Washington state minimum wage increases to $12 per hour

The minimum wage in Washington state increases to $12 per hour from $11.50 starting January 1, 2019 for workers age 16 and older.

Voters approved increasing the minimum wage annually with the passing of Initiative 1433 in 2016.

Initiative 1433 increases the minimum wage annually until it reaches $13.50 in 2020. Thereafter, starting Jan. 1, 2021, minimum wage increases are to be calculated by using a formula tied to the Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W).

Notable aspects of Washington’s minimum wage law include,

• it applies to workers in both agriculture and non-agricultural jobs
• tips do not count toward a worker’s minimum wage
• employers can pay workers under the age of 16 (14- and 15-years-old), 85% of the minimum wage, $10.20, after January 1st.

According to Wikipedia, as of January 2018, there were 29 states with a minimum wage higher than the federal minimum wage of $7.25 with Washington state having the highest state minimum wage at $11.50 per hour, but still following the District of Columbia’s at $13.25.