Discriminatory Seattle Minimum Wage Survives First Challenge

Yesterday, Washington federal judge Richard A Jones denied the International Franchise Association's request for a preliminary injunction which would have stalled the implementation of Seattle's wage hike to the $15-per-hour minimum wage for that city as it applies to franchisees.  As we have blogged in the past, the schedule to implement the $15 minimum wage in Seattle is faster for large businesses with 500 employees or more (3 years) rather than the 7 years allowed for smaller businesses. Under the legislation, franchisees are classified as large businesses if they are part of a franchise system which employs 500 employees or more, despite the fact that a franchisee is a separate business which may, in reality, only employ a few employees.