Seattle Minimum Wage Raise – Beginning April 1, 2015
Seattle City Council unanimously approved the adoption of a $15 per hour minimum wage. Beginning April 1, 2015, the legislation will phase-in a $15 per hour minimum wage annually over 3 to 7 years, depending on employer size.
Twenty-four percent of Seattle workers earn hourly wages of $15 per hour or less, and approximately 13.6 percent of the Seattle community lives below the federal poverty level, according to a University of Washington study. Washington State’s minimum wage is currently $9.32 per hour. Effective April 1, 2015, the minimum wage in Seattle will be $10.00 or $11.00 per hour depending on employer size. Here is a chart illustrating the subsequent annual minimum wage increase based on employer size.
Signed Ordinance and the Resolution that were approved by City Council on June 2, 2014.