Minimum Wage Increases for Seattle, and more, effective 1/1/2025

As we all plan for the new year, we have been sharing various wage and hour updates that will be effective in 2025. Last month we reported on upcoming minimum wage increases for Washington State and King County. With Seattle and SeaTac recently announcing their 2025 minimum wage rates, we wanted to share that information, as well as other city-specific increases within Washington. Here’s what you need to know:

Seattle

Effective January 1, 2025, all Seattle employers will be required to pay $20.76 per hour.
Yup, this means Seattle is no longer providing a lower rate option for small employers who contribute to the cost of medical benefits or whose employees earn a certain amount in tips. For large employers, the 2025 rate is an increase from $19.97 per hour and for small employers, the 2025 rate is an increase from $17.25 per hour.

SeaTac

Effective January 1, 2025, SeaTac employers in the hospitality and transportation industries will be required to pay $20.17 per hour. This is an increase from $19.71 per hour.

Tukwila

Effective January 1, 2025, large employers in Tukwila are required to pay at least $21.10 per hour; mid-sized (or medium) employers are required to pay at least $20.10 per hour. More information on the requirements, including how employer size is defined (and the amount of an additional increase planned for July 2025), can be found here.

Bellingham

Effective January 1, 2025, employers in Bellingham are required to pay at least $17.66 per hour. This is an increase from the current rate of $17.28 per hour. An additional increase is expected again in May 2025, as outlined here.

Renton

Effective January 1, 2025, large employers in Renton will need to pay at least $20.90 per hour (up from $20.29 currently), and mid-sized employers will need to pay at least $18.90 per hour (up from $18.29 currently). Renton is also planning for a mid-year increase in July 2025 – additional information is outlined here.

Reminders: Washington State & King County

Effective January 1, 2025, the Washington State minimum wage will be $16.66 per hour.
Effective January 1, 2025 employers in unincorporated King County will be required to pay at least $17.29 per hour, or up to $20.29 per hour, depending on employer size and other factors. Check out our September Quarterly Update for more details.

The Department of L&I includes a page on their website that outlines specific minimum wage rates for the above cities, so it can be a handy reference to help keep track of the various rates. Note, the 2024 rates are currently listed, but we expect the site will be updated with 2025 rates soon.

And, for a recap on the exempt salary threshold changes impacting Washington employers as of January 1, 2025 click here or check out L&I’s Overtime Rules Implementation Schedule.

As always, if you have any questions about this information or any HR-related area, please contact us. We’re here for you!

HRT Northwest: Your Northwest HR Team

Seattle: (253) 642-7372 | info@hrtnorthwest.com

This Update is not a full overview of all recent or upcoming legal changes. HRT Northwest is staffed by professionals in the field of Human Resources and business management. We are glad to help with your HR needs; however, we do not offer legal advice and our services are not a substitute for the help of a qualified attorney.