Office of Labor Standards Announces Seattle’s 2022 Minimum Wage

City of Seattle, Washington sent this bulletin at 10/18/2021 10:00 AM PDT
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Office of Labor Standards Announces Seattle’s 2022 Minimum Wage

Effective January 1, 2022 - New Required Adjustments to the Minimum Wage for employees and domestic workers, and to the Transportation Network Company Driver Minimum Compensation Amounts

The Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) announces an increase to the Seattle minimum wage and required adjustments to the Transportation Network Company (TNC) Driver Minimum Compensation amounts, effective January 1, 2022.

The increase to the minimum wage is required by the Minimum Wage Ordinance. The minimum wage applies to all employees working in Seattle regardless of the workers’ immigration status.

  • The 2022 minimum wage for large employers (501 or more employees) is $17.27/Hour.
  • The 2022 minimum wage for small employers (500 or fewer employees) who do not pay at least $1.52/hour toward the employee’s medical benefits and/or where the employee does not earn at least $1.52/hour in tips is $17.27/Hour.
  • The 2022 minimum wage for small employers who do pay at least $1.52/hour toward the employee’s medical benefits and/or where the employee does earn at least $1.52/hour in tips is $ 15.75/hour.

OLS will mail a revised workplace poster containing information on labor standards for 2022 to every business with a Seattle business license. Copies of the workplace poster (in English) are currently available for download at the OLS Website. Posters translated into 19 other languages are available online at the OLS Languages webpage here.

OLS also announces the required adjustments to the Transportation Network Company (TNC) Driver Minimum Compensation per mile amount and the minimum per-trip amount, as required by Seattle Municipal Code 14.33. This law went into effect on January 1, 2021 and requires that TNCs like Uber and Lyft provide a minimum per minute and per-mile payment that is at least the equivalent of Seattle’s large employer minimum wage plus compensation for reasonable expenses.  This law covers TNC drivers performing TNC services in Seattle regardless of immigration status.

Starting on January 1, 2022, TNCs must pay the greater of the minimum per mile amount of $1.38 and per minute amount of $0.59, or a minimum per-trip amount of $5.17 on all trips, including if the customer or TNC cancels the trip.  OLS will update resources and provide additional information before the new rates take effect on January 1, 2022.

Also beginning on January 1, 2022, those who employ or pay for the services of a domestic worker covered by the Domestic Workers Ordinance (DWO) are encouraged to distribute the 2022 Model Notice of Rights and Pay Information to their worker, in the language the worker is most comfortable using. This model notice is available on the OLS website in English, Spanish, and other languages. OLS updates the notice each year to reflect increases to the minimum wage owed to domestic workers under the Domestic Workers Ordinance. Please visit the Domestic Workers Ordinance webpage to download the DWO Notice of Rights and for more information on the Ordinance.

Sign up for the OLS newsletter for the latest updates on Seattle labor standards on the OLS website.  

  • Help for businesses: for free and private assistance for compliance with Seattle’s minimum wage and other labor standards, call 206-256-5297, email. laborstandards@seattle.gov or click here to fill out an online request form.
  • Help for workers and the public: to ask a question, file a complaint, or provide information, call 206-256-5297, email laborstandards@seattle.gov, or click here to fill out a web form.

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