Washington State’s minimum wage will increase to $13.69 per hour on January 1, 2021. Additionally, the state’s new overtime pay thresholds for executive, administrative, and professional employees take effect January 1, 2021:
- For employers with 1-50 employees: An exempt employee must earn a salary of at least 1.5 times the minimum wage, or $821.40 a week ($42,712.80/year).
- For employers with 51 or more employees: An exempt employee must earn a salary of at least 1.75 times the minimum wage, or $958.30 a week ($49,831.60/year).
- For computer professionals paid by the hour: see this table.
Washington State employers must abide by the new state overtime pay thresholds because the state’s standards are higher than the federal standard of $684/week ($35,568/year). The Department of Labor & Industries has several tools to help employers navigate the new standard: a resource page with important information; an online course; and a schedule of upcoming webinars. (David Streeter, DavidS@wsha.org)
