Minimum wage in WA is increasing once again. Here’s what you need to know
Washington state’s minimum wage will rise by over a dollar, reaching $15.74 an hour, in January 2023.
The $1.25 raise in minimum wage was announced in a Friday, Sept. 30, new release from the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries.
The release credits the 8.66% increase in the minimum wage to the rising costs of living, as state law requires the department to calculate every year’s minimum wage based on the consumer price index.
Here are a few things you need to know about the increase:
▪ Cities in Washington state are allowed to set minimum wages higher than the state’s mandated rate.
▪ The state minimum wage applies to workers who are 16 years old and older. For workers ages 14-15 years old, employers must pay 85% of the minimum wage, or $13.38 per hour.
▪ The state has also set a new minimum salary for employees in Washington state who are exempt from overtime pay. The minimum salary is 1.75 times the minimum wage, ensuring salaried employees are paid $57,293.60 a year. For employers with 51 or more employees, the minimum salary is $65,478.40 a year.
▪ The minimum pay for Uber, Lyft and other rideshare services will also increase in 2023. Drivers will earn whichever value is greater for trips within Seattle: 64 cents per passenger minute, $1.50 per passenger mile or $5.62. For trips outside of Seattle, drivers will earn whichever value is greater per trip: 37 cents per passenger minutes, $1.27 per passenger mile, or $3.26.
This story was originally published September 30, 2022 at 1:15 PM with the headline "Minimum wage in WA is increasing once again. Here’s what you need to know."
