The minimum wage for Washington is set to increase in the current year, 2025. Throughout the country, there has been a discussion going on for the increase in the minimum wages of the daily wage earners and even for the standard employees. As with everything, rising inflation has also stepped up, and the rate at which it is rising is a thing to be concerned about.
Many states have already increased their minimum wages, and as for Washington, the Washington Department of Labor and Industries has announced that there will be an increase to $16.66 per hour. Although the increase was announced at the start of the year, the law will now be legally imposed from 1st July, meaning that the organizations and the employers will now have to make some changes in the payout of their employees.
Washington Minimum Wage Increase July 2025
In a time when inflation is at its peak and the cost of living is becoming unbearable day by day, there is a massive need for the minimum wage to increase. Many people have been suffering financially as the basic cost of everyday expenses is so high that they have to lower their standard of living. In 2025, many states have opted for a higher minimum wage, including the state of Washington. Compared to the previous year, 2024, there is a 2.35% increase in the minimum wages declared.
The minimum wage is the base for the salary structure that an employer or an organisation checks when determining the remuneration for the worker or employee. Those workers and employees who are working in the state of Washington should be aware of the increase, as the law has been in effect since January 1, 2025. Employers should also check the new minimum wage and make changes in the salary structure accordingly.
Minimum Wage Increase in Washington in July 2025: Overview
| Article on | Minimum Wage Increase in Washington in July 2025 |
| Country | United States of America |
| Department | Washington State Department of Labor & Industries |
| Minimum Wage Increase | 2.35% increase from 2024 |
| Category | Finance |
| Official website | lni.wa.gov |
What will be the salary threshold for exempt employees?
The wage and salary law has been structured every year in the USA to match the current cost of living and inflation trend in the country. The structure includes both the minimum wage and other salary thresholds for standard employees.
In 2025, every small employer 2025 who has up to 50 workers and employees working under them now must provide them with overtime payments, and for the exempt employees, they should provide them with minimum double the minimum wage decided by the Department of Labour in the state.
That means if an exempt employee is doing overtime in 2025, then they would be eligible for around $70000 annually if we consider the basic pay. And those employees who have more than 50 workers working under them will have to pay a minimum of an additional 2.25% of the set minimum wage.
Exempt Computer professionals
All the working computer professionals will be categorized into the exempt category if they are compensated either on a salary basis or on an hourly basis. For those who are paid on an hourly basis, the rate of he salary will be 3.5 times more than the decided minimum wage in 2025. That equals $58.31 each hour they work. Earlier, the rate for exempt computer professionals was $56.98 per hour.
Enforcement of Non-Complete Clause
From this year onwards, non-compete agreements will be enforced and will be in effect in every organization and company established and working in Washington state. It is the responsibility of the employer to see that their employees earn a minimum of $123,394.17, and those who are independent contractors should earn $308,485 to make the agreement valid and legal. Earlier, the thresholds were calculated $120599 and $301399, respectively.
New updates on Washington Working Laws
Some laws have been set by the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries and allow and protect the workers and employees of Washington to get equal pay. This law will be in action from July 1, 2025.
This change is currently in effect and has the aim of expanding protection in workspaces, including protection from discrimination against equal pay and promotion. The act that will be followed is known as the Equal Pay and Opportunities Act. This act will now also include the inclusion of
- All sex. Marital status and sexual orientation
- The color, race, creed, and age of a person
- Nationality (origin), citizenship, and status of immigration
- Will check if a person is discaheged veteran or what the military status is
- Will keep in check with whether there is any presence of physical disability or any other mental and sensory deficiency. Also, if there is a need for a trained dog or service animal for a person with disability.
This act is now being expanded, and it will ensure that each and every person gets equal opportunities and payments irrespective of who they are. The first equal pay law in Washington state was passed in 1943. At that time it was that no one could discriminate against a man or a woman, and both genders should be paid equally for the same work they have been doing.
Then again, there was an amendment made to the law in 2018. But still there is a clear indication that there is a lot of work pending to make the law more strong. It was seen in 2023 that there was a significant gap in terms of equal gender pay in the state of Washington. It was calculated that what a woman was earning was around $17000 less than what a man was earning.
There are two new changes coming this July, which will be in effect from the 27th of the month, which are based on the changes made in the legislation passed in the previous years.
- One law will prohibit employers ti demanding employees’ driving license, unless driving is an essential part of the job. No employer can include the requirement in a job posting where driving for commercial purposes is not included.
- The other one will be directly related to job posting requirements. Employers who have more than 15 employees working under them will now have to include detailed wage information, a general description of the job post, and other compensation provided by the particular company.
| Official Website | Click Here |
| Homepage | BlackSea-Commission.org |
