RCW 49.46.020 Minimum hourly wage—Paid sick leave.

(1)(a) Beginning January 1, 2017, and until January 1, 2018, every employer shall pay to each of his or her employees who has reached the age of eighteen years wages at a rate of not less than eleven dollars per hour.

(b) Beginning January 1, 2018, and until January 1, 2019, every employer shall pay to each of his or her employees who has reached the age of eighteen years wages at a rate of not less than eleven dollars and fifty cents per hour.

(c) Beginning January 1, 2019, and until January 1, 2020, every employer shall pay to each of his or her employees who has reached the age of eighteen years wages at a rate of not less than twelve dollars per hour.

(d) Beginning January 1, 2020, and until January 1, 2021, every employer shall pay to each of his or her employees who has reached the age of eighteen years wages at a rate of not less than thirteen dollars and fifty cents per hour.

(2)(a) Beginning on January 1, 2021, and each following January 1st as set forth under (b) of this subsection, every employer shall pay to each of his or her employees who has reached the age of eighteen years wages at a rate of not less than the amount established under (b) of this subsection.

(b) On September 30, 2020, and on each following September 30th, the department of labor and industries shall calculate an adjusted minimum wage rate to maintain employee purchasing power by increasing the current year's minimum wage rate by the rate of inflation. The adjusted minimum wage rate shall be calculated to the nearest cent using the consumer price index for urban wage earners and clerical workers, CPI-W, or a successor index, for the twelve months prior to each September 1st as calculated by the United States department of labor. Each adjusted minimum wage rate calculated under this subsection (2)(b) takes effect on the following January 1st.

(3) An employer must pay to its employees: (a) All tips and gratuities; and (b) all service charges as defined under RCW 49.46.160 except those that, pursuant to RCW 49.46.160, are itemized as not being payable to the employee or employees servicing the customer. Tips and service charges paid to an employee are in addition to, and may not count towards, the employee's hourly minimum wage.

(4) Beginning January 1, 2018, except as provided in RCW 49.46.180, every employer must provide to each of its employees paid sick leave as provided in RCW 49.46.200 and 49.46.210.

(5) The director shall by regulation establish the minimum wage for employees under the age of eighteen years.

[ 2019 c 236 § 2; 2017 c 2 § 3 (Initiative Measure No. 1433, approved November 8, 2016); 1999 c 1 § 1 (Initiative Measure No. 688, approved November 3, 1998); 1993 c 309 § 1; 1989 c 1 § 2 (Initiative Measure No. 518, approved November 8, 1988); 1975 1st ex.s. c 289 § 2; 1973 2nd ex.s. c 9 § 1; 1967 ex.s. c 80 § 1; 1961 ex.s. c 18 § 3; 1959 c 294 § 2.]

NOTES:

Findings—2019 c 236: "The legislature finds that Initiative 1433 is a good law approved by the voters to establish sick leave benefits for workers. The law creates necessary worker protections while simultaneously reducing the spread of communicable sickness and disease and addressing other public health and safety concerns.

However, the legislature finds that this new law does not provide for flexibility and portability of benefits for construction workers who may work for multiple employers and who already negotiate wages and benefits with their employers. Workers covered under a collective bargaining agreement for the construction industry should be allowed the ability to negotiate comparable benefits that ensures that eligibility can be achieved and that the benefits are portable from employer to employer." [ 2019 c 236 § 1.]

Intent—Effective date—2017 c 2 (Initiative Measure No. 1433): See notes following RCW 49.46.005.

Effective date—1993 c 309: "This act shall take effect January 1, 1994." [ 1993 c 309 § 2.]

Effective date—1989 c 1 (Initiative Measure No. 518): See note following RCW 49.46.010.

Notification of employers: RCW 49.46.140.