour minimum wage rate for employees of small employers (businesses with 500 or fewer employees in the United States), or $10.00 per hour plus tips and/or health benefits
- $11.00 per hour for employees of large employers (businesses with more than 500 employees in the United States)
The Ordinance also sets up a series of annual minimum wage increases that eventually will reach $15.00 per hour for all employees, regardless of employer size. In the following years, the minimum wage rate will be adjusted for inflation. The Ordinance also prescribes penalties, remedies and enforcement procedures.
The Seattle Office for Civil Rights (SOCR) is currently working on finalizing the Administrative Rules for the Ordinance. Meanwhile, the SOCR has released a comprehensive Frequently Asked Questions document that answers common questions about Seattle’s Ordinance. Topics include:
- Who is covered by the Ordinance.
- Wage schedules for the next seven years.
- How tips and medical benefits affect the minimum wage.
- Notice and posting requirements.
- How the law will be enforced.
What are employers’ the notice requirements? Employers are required to provide employees with notice of:
- Entitlement to minimum wage and minimum compensation,
- Prohibition against retaliation, and
- Ability to file a complaint for unpaid minimum wages paid or retaliation exercising rights under the ordinance.
Employers will be able to comply with the notice requirements of the Ordinance by displaying a soon-to-be released Minimum Wage poster (in English, Spanish and any other languages commonly spoken by employees at the particular workplace) in a conspicuous and accessible place in the workplace. Compliance Poster Company will be creating the poster in a multi-lingual format suitable for workplace posting. Check here first to order your Seattle Minimum Wage poster.