Seattle Wage Theft Ordinance

This ordinance requires employers to pay all compensation owed to employees on a regular pay day, and to provide written notice to employees about their pay information and rights.

Summary

Seattle’s Wage Theft Ordinance went into effect on April 1, 2015.

The Wage Theft Ordinance provides protections against wage theft by requiring payment for all compensation owed for work performed within Seattle city limits, requirement payment on a regular pay day, and to provide certain written notice to employees about their pay information and rights. The ordinance requires employers to:

Pay all compensation owed to employees on a regular pay day that occurs no longer than every month. Compensation includes, but is not limited to: wages, tips, and reimbursements for employer expenses.

Provide written notice to employees each time wages and tips are paid. The notice must detail employees’ hours worked (regular and overtime shown separately), gross wages and tips, rate(s) of pay, pay basis and all deductions.

Provide written “notice of employment information” to employees containing the employer’s name, physical address and contact information, pay rate(s), pay basis, regular pay day and tip policies. This information must be provided at time of hire and each time information changes and must be provided in English, Spanish and other languages commonly spoken at a given work site.

Display the annual Labor Standards Workplace Poster in English, Spanish, and other languages commonly spoken at the worksite. This poster provides notice to employees of their rights under this ordinance.

Provide the “notice of employment information” in English, Spanish and other languages commonly spoken at a given work site.

Keep payroll records for no less than 3 years for employees covered under the ordinance.

Many of these requirements already exist under Washington State’s minimum wage and wage payment laws.

In addition to the Seattle Wage Theft Ordinance, workers inside Seattle City Limits are covered by a wide range of other laws. Please contact us today if you have any questions and for your Free Wage Theft Consultation or Free Consultation regarding any of the Seattle’s Labor Standards.

To Read the Ordinance Click Here – Ordinance SMC: 14.20

For Frequent Questions and Answers regarding the Seattle Wage Theft Ordinance Click Here – Wage Theft Ordinance Q&A

In addition to the Seattle Wage Theft Ordinance there are many other protections for employees in Seattle. As these are complex and change frequently, please consult with an experienced Seattle Wage and Hour Attorney like those at the NL Law Firm. Call Today for your Free Consultation.

SEATTLE LABOR LAWS

Seattle Worker Protections

Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance (PSST)

Requires employers to provide paid leave for absences due to medical conditions, domestic violence, or other critical safety issues.

Fair Chance Employment Ordinance (FCE)

Restricts how employers can use conviction and arrest records during the hiring process and course of employment.

Minimum Wage Ordinance (MW)

Establishes a minimum hourly wage that rises with the annual rate of inflation.

Wage Theft Ordinance (WT)

Requires employers to pay all compensation owed to workers (including wages and tips).

Commuter Benefits Ordinance (CBO)

Requires employers to provide commuter benefits pre-tax.

Secure Scheduling Ordinance (SS)

Establishes predictable scheduling requirements for large retail and food service establishments.

Hotel Employee Protections

Hotel Safety Protections Ordinance

Requires employers to take measures to prevent, address, and respond to violent or harassing guest conduct.

Improving Access to Medical Care Ordinance

Requires employers to make monthly healthcare expenditures to, or on behalf of, covered employees to increase their access to medical care.

Hotel Employees Job Retention Ordinance

Requires employers to provide advanced notice to covered employees of changes in ownership and requires the incoming employer to retain covered employees for a certain time after the change in ownership.

Protecting Hotel Employees from Injury Ordinance

Restricts the workload of hourly employees who clean the guest rooms of a covered hotel or motel to reduce the frequency and occurrence of injuries associated with room cleaning.

Domestic Workers Protections

Domestic Workers Ordinance (DWO)

Establishes protections for independent contractors and employees who provide domestic services in and around the homes of Seattle families.

Independent Contractor Protections

Independent Contractor Protections Ordinance (Effective September 2022)

Requires hiring entities to provide independent contractors with disclosures prior to entering a contract and at the time of payment and to provide timely payment.

TIME LIMITED PROTECTIONS

Grocery Employee Hazard Pay Ordinance

This temporary law requires grocery businesses in Seattle to pay hazard pay of $4 per hour to their employees during the COVID-19 civil emergency.

Gig Worker Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance

Requires covered Transportation Network Companies and Food Delivery Network Companies to give gig workers access to paid sick and safe time. Gig workers are entitled to this protection until 180 days after the end of the COVID-19 civil emergency.

Gig Worker Premium Pay Ordinance

Requires covered Food Delivery Network Companies to pay gig workers additional compensation during the COVID-19 civil emergency. A gig worker must receive at least $2.50 per delivery order where there is either a pick-up or drop-off in Seattle. For the same order, an additional $1.25 is owed for each additional pick-up or drop-off in Seattle. The premium pay will expire after the COVID-19 civil emergency ends.

Transportation Network Company (TNC) Driver Protections**

TNC Minimum Compensation Ordinance**

Requires TNCs like Uber and Lyft to provide a minimum guaranteed per-trip payment and other protections for drivers.

TNC Driver Deactivation Rights Ordinance**

Protects drivers from unwarranted deactivation, grants a right to challenge unwarranted deactivations, and creates a Driver Resolution Center to provide support services to assist drivers to access their labor standards rights.

Fact Sheets and Guides

Click on these links to Download Fact Sheets related to Seattle’s Wage and Hour laws as they relate to different types of employment.

OLS Fact Sheet

Cannabis Employee Job Retention Fact Sheet

Commuter Benefits Fact Sheet

COVID-19 Gig Worker Premium Pay Ordinance Fact Sheet

COVID-19 Gig Worker Paid Sick and Safe Time Fact Sheet

COVID-19 Grocery Employee Hazard Pay Fact Sheet

2024 Domestic Worker Notice of

Domestic Worker Ordinance Informational Booklet

Fair Chance Employment Fact Sheet

Hotel Protections from Injury Ordinance Fact Sheet

Hotel Job Retention Ordinance Fact Sheet

Hotel Safety Protections Ordinance Fact Sheet

Improving Access to Medical Care for Hotel Employees Fact Sheet

Independent Contractor Protections Fact Sheet

2024 Minimum Wage Fact Sheet

Paid Sick and Safe Time Fact Sheet

Secure Scheduling Fact Sheet

Wage Theft Fact Sheet

Wage Theft Fact Sheet: Meal and Rest Breaks

Wage Theft Fact Sheet: Service Charges

Please note that Employment Law related to these laws is complex and changes frequently. Do not attempt to go it alone. Get an Employment Law Advocate on your side. Call us today for your Free Consultation.

Please Note:
You do not need to come up with money to start your case, because in Washington, your employer pays your legal fees. If you don’t win, you don’t pay. If you do win, we are paid a fraction of whatever we recover for you. This arrangement is called a contingent fee agreement.

You do not need to come to our office for us to handle your case. We are able to work with anyone in the State without them coming to our firm because we can do everything using the phone, email, and Zoom or other video conferencing if needed.

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Seattle Wage Theft Ordinance

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