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ARTICLE · 06 JUNE 2014

Seattle Increases Minimum Wage To $15.00 Per Hour Over Several Years

Littler Mendelson
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Seattle, Washington has enacted groundbreaking legislation that, over several years, will phase in a $15.00 per hour minimum wage.

United StatesEmployment and HR
Littler Mendelson, P.C.
Littler Mendelson, P.C.
Breanne Martell
Breanne Martell
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Seattle, Washington has enacted groundbreaking legislation that, over several years, will phase in a $15.00 per hour minimum wage, the nation's highest for private employers who do not contract with governmental entities.1  Although a handful of states have recently enacted incremental increases in the minimum wage,2 Seattle's new ordinance, passed unanimously by its nine member City Council and signed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray on June 3, takes the concept much further and could signal a national trend leading to similar increases being considered by other large cities.  According to City projections, Seattle's new minimum wage will be nearly double Washington State's current minimum wage of $9.32 per hour by 2025, due to built-in inflation adjustments.

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