At a glance
- Minimum wage: $17.13 an hour, rising to $17.73 on January 1, 2027.
- Tipped cash wage: $17.13 (no tip credit).
- Overtime: after 40 hours in a workweek.
- Final paycheck if fired: by the next regular payday.
- Paid sick leave: Yes. Paid family leave program: Yes.
What Washington employers need to know
Washington has the highest state minimum wage in the country, $17.73 from January 1, 2027, and a salary threshold for exempt employees above $80,000. There's no tip credit and no state income tax, but there are plenty of payroll deductions: paid family and medical leave premiums and WA Cares long-term care premiums. Seattle, Tukwila, SeaTac, Renton, Everett, Bellingham, and other cities set even higher local minimums.
Washington minimum wage
| Minimum wage | $17.13 |
|---|---|
| Tipped cash wage | $17.13 (no tip credit) |
| Next change | $17.73 on January 1, 2027 |
| Local rates | Seattle, Tukwila, SeaTac, Renton, Everett, Bellingham, Burien, and King County (unincorporated) set local minimum wages above the state rate. |
Pay the highest rate that applies where the employee works: federal, state, or local. For comparison, neighboring states pay Oregon ($15.55), Idaho ($7.25). See every state side by side in our minimum wage by state table, and convert between hourly and annual pay with the salary to hourly calculator.
Washington overtime rules
The federal FLSA rule applies: overtime at 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek. There is no daily overtime rule.
Exempt salary test: Exempt employees must earn at least 2.25 times the state minimum wage for a 40-hour week: $1,541.70 a week ($80,168.40 a year) in 2026.
Work out overtime owed with our overtime calculator, compare states in overtime laws by state, and check classification with our guide to exempt vs non-exempt employees.
Washington meal and rest break laws
Meal breaks: A 30-minute meal period for shifts over 5 hours, given between the 2nd and 5th hour, plus another for 3 or more hours past the normal workday.
Rest breaks: A paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked, and no more than 3 hours without a rest break.
Many states have stricter break rules for minors. Compare adult rules nationwide in break laws by state, and total up shifts with the time card calculator.
Washington final paycheck law
| If you fire or lay off the employee | By the next regular payday. |
|---|---|
| If the employee quits | By the next regular payday. |
| Unused vacation or PTO | Not required by state law. Follow your written policy or contract, and apply it consistently. |
Build the deadline into your offboarding checklist. Our offboarding guide covers the full process, the PTO payout calculator works out the amount, and the final paycheck laws by state table compares every state.
Washington paid sick leave and family leave
Paid sick leave: Paid sick leave: 1 hour for every 40 hours worked, with no annual cap on accrual and carryover of up to 40 hours.
Paid family and medical leave: Washington Paid Family and Medical Leave: up to 12 weeks (16 combined, 18 with pregnancy complications), funded by employer and employee premiums. Employers also withhold WA Cares long-term care premiums.
Federal FMLA: employers with 50 or more employees within 75 miles must also give eligible employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave. Read our FMLA guide, and compare states in paid leave laws by state.
Hiring, pay transparency, and payroll setup
Pay transparency: Required for employers with 15 or more employees: pay range and benefits in every posting.
New hire reporting: Report each new hire within 20 days of the hire date, the federal deadline.
State income tax withholding: No state income tax on wages, so there is no state withholding.
Our pay transparency laws guide explains posting rules in more depth, and our job description templates include pay data for 50 common roles.
What trips up Washington employers
- The exempt salary threshold is above $80,000 and rises every year.
- No tip credit: tipped employees get the full minimum wage before tips.
- Pay range lawsuits under Washington's posting law have been common. Put a range in every posting.
- Seattle and several other cities set higher local minimum wages.
Sources and the agency to contact
- Washington Department of Labor and Industries (state labor agency)
- US Department of Labor: state minimum wage laws
- US Department of Labor: minimum wages for tipped employees by state
- US Department of Labor: state meal period requirements
General information for US employers, not legal advice. Laws change and have exceptions by industry, employer size, and city. Confirm current rules with the state agency or employment counsel before you rely on them.
Cite or share this data
Journalists, educators, payroll providers, and HR teams are welcome to quote these figures. Please credit HRTally with a link to this page. Copy the snippet below to add the link.
<a href="https://www.hrtally.com/state-labor-laws/washington/">Washington labor laws for employers (2026)</a> (source: HRTally)
Suggested citation: HRTally Research Team. "Washington labor laws for employers (2026)." HRTally, updated October 20, 2026. https://www.hrtally.com/state-labor-laws/washington/
Frequently asked questions
What is the minimum wage in Washington in 2026?
When is a final paycheck due in Washington?
Are breaks required in Washington?
Does Washington require paid sick leave?
Do employers have to pay out unused PTO in Washington?
Written by the HRTally Research Team
Our guides are written and reviewed by people with hands-on US HR, payroll, and HR technology experience. Legal and tax facts are checked against primary sources, such as the Department of Labor, IRS, EEOC, and USCIS, and linked at the end of each guide. Vendors never review or pay for our editorial content.