New minimum wage & more Washington laws going into effect in 2025

Some people ring in the new year with resolutions for going to the gym or finally learning Spanish. Along with new resolutions, Washingtonians will have several new laws go into effect today.

Higher state minimum wage

The state is raising its minimum wage to $16.66 an hour in 2025, a 38-cent increase from 2024 ($16.28 per hour), due to increased housing and food costs as calculated by the state Department of Labor & Industries.

Washington had the highest state-level minimum wage in the nation in 2024 (Washington D.C.’s wage is $17), though the federal wage is still $7.25.

Cities and counties in the state, however, can set their own higher minimum wages. In May the King County Council approved $20.29 an hour for unincorporated King County, one of the highest in the country. In Seattle, the minimum wage will be $20.76 regardless of the size of a company, and employers cannot count tips or payments toward medical benefits as part of the minimum wage.

https://www.cascadepbs.org/news/2025/01/new-minimum-wage-more-washington-laws-going-effect-2025