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Breaking Down Employment Law Compliance in Washington

Navigating employment law compliance in Washington requires a sharp eye for detail. With a mix of state-specific regulations, local ordinances, and frequent updates, staying compliant can quickly become complex. Below, we break down key statistics to help you better understand the challenges—and opportunities—of managing compliance in the Evergreen State.

Labor Law Posters
Minimum Wage
Pay Transparency
Paid Leave
Meal & Rest Breaks
Reduce Risk

Exploring Washington’s Labor Law Poster Stats

Washington is the middle ground when it comes to the west coast for labor law posters.

combined cities and counties in washington with minimum wages outside the federal is 16

Combined cities and counties with jurisdiction specific labor law posters

24 is the state level labor law posters in washington

Number of Washington state-level labor law posters as of May 2025

9 mandatory labor law poster updates took place in 2024

Total mandatory labor law poster updates in Washington in 2024

Minimum Wage in Washington: A Patchwork of Complexity

Washington’s minimum wage remains the highest in the nation and is currently set at $16.66 as of Jan. 1, 2025.

7 cities have minimum wage rates in washington

Cities in Washington have their own minimum wage rate

6 cities in washington have minimum wage rates above 20 dollars

Number of cities in Washington that have a minimum wage above $20

$16.66 is the highest state minimum wage in the u.s. and it's washington state's minimum wage as of May 2025

The Washington state minimum wage rate is the highest in the U.S.

Washington’s Pay Transparency Uncovered

Salary Ranges

Salary ranges must be included in job posts for companies with 15 or more workers

Internal Employees

3 items to note: Washington employers must provide salary range or wage scale upon request to employees offered a new position, promotion, or internal transfer

Highlighting Washington’s Paid Leave

Like California and Oregon, Washington has both paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave (PFML).

number of cities in washington with paid sick leave laws is 3

Total number of cities in Washington with their own paid sick leave laws

40 hours is the amount of hours an employee in washington needs to work to accrue 1 hour of paid sick leave

The total number of hours an employee must work to earn an hour of paid sick leave in Washington

820 hours an employee must work during the qualifying period to be covered under PFML in the state of washington

The number of hours an employee must work during the qualifying period to be covered under PFML

Mastering Washington’s Meal & Rest Breaks

Meal Breaks

For shifts of five hours or longer, employees are entitled to a 30-minute meal break

Short Breaks

Employees are entitled to 10-minutes of rest for every four hours worked

Where to next…

BACK TO RESOURCES WEST COAST COMPLIANCE GUIDE

Don’t Let Washington Compliance Catch You Off Guard

Employment law in Washington isn’t just complex—it’s constantly evolving. Between statewide policies, city-specific ordinances, and emerging trends like pay transparency, HR teams have a lot to juggle. Whether you’re managing a handful of locations or a nationwide footprint that includes Washington, staying compliant here takes more than just good intentions. Our platform simplifies the process, giving you the clarity and confidence to keep moving forward—without second-guessing every update.

Updated May 2025. Copyright © 2025 GovDocs, Inc. GovDocs is a registered trademark of GovDocs, Inc. This content is intended for market awareness only. It is not to be used for legal advice or counsel.