labor lawAdivision of labor law center

Employers have received fair warning from theWashington Division of Labor & Industry that they must update Washington labor law posters before January 1, 2009. The agency reports that a number of companies are not in compliance. In particular, several have neglected to update their federal labor law posters since the increase on July 24, 2008.

 

Although the Washington minimum wage is higher than the federal minimum wage, federal law still requires that Washington employers prominently display the federal poster, as well as state posters.

 

The required Washington labor law posters include:  

• Unemployment Insurance
• Employee Rights for Non Agricultural Workers
• Employee Rights for Agricultural Workers
• Washington Family Medical Leave
• Workers’ Compensation Notice
• Discrimination Notice
• Washington OSHA - Safety and Health Protection
• Washington Minimum Wage 

These 8 posters address a variety of issues in the workplace, from the state family leave law, to minimum wage and worker safety.

 

When the Washington state minimum wage increases from $8.07 to $8.55 on January 1, 2009, every poster in the state will become obsolete, according to the Washington Department of Labor and Industries.

 

The Washington minimum wage has varied from $1.16 in 1961 to the current rate of $8.07 per hour. The current 48-cent increase is the second largest year-over-year increase. The highest was between 1999 and 2000, when the state minimum wage increased 80 cents, from $5.70 to $6.50 per hour.

 

At $8.55, the Washington minimum wage will once again be the highest in the land. The second highest will be in Oregon, where the minimum wage jumps 45 cents from $7.95 to $8.40 per hour. In Massachusetts and California, the minimum wage is $8.00 per hour, with no plans to increase in the near future.

 

Most Washington employees are entitled to overtime after working 40 hours in a single payroll week. Employers can make overtime mandatory for almost all Washington employees, except some registered nurses and licensed practical nurses.

 

There are some exceptions to the Washington overtime laws including newspaper carriers, agricultural workers and fire protection workers.  

 

 

 

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