Here’s how much Seattle’s minimum wage will rise in 2025
SEATTLE - The minimum wage for the city of Seattle is set to increase on Jan. 1, and it is expected to be $4 higher than Washington's 2025 minimum wage.
Keep reading to learn more about Seattle's minimum wage increase and how it will impact small business owners.
What will Seattle's minimum wage be in 2025?
The Seattle Office of Labor Standards announced in early October that the city's minimum wage will increase to $20.76 per hour, effective Jan. 1.
This annual adjustment is in accordance with the city’s Minimum Wage Ordinance, which requires the wage rate to reflect the inflation rate based on the Consumer Price Index for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bellevue area.
To ensure businesses comply with the updated standards, the OLS will distribute revised workplace posters, outlining the new labor laws, to all employers with a Seattle business license. The posters will be available in English and 33 other languages.
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Seattle small businesses brace for minimum wage increase
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Do small businesses have to pay employees Seattle's new 2025 minimum wage?
Yes. Seattle's 2025 minimum wage of $20.76 per hour will apply to all businesses, regardless of size, and will be mandatory for employers citywide.
Starting in 2025, small businesses will no longer be permitted to count tips or medical benefits as part of the wage payment. Previously, small employers could offset up to $2.72 per hour in wages with tips or medical benefits, but this option will be eliminated under the new rules. As a result, all employers will be required to pay their workers the full minimum wage without reductions.
For further information, including updates on Seattle labor standards, businesses are encouraged to sign up for the OLS newsletter on the agency’s website.
What was Seattle's minimum wage in 2024?
In 2024, the minimum wage in Seattle stood at $19.97 per hour for large employers and for small employers who did not offer at least $2.72 per hour in medical benefits or tips. Small employers offering at least that amount in medical benefits or tips had a lower minimum wage of $17.25 per hour.
What will WA's minimum wage be in 2025?
Beginning Jan. 1, the minimum wage in Washington state will go up to $16.66 per hour, up 2.35% from 2024.
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