The Seattle Office for Civil Rights recently released its proposed rules for Seattle’s $15 per hour minimum wage ordinance. These administrative rules attempt to clarify initial issues raised with the ordinance, such as when employees must be paid the City’s minimum wage when working in Seattle on an “occasional basis,” which employees are exempt from the City’s minimum wage, and when “service charges” for hospitality employees are considered part of the employee’s wage.

The City Office for Civil Rights is accepting public comments on the proposed rules until Friday, March 6, 2015. The rules will become final at an undisclosed time after this deadline for public comments.

The first increase in the City’s minimum wage begins on April 1, 2015. On that date, the minimum wage will be $11 per hour. The minimum wage will eventually rise to $15 per hour, phased in over time.

For additional information concerning this topic or any other labor and employment issue, please contact any of our attorneys directly at (206) 447-0182 or info@davisgrimmpayne.com.