March 19 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Minimum wage and piece-rate wages links
Opportunity Washington has a good blog post on Seattle’s fast-growing high-end incomes, which have “fueled the urban momentum for minimum wage hikes.” It concludes: “Expanding opportunity – including the opportunity to advance beyond minimum wage employment – should continue to be policymakers’ highest priority.” There was a bit of a kerfuffle this week in the […]
March 18 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Franchisees and Seattle's minimum wage ordinance
Yesterday a federal judge denied a preliminary injunction of part of Seattle’s minimum wage ordinance that had been sought by franchisees. The minimum wage ordinance takes effect on April 1; it would gradually increase the city’s minimum wage to $15, and small employers have more time to get there. The ordinance classifies franchisees as large […]
March 13 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Senate would lower age floor for voluntary workers' compensation settlements
On Tuesday, the Senate passed ESB 5513. As amended, the bill would allow workers who are at least 40 years old to voluntarily agree to a structured settlement of their workers’ compensation claims. Washington has allowed limited, voluntary settlement agreements since 2011; but, currently, a worker must be at least 53 years old to settle. […]
March 12 , 2015 - Emily Makings
March 09 , 2015 - Emily Makings
March 09 , 2015 - Emily Makings
New brief: Mandating Paid Sick Leave in Washington
We have a new policy brief today: Mandating Paid Sick Leave in Washington. Briefly: HB 1356 would require employers statewide to provide a paid sick and safe time benefit. The amount of leave would be dependent on the size of the employer. All businesses with more than four FTEs would be affected. Employees could use […]
March 05 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Teenagers, athletes, and the minimum wage
On Tuesday, the House passed HB 1355, which would increase the state minimum wage to $12. (See our special report for more.) As Jim Camden of the Spokesman-Review notes, House Republicans tried repeatedly to change the bill, offering 13 amendments for things like lower teen wages, taking a longer look at inflation or varying the […]
February 26 , 2015 - Emily Makings
Rules proposed for Seattle's minimum wage
The City of Seattle has released proposed rules for implementation of the $15 minimum wage. According to the Seattle Times, the public comment period is open until March 6. The minimum wage ordinance takes effect April 1; it will gradually increase the minimum wage in Seattle to $15 (and index it to inflation) depending on […]
February 24 , 2015 - Emily Makings