Washington Labor Laws 2025 Minimum Wage Overtime More Connecteam

Bonisiwe Shabane

-Nov 2, 2025, 3:17 PM

washington labor laws 2025 minimum wage overtime more connecteam

Kate holds degrees in law and business management, combined with 8+ years’ experience as a human rights lawyer. She has strong knowledge of business and commercial legal structures regarding the rights and responsibilities of both employees and employers, and as a nascent writer has focused on small business management and freelancing. As of January 1, 2025, Washington’s minimum wage is $16.66 per hour. The state minimum wage applies to most employers and employees with some exceptions, including workers aged 14 to 15. The Minimum Wage Act also lists various exemptions, including: If approved, employers can pay a subminimum wage to the following workers:

The Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) adjusts the state minimum wage annually to reflect cost-of-living increases. New minimum wages are announced on September 30 each year. Employment Standards message: 2025 salary thresholds for overtime exempt workers Washington's overtime employment rules have changed. The Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has updated the employment rules that determine which workers in Washington are required by law to be paid at least minimum wage, earn overtime pay, and receive... These changes affect executive, administrative, and professional (EAP) workers as well as outside salespeople and computer professionals across all industries in Washington.

Changes to these rules mean some employers might have to provide overtime, minimum wage, and paid sick leave to some employees who were previously treated as exempt. In other cases, employers may need to increase salaries for exempt employees. The computer professional’s exemption was added in 1997, but these are the first major changes to the state’s rules since 1976. SEATTLE — With the arrival of 2025 comes a flurry of new laws taking effect. These are some of the key laws to know about this year. The minimum wage in Washington has risen to $16.66, up 2.35% from $16.28 last year.

The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) sets the minimum wage. “Beginning mid-September each year, L&I will make a cost-of-living adjustment to the minimum wage based on the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Worker,” L&I said on its website. “The new minimum wage will be announced on Sept. 30, and take effect Jan. 1.” Employers may pay 85% of the minimum wage, $14.16 per hour, to workers ages 14 and 15.

If you’re working in or running a business in the Evergreen State, getting your head around Washington employment labor laws is an absolute must, especially with all the updates for 2025. Trust me, Washington is definitely one of the most worker-friendly states out there, so the rules often go beyond what the federal government requires. The short answer is: Yes, Washington has some of the most comprehensive and robust employment laws in the US, covering everything from a very high minimum wage to mandatory paid family and medical leave,... Here’s a quick-and-dirty summary of the major Washington labor laws you absolutely need to have on your radar for 2025: Navigating all these state and local rules can feel like a full-time job for small business owners and payroll managers, especially if you have workers across different cities. Seriously, getting the payroll contributions, paid leave tracking, and tax withholdings right is crucial to avoid those hefty compliance fines.

If you’re tired of playing catch-up with every new law, you might want to check out a modern, hassle-free payroll solution that handles the complicated stuff for you. We love using Playroll.com for managing our multi-state compliance and making payroll simple: Here are some helpful starting points and resources to dig deeper into the official rules: When it comes to wages, Washington really sets a high standard compared to the rest of the country. This isn’t just about making sure you pay the federal minimum. you have to pay the Washington State minimum, which is significantly higher, plus you have to be mindful of local city ordinances that can raise that rate even further.

Having trouble viewing this email? View it as a Web page. TUMWATER — Some significant changes involving Washington worker rights and pay take effect on Jan. 1, 2025. From the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (L&I), here’s what workers and employers need to know: Vea abajo para esta información en español.

The state’s minimum wage will increase to $16.66 an hour, up 2.35 percent from 2024. It applies to workers age 16 and up. Employers may pay 85 percent of that wage or $14.16 an hour to workers ages 14-15. The salary threshold used to determine if certain workers are exempt from overtime pay is going up to $1,332.80 a week ($69,305.60 a year) for employers with up to 50 employees, and $1,499.40 a... The rate affects executive, administrative, and professional workers, plus computer professionals and outside salespeople. That means, if workers in those categories do not get paid for overtime, they must get paid at least those salaries.

Most hourly employees in Washington are entitled to a special overtime pay rate for any hours worked over a total of 40 in a single work week (defined as any seven consecutive work days... While some states have daily overtime limit which entitles any employee who works for more then a certain number of hours in a single day to be paid overtime, Washington does not specify a... Overtime pay, also called "time and a half pay", is one and a half times an employee's normal hourly wage. Therefore, Washington's overtime minimum wage is $24.42 per hour, one and a half times the regular Washington minimum wage of $16.28 per hour. If you earn more then the Washington minimum wage rate, you are entitled to at least 1.5 times your regular hourly wage for all overtime worked. Most employees who work more than 40 hours in a 7-day workweek must be paid overtime.

Overtime pay must be at least 1.5 times the employee’s regular hourly rate. Other overtime rates, like double time pay are not required under Washington state law, with the exception of certain public works projects. Employees cannot waive their right to overtime pay. Only public employees are eligible for time off instead of being paid overtime under federal law. This is commonly known as “comp time” or “exchange time.” This time off must be credited at the rate of at least 1.5 hours of time off for each hour of overtime worked. An employer may not require a worker to take comp or exchange time — it is at the worker’s request.

Private employers cannot enter into these agreements. There are many exemptions to the overtime rule in Washington. Generally, hourly employees who earn under $455 per week ($23,660 per year) and who work in a non-exempt industry are eligible to receive overtime pay. Some people ring in the new year with resolutions for going to the gym or finally learning Spanish. Along with new resolutions, Washingtonians will have several new laws go into effect today. The state is raising its minimum wage to $16.66 an hour in 2025, a 38-cent increase from 2024 ($16.28 per hour), due to increased housing and food costs as calculated by the state Department...

Washington had the highest state-level minimum wage in the nation in 2024 (Washington D.C.’s wage is $17), though the federal wage is still $7.25. Cities and counties in the state, however, can set their own higher minimum wages. In May the King County Council approved $20.29 an hour for unincorporated King County, one of the highest in the country. In Seattle, the minimum wage will be $20.76 regardless of the size of a company, and employers cannot count tips or payments toward medical benefits as part of the minimum wage. Small businesses with up to 50 employees need to pay overtime-exempt workers at twice the minimum wage, while businesses with 51 or more employees need to pay overtime-exempt workers at 2.25 times the minimum... On September 30, 2025, the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries (L&I) announced upcoming increases to the state minimum wage and salary thresholds for exempt employees, effective on January 1, 2026.

Employers should take note because these increases will impact non-compete agreements, independent contractor classifications, and special pay rules for younger workers and rideshare drivers. With the steady rise in litigation related to non-compete agreements and employee and independent contractor classifications, these updates add more urgency for employers to act. Here’s a breakdown of the key changes—and what you should be doing now to stay compliant. Washington currently holds the nation’s highest state minimum wage at $16.66/hour—more than double the federal minimum. Effective January 1, 2026, the state minimum wage will increase to $17.13/hour, reflecting a 2.8 percent increase. Reminder: Cities like Seattle and Bellingham often set their own higher local minimum wages.

Hospitals are encouraged to review overtime policies and seek legal assistance in remaining compliant. New laws will impact employment in the state of Washington in 2025. Minimum wage for any worker aged 16 or older is now $16.66/hour. Workers aged 14 to 15 are entitled to 85% of this amount. The salary threshold dictating when a laborer can forego overtime pay has risen. Employers who employ 50 or fewer people have this threshold set to $1,332.80/week while employers of 51+ employees have a threshold of $1,499.40/week.

This employment limitation can only be invoked upon workers earning more than $123,394.17/year or, if they are independent contractors, $308,485.43/year. Staying compliant with ever-changing labor laws is complex, but with Deputy, it’s effortless.Book a demo today to find out how. Minimum wage is the lowest hourly rate that employers are legally obligated to pay employees. The federal minimum wage is a wage baseline, but different states, cities, and regions can adopt their own rates. Cities that have a higher minimum wage effective January 1st, 2025: Burien: $21.16 for large "level 1 employers", $20.16 for midsize "level 2" employers

Renton: $20.90 for large employers (more than 500 employees worldwide), $18.90 for mid-size employers (15-500 employees)

Washington Labor Laws 2025 Minimum Wage Overtime More Connecteam

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