Washington's Minimum Wage Increases To $13.50

OLYMPIA, WA — Washington's minimum wage workers get a raise on New Year's Day, as the final increase approved by voters in 2016 goes into effect. The new statewide minimum wage is set at $13.50 and applies to all workers ages 16 and older. According to the Department of Labor & Industries, employers are permitted to pay workers between 14 and 15 years old 85 percent of the minimum wage. The Employment Security Department estimates the raise will apply to almost 190,000 positions.

Voters approved the gradual minimum wage increase via Initiative 1433 in 2016. After the final increase, further changes to the minimum wage will be calculated based on the Consumer Price Index annually.

According to the Associated Press, in cities where the minimum wage is already higher — like Seattle and SeaTac — the local minimum wage rates will still apply. Seattle's minimum wage is $15 an hour for smaller employers and $16 for large employers. SeaTac's is minimum wage is $15.64 an hour.

More than 20 states will boost their minimum wages in the New Year. The federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour has remained unchanged since 2009.

In addition to the minimum wage increase, updated federal overtime rules go into effect on Jan. 1, boosting the minimum salary threshold for exempt employees to $35,568, up from $23,660. This year, Washington also adopted some of the strongest overtime protections in the country, which are set to be phased in over the next decade.