SEATTLE — The minimum wage in Seattle will increase to $18.69 on Jan. 1, a jump of $1.42 from the current minimum wage in the city.
The Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) made the announcement of the annual wage increase Tuesday morning. The increase is required by the city's Minimum Wage Ordinance and reflects the Consumer Price Index inflation rate for the Seattle-Tacoma-Bremerton area.
The minimum wage applies to employees within Seattle city limits, regardless of the employee’s immigration status.
Starting Jan. 1, 2023, the OLS and the minimum wage for large employers, which is defined by 501 employees or more, will be $18.69 per hour, which is an 8.22% increase over 2022.
The minimum wage for small employers with less than 500 workers will also be $18.69 per hour if the employer does not pay at least $2.19 per hour towards the employee’s medical benefits and/or the employee does not earn at least $2.19 per hour in tips, according to the OLS.
The minimum wage for small employers who do pay at least $2.19 per hour for the employee’s medical benefits and/or where the employee makes at least $2.19 per hour in tips will be $16.50 per hour starting Jan. 1.
The OLS said revised workplace posters with updated labor standards information for 2023 will be mailed to all businesses with a Seattle business license. Copies of the poster, which are available in English and 25 other languages, are already available online.
The minimum wage for Washington state will also increase to $15.74 in January. State law ties Washington's minimum wage to the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics' Consumer Price Index.
The state’s 8.66% rise for 2023 is tied to the cost of common goods, such as housing, food and medical care, according to the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.
The state minimum wage is applicable to workers 16 years and older. Workers between the ages of 14 and 15 can earn 85% of that rate or $13.38 per hour.