Minimum Wage and Salary Thresholds for Overtime Exempt Workers – 2023 Washington

2022-12-18

Starting January 1, 2023, the Washington State minimum wage will increase to $15.74 an hour.  This is up $1.25, or an 8.66% increase, from the 2022 minimum wage of $14.49 per hour.  Due to the change, the 2023 salary thresholds for overtime exempt workers will also increase; specifically, to be exempt from overtime pay, an employee needs to be paid at least $1,101.80 per week ($57,293.60 annually).  If employers have 51 employees or more, their exempt employees must be paid at least $1,259.20 per week ($65,478.40 annually).  The following is the salary threshold implementation schedule issued by the Department of Labor and Industry in September 2022:

  Effective Date 2020/7/1 2021/1/1 2022/1/1 2023/1/1 2024/1/1 2025/1/1 2026/1/1 2027/1/1 2028/1/1
Employers with 1-50 Employees Minimum Wage Multiplier 1.25 1.5 1.75 1.75 2 2 2.25 2.25 2.5
Weekly ($) 675 821.40 1,014.30 1,101.80 1,332.00 1,362.40 1,557.00 1,584.90 1,794.00
Annual ($) 35,100.00 42,712.00 52,743.60 57,293.60 69,264.00 70,884.80 80,964.00 82,414.80 93,288.00
Employers with 50+ Employees Minimum Wage Multiplier 1.25 1.75 1.75 2 2 2.25 2.25 2.5 2.5
Weekly ($) 675.00 958.30 1,014.30 1,259.20 1,332.00 1,532.70 1,557.00 1,761.00 1,794.00
Annual ($) 35,100.00 49,831.00 52,743.60 65,478.40 69,246.00 79,700.40 80,964.00 91,572.00 93,288.00

Computer professionals paid on an hourly basis may be exempt from overtime payment.  Those exempt employees must be paid at least 3.5 times the minimum wage or $55.09 per hour in 2023, regardless of employer size.

Seattle’s 2023 minimum wage will increase $1.42 to $18.69 per hour.  However, if the number of employees is 500 or less, and if employers pay at least $2.19 per hour for the employee’s medical benefits and/or employees earn at least $2.19 per hour in tips, the minimum wage of $16.50 will apply.  Seattle’s 2023 workplace poster, including its 2023 minimum wage (see the links below), has been released. Employers need to post the revised version in employer’s workplaces where employees can see and read it.

SeaTac’s minimum wage in 2023 for transportation and hospitality workers will be $19.06 per hour, increasing $1.52 from the previous year.

Employers are encouraged to review their employees’ wages and/or salaries and their status of overtime exempt or non-exempt to comply with the new minimum wage(s) and overtime pay rules.

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