WASHINGTON: Minimal wage and exempt wage will increase in 2025 – Cyber Tech

The state of Washington has introduced will increase to the minimal wage fee and the exempt wage thresholds for workers, efficient January 1, 2025. These will increase impression a number of state wage necessities that you simply’ll need to pay attention to when you have workers in Washington. The cities of Bellingham and Burien have additionally introduced their minimal wage will increase for 2025. The cities of Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila, and unincorporated King County even have greater minimal wage necessities that can be growing in 2025, however haven’t but introduced the brand new charges. Right here’s what we all know in regards to the introduced fee will increase:

Statewide minimal wage: The statewide minimal wage fee for nonexempt (overtime-eligible) staff will rise to $16.66 per hour (up from $16.28, a rise of two.35 %), efficient January 1, 2025. Particulars can be obtainable on the Division of Labor and Industries (L&I) Washington minimal wage webpage as soon as L&I updates the web page.

Exempt wage: Because of the minimal wage improve for nonexempt workers, the minimal wage for white-collar staff who’re exempt from extra time will improve as of January 1, 2025, as effectively. Small employers with as much as 50 workers should pay exempt workers a wage of a minimum of $1,332.80 per week ($69,305.60 per yr). Massive employers with 51 or extra workers should pay exempt workers a wage of a minimum of $1,499.40 per week ($77,968.80 per yr). For a useful chart, see L&I’s wage implementation threshold schedule, which can be up to date with these adjustments as soon as L&I refreshes its sources.

The wage threshold below federal legislation starting January 1, 2025, can be solely $1,128.00 per week, so employers in Washington should pay on the greater state stage. The brink wage is required no matter what number of hours an exempt worker works within the week, so even a part-time worker have to be paid at this new greater wage (not a prorated portion of it) to fulfill the extra time exemption. L&I has created an internet extra time useful resource heart to help employers in understanding these wage necessities, together with charts, truth sheets, workshops, and webinars.

Exempt pc professionals: The minimal wage fee for exempt pc professionals who’re paid hourly may also improve as of January 1, 2025. All employers who select to pay their exempt pc professionals an hourly fee moderately than the salaried exempt fee described above should pay them a minimum of 3.5 instances the state minimal wage, which works out to $58.31 per hour in 2025. See L&I’s Administrative Coverage ES.A.9.6 (Exemption from Minimal Wage Act Necessities for Laptop Skilled Staff).

Bellingham minimal wage: The Metropolis of Bellingham is growing its minimal wage fee to $17.66 per hour for many workers, up from final yr’s $17.28 per hour. (Observe: the minimal wage will improve once more to $18.66 on Might 1, 2025).

Burien minimal wage: The Metropolis of Burien’s new minimal wage charges go into impact as follows:

• Degree 1 employers (all employers, together with franchisees, with greater than 500 FTEs in King County or franchisors who make use of greater than 500 FTEs within the combination): $19.66 per hour as of January 1, 2025.
• Degree 2 employers (all employers, together with franchisees, that make use of 21 to 499 FTEs in King County): $18.66 per hour as of July 1, 2025.

Burien’s wage ordinance doesn’t apply to employers with 20 or fewer FTEs, also called Degree 3 employers. The ordinance directs the Metropolis to create a minimal wage poster, which employers must prominently show as soon as the ordinance takes impact.

Suggestions: The minimal wage charges in Bellingham, Burien, Seattle, SeaTac, Tukwila, and unincorporated King County proceed to be greater than the statewide fee in Washington. You could pay workers on the highest minimal wage fee that applies to them. Whereas written discover of those pay will increase isn’t required apart from Burien, Seattle, and Tukwila workers, advance written discover is actually a greatest follow for worker retention and morale. For extra info on extra time exemptions in Washington, see our Authorized Information, State Legal guidelines on the White Collar Exemptions from Extra time. If in case you have questions on which charges apply to your workers or whether or not they’re exempt, contact your Vigilant Regulation Group employment lawyer.