Disclaimer: This post is for informational purposes only and should not be taken as legal, business, or tax advice. Please consult with your accountant or business advisor for more information based on your specific situation.
Washington’s Department of Labor & Industries (L&I) has announced a statewide increase in the minimum wage for 2025. If you’re an employer in Washington state with employees currently earning minimum wage, you will need to update your payroll beginning January 1, 2025.
Washington State Minimum Wage in 2025
The Washington State minimum wage will increase to $16.66 per hour in 2025, up 2.35% from $16.28 per hour in 2024. L&I makes adjustments to minimum wage each year by factoring cost-of-living based on the federal Consumer Price Index for Urban Wage Earners and Clerical Workers (CPI-W). As an employer, it’s important to plan ahead to ensure your payroll is updated with the new rate. Failure to comply could result in penalties or fines.
The following cities have set a minimum wage higher than the state:
Seattle
SeaTac
Tukwila
Renton
Burien
Bellingham
City of Bellingham Minimum Wage in 2025
If your business operates in Bellingham or employs workers within the city limits, there’s an additional minimum wage requirement. As a result of Initiative No. 2023-01, passed on November 7, 2023, you must pay your employees at least $1.00 more than the state minimum wage. This means that the minimum wage in Bellingham will be $17.66 per hour beginning January 1, 2025.
City of Bellingham Minimum Wage Update beginning May 1, 2025
There’s also a mid-year change to plan for if you have employees in Bellingham. Beginning May 1, 2025, the minimum wage for employees in Bellingham will increase to $18.66 per hour, $2.00 above the state minimum wage.
Payroll Processing Service in Bellingham, WA
Need help processing your payroll and keeping up with the ever-changing local and state requirements? At Summit Bookkeeping, we offer payroll processing as part of our full-charge bookkeeping services, making it easy for businesses to stay on top of payroll compliance. Give us a call at (360) 756-5020 to learn more about how we can help you with your bookkeeping and payroll needs!