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Dec
11

Living wage ordinance

Alert

In accordance with Ordinance 19762 and K.C.C. 2.94.000, starting January 1, 2025, contractors and their subcontractors awarded contracts valued at $100,000 or more must pay a minimum hourly wage of $20.29. This rate will increase annually based on the inflation rate, rounded to the nearest cent, starting January 1 of each subsequent year.

Companies that fail to pay living wages may be subject to: (1) Disqualification from bidding on a King County contract; (2) Damages and termination of a contract.

The below Schedule 1 and Schedule 1 minimum wage rates remain in effect through December 31, 2024.

Contractors (and their subcontractors) awarded a contract valued $100,000 or more must pay a living wage to their employees. Wages are based on the company’s total number of employees.

Companies that fail to pay living wages may be subject to: (1) Disqualification from bidding on a King County contract; (2) Damages and termination of a contract.

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Schedule 1 Employer (more than 500 employees)
  Minimum Wage
(no paid health care) 		Minimum Wage
(with paid health care)
2016 $13.00 per hour $12.50 per hour
2017 $15.00 per hour $13.50 per hour
2018* $15.50 per hour $15.00 per hour
2019 $16.03 per hour Starting in 2019, all Schedule 1 employees will get equal minimum wages.
2020 $16.31 per hour --
2021 $16.53 per hour --
2022 $17.27 per hour --
2023 $18.69 per hour --
2024 $19.97 per hour --
* Starting in 2018, increases match inflation for schedule 1 employers with no paid health care.

 

Schedule 2 Employer (fewer than 500 employees)
  Minimum Wage Minimum Total Compensation
(including paid health care or extra wages)
2016 $10.50 per hour $12.00 per hour
2017 $11.00 per hour $13.00 per hour
2018* $11.50 per hour $14.00 per hour
2019 $12.00 per hour $15.00 per hour
2020 $13.50 per hour $15.75 per hour
2021 $15.00 per hour Starting in 2021, Schedule 2 total compensation will equal the Schedule 1 minimum wage.
2022 $15.75 per hour --
2023 $15.50 per hour --
2024 $17.25 per hour --
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