$15 Minimum Wage

A growing number of cities, including Seattle, are examining the costs and benefits of implementing citywide minimum wage laws. Citywide minimum wage laws offer local governments a powerful tool for helping low-income workers and families in their communities. Such measures also have significant impact on businesses and how they operate.

Shortly after taking office, Mayor Murray formed the Income Inequality Advisory Committee (IIAC) to address a cornerstone priority of an opportunity agenda: a meaningful increase in the compensation for Seattle workers. The committee, which represented broad and diverse perspectives, was charged with delivering an actionable set of recommendations for increasing the minimum wage within the city of Seattle.

On May 1, 2014, Mayor Murray announced that the committee — comprised of representatives from labor, business, and non-profits — had reached agreement on those recommendations.

LATEST INFORMATION

Seattle’s new Minimum Wage Ordinance will take effect on April 1, 2015. Please visit our Minimum Wage Ordinance page for information on administrative rules and implementation timeline.

PASSED LEGISLATION

The new minimum wage legislation passed by Seattle City Council and signed into law by Mayor Murray provides for an increase in the minimum wage in the City of Seattle to $15 an hour, phased in over time, beginning April 2015:

Small employers (businesses with fewer than 500 employees) will reach a $15 an hour minimum wage in seven years. Also established is a temporary guaranteed minimum compensation responsibility of $15 an hour to be met within the first five years, which can be achieved by combining employer-paid health care contributions, consumer-paid tips, and employer-paid wages.
Large employers (businesses with 500 or more employees, either in Seattle or nationally) will reach $15 per hour in three years. The wages of employees who receive health care benefits will reach $15 per hour in four years.

Schedule 1 employers (more than 500 employees in the U.S.)

Schedule 1 employers shall pay each employee an hourly minimum wage of at least:

$11.00 by April 1, 2015
$13.00 by January 1, 2016
$15.00 by January 1, 2017

Effective January 1, 2018, the hourly minimum wage paid by a Schedule 1 employer shall be increased annually on a percentage basis to reflect the rate of inflation and calculated to the nearest cent on January 1 of each year thereafter

Schedule 1 employers (more than 500 employees in the U.S.) with medical benefits

Schedule 1 employers that pay toward an individual employee’s medical benefits plan shall pay an hourly minimum wage of at least:

$11.00 by April 1, 2015
$12.50 by January 1, 2016
$13.50 by January 1, 2017
$15.00 by January 1, 2018

Schedule 2 employers (500 or fewer employees in the U.S.)

Schedule 2 employers shall pay each employee an hourly minimum wage of at least:

$10.00 by April 1, 2015
$10.50 by January 1, 2016
$11.00 by January 1, 2017
$11.50 by January 1, 2018
$12.00 by January 1, 2019
$13.50 by January 1, 2020
$15.00 by January 1, 2021
$15.75 by January 1, 2022
$16.50 by January 1, 2023
$17.25 by January 1, 2024

Effective January 1, 2025, the hourly minimum wage paid by a Schedule 1 employer shall equal the hourly minimum wage applicable to Schedule 1 employers.

Schedule 2 employers (500 or fewer employees in the U.S.) with minimum compensation

Schedule 2 employers shall pay an hourly minimum compensation that is the lower of (a) the applicable hourly minimum wage for Schedule 1 employers or (b) the hourly minimum compensation shown in the following schedule:

$11.00 by April 1, 2015
$12.00 by January 1, 2016
$13.00 by January 1, 2017
$14.00 by January 1, 2018
$15.00 by January 1, 2019
$15.75 by January 1, 2020

Schedule 2 employers can meet the applicable hourly minimum compensation requirement through wages (including applicable commissions, piece-rate, and bonuses), tips, and money paid by an employer towards an individual employee’s medical benefits plan provided that the Schedule 2 employer also meets the applicable hourly minimum wage requirements.

Effective January 1, 2025, minimum compensation will no longer be applicable.

CHARTS

RESEARCH

Two studies were commissioned by the committee that were conducted by Marieka Klawitter, Robert Plotnick, and Mark Long from the University of Washington’s Evans School of Public Affairs; and Ken Jacobs, Michael Reich, and Annette Bernhardt from the Institute for Research on Labor and Employment at the University of California, Berkeley.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

David Rolf (co-chair), SEIU 775NW
Howard Wright (co-chair), Seattle Hospitality Group
Seattle City Councilmember Nick Licata
Seattle City Councilmember Bruce Harrell
Seattle City Councilmember Kshama Sawant
Janet Ali, Nucor Steel
Sarah Cherin, UFCW 21
Maud Daudon, Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce
Craig Dawson, Retail Lockbox
Bob Donegan, Ivar’s Restaurant
David Freiboth, Dr. Martin Luther King County Labor Council
Joe Fugere, Tutta Bella
Audrey Haberman, Philanthropy Northwest
Nick Hanauer, Second Avenue Partners
Pramila Jayapal, Center for Community Change
Eric Liu, Citizen University
Gordon McHenry, Solid Ground
Dave Meinart, Onto Entertainment
Craig Schafer, Hotel Andra
Diane Sosne, SEIU Healthcare 1199NW
Nicole Vallestero Keenan, Puget Sound Sage
David Watkins, Seattle Hotel Association
Michael Wells, Capitol Hill Chamber of Commerce
Ronald Wilkowski, Financial Services

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

These Frequently Asked Questions addresses some of the most common questions about the minimum wage ordinance and will be updated regularly.

General provisions

What does the ordinance do?

Seattle City Ordinance No. 124490 establishes minimum wage and compensation rates for employees performing work in Seattle. The ordinance also prescribes penalties, remedies and enforcement procedures.

When does the minimum wage ordinance take effect?

The ordinance will take effect on April 1, 2015.

Which City department is responsible for administering and enforcing this ordinance?

The newly-created Office of Labor Standards is responsible for administering and enforcing the Ordinance.

Employees Covered

Which employees are covered by the Ordinance?

Employees are covered for each hour worked within Seattle city limits.

Does the Ordinance cover employees based outside of Seattle who work in Seattle on an occasional basis?

Yes, the Ordinance applies to “occasional basis employees” – employees who work primarily outside of Seattle, but who work inside the city limits on an ad hoc, irregular basis.

Employees who occasionally work in Seattle are covered if they perform more than two hours of work for an employer within Seattle during that two-week period.

Employees who spend time in Seattle solely for the purpose of travelling through Seattle from a point of origin outside Seattle to a destination outside Seattle, with no employment-related or commercial stops in Seattle except for refueling or the employee’s personal meals or errands are not covered.

Who is responsible for tracking the hours of an occasional basis employee: the employer or the employee?

Employers may require their employees to track their own hours – especially if the employee’s work involves frequent passages in and outside Seattle city limits. Employers ultimately are responsible for providing employees with information about the Ordinance and ensuring that employees know how track their hours and have the means to do it.

Are employers required to pay the Seattle minimum wage to individuals exempt from the state minimum wage?

No. Certain categories of workers, such as independent contractors, are exceptions to the state minimum wage. For further information on these categories of workers, please consult the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries.

Employers Covered

Which employers are covered by the Ordinance?

All employers with employees performing work in Seattle are covered by the Ordinance. An employer’s specific minimum wage schedule requirement depends on the number of employees:

Schedule 1: employers that employ more than 500 employees in the United States, regardless of where those employees are employed in the United States, and all franchisees that employ more than 500 employees in aggregate in the United States
Schedule 2: employers that employ 500 or fewer employees regardless of where those employees are employed in the United States.

How do I determine the number of employees in my company?

The determination of the number of employees will be calculated based upon the average number of employees employed per calendar week during the preceding calendar year for any week where at least one employee worked. All employees are counted, including:

Full-time employees
Part-time employees
Temporary employees
Employees who work outside of Seattle

How do new employers determine the number of employees?

For employers that did not have any employees during the previous calendar year, the employer schedule will be calculated based upon the average number of employees employed per calendar week during the first 90 calendar days of the current year of business.

If an employer has both Seattle and out-of-state employees, does the employer need to count all employees to determine tier size?

Yes. To determine the appropriate schedule, employers must count all employees (full-time, part-time, and/or temporary) who perform work both in Seattle and anywhere in the United States.

An entrepreneur owns a hair salon, a barber shop, and a café as separate businesses. To determine schedule, should the employer consider each of these businesses as completely separate from one another, or do they count as one business?

Separate entities that form an integrated enterprise are considered to be a single employer under the Ordinance. To help decide this question, employers should assess the degree of control exercised by one entity over the operation of another entity. The factors in this assessment include, but are not limited to:

Degree of interrelation between the operations;
Degree to which the entities share common management;
Centralized control of labor relations; and/or
Degree of common ownership or financial control over the entities.

There will be a presumption that separate entities, which may share some degree of interrelated operations and common management with one another, will be considered separate employers as long as (1) the separate legal entities operate substantially in separate physical locations, and (2) each separate legal entity has partially different ultimate ownership.

Wages and Compensation

What is included in the definition of “wages” in the minimum wage?

Wages include salary, hourly pay, piece rate, commissions, and non-discretionary performance bonuses. Tips and employer payments toward a medical benefits plan are not considered wages.

What is included in the minimum compensation requirement for Schedule 2 employers?

Minimum compensation means the minimum wage in addition to tips actually received by the employee and reported to the Internal Revenue Service, and money paid by the employer towards an individual employee’s qualifying medical benefits plan.

What are the minimum requirements for a qualifying medical benefits plan to be included in minimum compensation?

In order for medical plan payments to be included in minimum compensation, the medical benefits plan must be the equivalent of a “Silver” plan or higher as defined in the federal Affordable Care Act, and the employee actually must receive the qualifying medical benefits.

Are there instances where employers may be allowed to offer subminimum wages to employees?

The FAS Director shall have the authority to issue a special certificate authorizing an employer to pay a wage less than the Seattle minimum wage but above the Washington State minimum wage. Such special certificates shall only be available for the categories of workers defined in RCW 49.46.060 (http://apps.leg.wa.gov/rcw/default.aspx?cite=49.46.060) and shall be subject to such limitations as to time, number, proportion, and length of service as the Director shall prescribe.

But in order to receive a special certificate, an applicant must secure a letter of recommendation from the Washington State Department of Labor and Industries stating that the applicant has a demonstrated need pursuant to WAC 296-128 (http://apps.leg.wa.gov/wac/default.aspx?cite=296-128-010).

The FAS Director will by rule establish the minimum wage for employees under the age of eighteen years, provided that any percentage of the hourly rate established by rule shall not be lower than the percentage applicable under state statutes and regulations.

Minimum Wage and Compensation Schedules

What are the minimum wage requirements for Schedule 1 employers?

For Schedule 1 employers, the required hourly minimum wage steps up to $15 per hour in three years for employers that do not pay towards qualifying medical plan payments.

However, the required hourly minimum steps up to $15 per hour in four years if the employer provides qualifying medical plan payments. Qualifying medical plan payments must be for the equivalent of a Silver plan or higher as defined in the federal Affordable Care Act.

Schedule 1 employers that do not pay towards qualifying medical plan payments shall pay each employee an hourly minimum wage of at least:

$11.00 by April 1, 2015
$13.00 by January 1, 2016
$15.00 by January 1, 2017

Schedule 1 employers that pay towards qualifying employee’s medical benefits plan shall pay an hourly minimum wage of at least:

$11.00 by April 1, 2015
$12.50 by January 1, 2016
$13.50 by January 1, 2017
$15.00 by January 1, 2018

What are the minimum wage and minimum compensation requirements for Schedule 2 employers?

Schedule 2 employers have a longer phase-in period to $15 per hour, and they must meet two requirements in each pay period: minimum wage and minimum compensation. Hourly minimum compensation includes the hourly minimum wage plus tips and qualifying medical plan payments.

Schedule 2 employers shall pay each employee an hourly minimum wage of at least:

$10.00 by April 1, 2015
$10.50 by January 1, 2016
$11.00 by January 1, 2017
$11.50 by January 1, 2018
$12.00 by January 1, 2019
$13.50 by January 1, 2020
$15.00 by January 1, 2021
$15.75 by January 1, 2022
$16.50 by January 1, 2023
$17.25 by January 1, 2024

Effective January 1, 2025, the hourly minimum wage paid by a Schedule 2 employer shall equal the hourly minimum wage applicable to Schedule 1 employers.

$11.00 by April 1, 2015
$12.00 by January 1, 2016
$13.00 by January 1, 2017
$14.00 by January 1, 2018
$15.00 by January 1, 2019
$15.75 by January 1, 2020

Effective January 1, 2025, minimum compensation will no longer be applicable.

Requirements, Penalties, and Enforcement

What are employers’ notice and posting requirements?

Employers are required to provide employees with notice of (1) the entitlement to minimum wage and minimum compensation, (2) the prohibition against retaliation and (3) the ability to file a complaint if the minimum wage or minimum compensation is not paid or the employee is retaliated against.

How can employers comply with the notice requirements?

Employers may comply with the notice requirements of this Ordinance by:

Including a paper or electronic copy of notice in employee handbooks or other written guidance.
Distributing a notice to each new employee at the time of hire.
Displaying a poster (in English, Spanish and any other languages commonly spoken by employees at the particular workplace) that will be created by FAS in a conspicuous and accessible place in the workplace.

What are employer record-keeping requirements?

Employers shall retain payroll records pertaining to covered employees for a period of three years documenting minimum wages and minimum compensation paid to each employee.

What happens if an employer retaliates against an employee?

Retaliation is illegal. Employers are prohibited from taking an adverse action or discriminating against employees who assert their rights to minimum wage and minimum compensation in good faith.

What are the penalties for failure to pay minimum wage and minimum compensation?

In addition to payment of unpaid wages, proposed monetary penalties are consistent with the City’s existing labor standards laws and are as follows:

Failure to provide notice of the appropriate minimum wage and minimum compensation is a civil penalty of $125 first violation and $250 subsequent violations
Interference with the Director in administering, or implementing the requirements in this ordinance is a violation and carries a civil penalty between $1,000 and $5,000.
Failure to pay minimum wage and minimum compensation:
- Warning for first violation and may assess a civil penalty of $500;
- A civil penalty of up to $1000 per employee for second violation;
- Maximum of $5,000 for third violation;
- Maximum of $20,000 for violation of this chapter.

Which City department is responsible for enforcing this ordinance?

The Department of Finance and Administrative Services is responsible for administering and enforcing the Ordinance.

106 comments

Newest | Oldest

thekeenblogger

Thanks your content was amazing it was worth reading, i will subscribe my Gmail account to your site so that i can stick to your posts more often. Lack of protein hair loss is another important cause of the hair loss. It can be taken over by eating fish, meat, eggs, and animals.

For more visit: http://hairloss.co.com/lack-of-protein-and-hair-loss/

hlemo_com

https://www.hlemo.com/

https://www.hlemo.com/mpv-blood-test

http://www.hlemo.com/nasacort-vs-flonase-effective-relief-spring

http://www.hlemo.com/strattera-vs-adderall

catherineaird82

This written piece gives fastidious understanding yet.

drug rehab

trublue2

If minimum wage is raised to $15/hr, How much should my son be paid when he goes into the work force after spending $89,000 and 6 years of his life on a Masters Degree? If the government can't guarantee him at least $40/hr then they can forgive him his student debt.

WillisDBaker

As I may have said before, Minimum Wage is not meant to be a living wage. Minimum Age is for the inexperienced worker to learn how to work. What's going to happen, if you bring an inexperienced worker, one who has never had a job before, and start them a $15/hr, those workers you do have who make more than the Minimum Wage will have to get raises above $15/hr to be comparable to their time in service. A lot of businesses go by how much they made the week before which will determine how many hrs they can afford the next week which will screw the part time worker. What the workers don't realize, they may be working themselves our of a job.

MarkMartin2

@WillisDBaker Wrong. I don't know about $15 an hour but living wage is exactly what it was intended for, since 1938. Quote from the exact text of the FLSA of 1938:

§ 202. Congressional finding and declaration of policy

(a) The Congress finds that the existence, in industries engaged in commerce or in the production of goods for commerce, of labor conditions detrimental to the maintenance of the minimum standard of living necessary for health, efficiency, and general well-being of workers

-----------------

That is the exact text from the introduction of the legislation from 1938. It has been amended and extended many times over the decades to prevent child labor abuses and maltreatment of employees by employers.

It goes into outlawing the employment of children in child labor situations, limitations on 8 hours a day, 40 hours a week, overtime pay, etc. A minimum standard of living of a box under a bridge is not seen as acceptable minimums in the USA today and this is what many would aim for as 'acceptable standards' along with elimination of all labor protections against dangerous working conditions.

Learn your history. We've had businesses shut down for doing illegal practices.

Such illegality as a food preparation corp that had illegal aliens, with no protection, using highly toxic chemicals to sterilize and clean out preparation vats for meat products. They sent them in with nothing but rubber boots, gloves and dust particle masks to spray out the vats between uses and many had their lungs partially dissolved due to the chemicals, which they then fired to replace with other illegals.

So this, and the old child labor practices, is your idea of what one should return to? Get stuffed.

econnors10

@ WillisDBaker It's actually supposed to be a comfortable living wage. According to the president that introduced it to our country. Learn more. http://quoteaddicts.com/i/86647

go4it

this minimum wage is very convenient for the big guys to pick up cheap help from the really small business when the rents, taxes and city mandated cost increase cause micro stores to close up. the trend now is for the amazons and alibabas to take over the bricks too, paid for by your taxes and elected representatives. Hope you like being in the robot cadres because soon the robots will replace you and all the little stores will be gone . thank you minimum wage and god bless the people that help the robots take over.

1234Citizen1234

Im a manager making $15/hr at 40 hours a week. Gross income is about $2,400. I simply attempted to schedule a TOUR at an apartment that was only $850/mo and i was told that since i wasnt making 3× the rent (which was only a $150 difference) i couldn't even take the TOUR. I had lived in way better apartments in way better neighborhoods when i was making minimum wage at $9.21 that cost the same! $15/hr barely cuts it nowadays especially if most apartments won't even let you in unless you're making $16-20/hr. It was also only a 1 bedroom, i cant imagine how much i needed to be making an hour for a 3 bedroom! This is why there's so many people with room mates, wages are so low that it takes a dual income just to survive.

LeslieKingBraggs

Get it done, is all I got to say about it.

DustynB

So let me get this strait...... I graduated with a four year college degree, graduated in the top 15% of my class, interned with Edward Jones Investments, received my MBA, and tested for my CPA license, and I am only going to make $5 (calculated from my salary) more an hour than somebody who dropped out from high school.... Makes since, thanks mom for telling me college is the way to go.... Still have $20 grand in student loans to pay back....

BillFleming1

@DustynB - You are so absolutely correct in your statement but you may want to use the correct form and thus spelling of the word "straight" not "strait". ;-)

DustynB

@BillFleming1 @DustynB We will just say I was very "passionate" about this article and not entirely in a "right state of mind", hence my spelling errors..... 8D

BillFleming1

@DustynB @BillFleming1 Yes a very passionate debate from both sides. It is unfortunate that it seems the ignorant passion from the other side seems to be winning the issue. The human race is doomed to repeat it's historical mistakes. :-(

Azure_Nightfalle

@DustynB

I remember this one parable taught in the bible. It was about a master needing workers to work his field. He posted went into the streets and recruited people to work his fields, to receive a penny. They accepted his deal and went in to work his field. 14 hours later, another group of people came in to work the fields, and they only worked for an hour. 15 hours later, the master called in the workers to pay them. Every single one was given one penny. When the people who had worked the longer hours saw that those who had worked only one hour were given the same payment, they went to the master, complaining of how it was not fair. The master scolded them saying something along the lines of, "This is the deal we made, if those people who worked the fields for only one hour had not come along, you would've been perfectly happy with your penny." Regardless of whether you're religious or not, the point still stands. You would've been perfectly happy with your $20, if the minimum wage had not been raised to $15. Unjust as it may seem, it really doesn't affect you.

jdyork45

The government wants employers to set a yearly wage increase and yet for us seniors they often withhold yearly social security pay increases, which is our own money and has made money over time. Hello Government, if you are going to mandate pay increases then live up to your own silly standards and pay us seniors what we are due. Quit giving our money away that you are suppose to be holding in trust. In my opinion many of the government people should already be in jail for fraud and abuse of their positions. Where is it written that the government shall mandate what a private employer pays his employees? They are running business out of this country.

BillFleming1

@jdyork45 You hit the nail right on the head!

JohnDeas

@jdyork45

I'm sorry you don't understand how Social Security works. Its a scam. Its the biggest Ponzi scheme ever. There is no Social Security trust fund. There never has been a Social Security trust fund. People who are working now pay for Social Security. I hope you have your own savings, because the benefit cuts are going to be deeper and deeper. My dad told me when I was about 12 that Social Security was a scam. People that are actually working deserve raises because they are the only ones that keep this deck of cards afloat. The U.S. is basically Greece with deeper pockets.

jdyork45

@JohnDeas @jdyork45 John I know how social security works, I've been on it for 7 years. Social Security was a trust fund until these morons mismanaged our money. They have now changed the narrative to an entitlement fund, as if we need to do something to get what is already ours. It basically is now a ponzi scheme since there is nothing in reserve. Money goes in one end of the pipe and is immediately paid out the other end. Its a crime what these morons did with our money that was placed in trust for our retirements. .

FYI, Social Security was originally designed so that few people would receive any money. People were living until their mid or late fifties at that time so the government set it up for payment starting around ages 62 and 65. As usual they made a huge mistake because people stated living longer, well into their late sixties, seventies, eighties, and a few into their nineties. They then had an unsustainable system but to add to their own stupidity they gave money away to people who had no right to our money. Madoff looks like a Saint compared to these crooks in the government and of course no one will be held responsible.

This whole global warming theory is just another government plot to part fools from their money and to gain more control over our lives. Quite frankly I never worry about Russia, China, or NK, our worse enemy is the US government

BillFleming1

@jdyork45 Again you hit the nail right on the head.

BillFleming1

@JohnDeas - You should really know what you are talking about before spewing your ignorance.

JohnDeas

@BillFleming1 @JohnDeas

Which country would you like the U.S economy to resemble, Nigeria or Bangladesh? Please don't compare the U.S. to any Western country because you don't want basic benefits of civilized countries like a minimum wage, health care, retirement benefits, etc. Which all western/1st world countries have to a greater degree than the U.S.

JohnDeas

@BillFleming1

Somalia, Cambodia, and Tonga are 3 nations who have no minimum wage laws. Obviously these countries are economic powerhouses. Sadly, Nigeria and Bangladesh have some worker protection, which limit their economic growth.

BillFleming1

, my name is John and I spew out some foreign countries in my comment people will think I am smart der der der.....

Azure_Nightfalle

@BillFleming1

...

You're being incredibly immature, which is not helping your argument at all.

Azure_Nightfalle

@JohnDeas

You're looking at the extremes, darling. Minimum wage is not going to be removed from this country anytime soon, even though you are correct.

Thinkthanspeak

Wages paid to employees is not an issue effecting the employee, employer. Wages/income are the basis for State & Federal assistance programs: rent/housing assistance, medical care, i.e., Medicaid for lower income persons/employees, food assistance, etc. For employees that qualify for any number of State or Federal ( low income qualified) assistance programs, who else is involved in the employee/employer relationship?

1)State tax payers who pay for the programs that lower income workers/employees qualify for.

2) Federal tax payers who: " "

3) Localities are effected by low wage environments have lower home values, lower rents, lower income that funds their schools. In many states, local property taxes collected in different parts of a " School District" are what determines the amount of resources area schools recieve. In many cases the schools needing the most resources, where low income, poverty stricken, residents live, recieve the least amount of funding, making it that much more difficult for children raised in these environments to compete later on in life, in the job market, applying for entry into college( if they make it through high school), further perpetrating a decay in these neighborhoods, higher crime, higher unemployment, higher costs to taxpayers as many residents have to use Emergency Rooms to recieve medical care.

There are many more players/payers in the equation, but my point is, is it fair that companies who do not pay living wage incomes to their employers, have their labor costs subsided by tax payers, just because they want to maximize the profits rarely shared with the employees that helped create that very profitability? Is it fair that you & I have to subsidize large companies like WalMart whose top level employees & the Walton clan reap the huge rewards of paying their workers wages that qualify their workers for every form of State & Federal assistance available? I don't think it's fair & I don't think it's right. I do not like the government involved in business yet without regulations, given the insane growing disparity between the rich & the poor, greed would destroy the lives, the neighborhoods, the education systems, the standard of living, the quality of life for all but those at the top. If we lived in a country whose society placed higher values on education, medical care maybe government wouldn't have to be involved, but the reality is that greed is growing out of control & paying higher wages benefit so many more, in so many ways than the employee her/himself. Thank you for thinking about this.

BillFleming1

@Thinkthanspeak Who are you to decide what is fair or unfair? Also if someone of authority would step up and promise a dramatic reduction in taxes that were used to pay for all the Welfare/Social programs for low earners because of your perception of a low minimum wage then maybe some would change their minds on this issue.

I for one would not since I believe the State is already far overreaching their authority granted by our Constitution.

InjuryLaw

A fair minimum wage is a basic human right. Living expenses are rising each year so the basic wage should reflect this.

BillFleming1

@InjuryLaw a minimum wage is NOT a basic Human Right! Nice try though.

InjuryLaw

@BillFleming1 could you please explain why it is NOT a basic right. If you are working then it IS a right that you get a fair minimum wage. In the UK every working person has a minimum wage which employers must pay.

BillFleming1

@InjuryLaw @BillFleming1 Why do you not first define a "Basic Human right"? I am pretty sure your definition is much more liberal then mine.

How about the "basic human right" for a business owner to pay what they believe is a fair wage?

FYI I could give a rats ass what the UK does.

InjuryLaw

@BillFleming1 @InjuryLaw That's the whole point of a minimum wage, to pay each employee a fair wage. What good employers deem to be a fair wage may be more than the minimum wage and that is fine. The problem is those employers who would rather save money by not paying a fair wage for work done, those who exploit young people, foreigners or anyone else they think they can get away with paying as little as possible. That is why a minimum wage protects these people so that they can afford to live. Can I ask are you a business owner Bill?

BillFleming1

@InjuryLaw @BillFleming1 No am not a business owner but I have managed business's and operations. With that said I am not a believer in the State coercing a PRIVATE business to pay some "minimum wage" that they deem acceptable.

The real issue I have is that you have somehow determined that a minimum wage is a basic human right and I flat out disagree with you.

Are you going to give me your definition of a basic human right so I can attempt to understand your thought process on the subject?

InjuryLaw

@BillFleming1 @InjuryLaw My thoughts are that it is a basic human right to have an acceptable standard of living, to be able to afford to live in dignity, not in poverty. A basic wage provides this. This quote further explains my point - “One of the fundamental human rights is the right to a just remuneration that ensures an existence worthy of human dignity. The preamble to the Constitution of the International Labour Organization identifies the provision of an adequate living wage as one of the conditions for universal and lasting peace based on social justice,” says ILO senior economist, Patrick Belser.

“Although there is no universally accepted amount that defines such remuneration, it can be described as a wage from full-time work that allows people to lead a decent life considered acceptable by society,”

These are just my thoughts on the matter, I just don't understand why people would be so against a basic wage. 90% of the developed world has a basic living wage with the US seeming to be lagging behind. I live in the UK by the way, and I know you don't give a toss about what happens here, but I was just interested as to why businesses are so against this basic right as the rest of the world sees it.

bayhuntr

There is a minimum cost to a citizen in our country, minimum education minimum healthcare minimum housing minimum food minimum retirement. If our economic system does not produce enough wealth for that, then we have a failed system, I don't think you're suggesting that.

What you seem to be missing, is that if the business does not pay a citizen, enough for those minimums, then somebody else has to pay for it, and that's called welfare. If the government has to pay welfare, because you do not pay enough for the basics, then you're not part of the free market. You could be producing a product, that there's not enough demand for, and you should go out of business, what you been propped up by government covering part of the cost of your labor.

We decided, in our society, that we don't let people freeze to death in the cold, or starve to death, or go without healthcare, so yes those things or a right in this country. If you want to change that, be my guest, get a petition going. Until then, don't just play lip service to the free market, try living it.

BillFleming1

@InjuryLaw @BillFleming1 - Okay then define "an acceptable standard".

BillFleming1

@bayhuntr So you are a socialist. No need to explain further...

bayhuntr

No I'm not a socialist, I believe in the free market. You're just not educated on business, or economics. And since your answer had no substance, i'm guessing you just want to feel good with what you say. Your feelings and a buck won't buy you a cuppa coffee. Everything I said is logical and reasonable and expected by anybody who understands the free market. You do not.

bayhuntr

The American society decides that, I believe it starts with an education from 1 to 12, the food required to keep you healthy, the healthcare required to keep you healthy, minimum housing, those things for a minimum retirement. As a society, we do not believe in letting people by on the sidewalk in front of the hospital, that's why hospitals have to except people. Again if you feel that is on the acceptable, you need to convince society to change that law, until then that is an American expectation. And I'm talking about, a full-time worker earning enough income to pay for this. A free-market society, needs people willing to do menial jobs, they need to be able to survive. It is not up to government to supplement those employees.

From those basics, if you want more you work harder you study you go to school.

JohnDeas

@BillFleming1 @InjuryLaw

Why should anyone work for a sub living wage? Why wouldn't they join the millions on fake disability or the millions of illegals sucking on the goverment's teets.

BillFleming1

@JohnDeas @InjuryLaw Because they want to survive.

FYI collecting on disability fraudulently is actually illegal and so is being illegally in this country. If you have issue with that, as I think most do, take it up with your beloved government. Maybe if they spent more time enforcing the Constitutional laws on the book rather then usurping the Constitution and coercing private businesses to pay some "minimum wage" they deem appropriate we as a country would be much better off.

ride_bicycles

@InjuryLaw With your logic a job is a basic human right. But with a minimum wage it's guaranteed that low skilled workers will not get a job. Companies will buy robots and computers and amortize the cost into the future.

JohnDeas

@ride_bicycles A lot of jobs can't be replaced with a robot. I'm not familiar with the hamburger making robot or the shelf stocking robot. If such a robot exists, it is years away from being brought to market. Also, when people visit a "service" company, they expect to receive "service" from a person.

ride_bicycles

@BillFleming1 @ride_bicycles agree agree agree

ride_bicycles

@JohnDeas @ride_bicycles No robots.....ok I agree people will still be working and getting paid more.... so prices will go up for people buying food etc so the raise in extra income they get with $15 will get gobbled up by higher prices they pay for food and staples. Rich people don't care if a loaf of bread is an extra dollar but the minimum wage worker will.

The reason we need minimum wage "increases" is because politicians and central bankers are creating money and thus creating inflation. $15 an hour in 1975 would be more than a living wage but the money supply keeps increasing. This does not help the poor only the rich as they use the fiat currency to make more currency and buy assets before all the prices and "minimum wages" go up. It's a monetary problem and we may ALL know about it some day soon.... as we might see velocity pick up suddenly and inflation that requires more than $15 an hour to quell.

Companies are now incentivized to make more robots that can do more things, and they will create them more quickly with these mandates. The robots should benefit everyone in society not just the corporations. With robotics we should be working 25 hour weeks and making the same wage but the corporations and big business take the profits from robotics for there stockholders etc.

I pay my employees a good wage, I don't need the City telling me how much to pay. If my employees want a different wage they can quit and get another job or go to school and get a specialized degree. I don't hire anyone who cannot produce more than I pay them. So I do not have any "new to the industry" people working for me as I cannot train them for $15 an hour. I could for less. What's next... Seattle city council may mandate I hire unskilled workers and train them or I'll have to pay a fine. We need less government and people will be way better off. The federal government ruins/destroys the economy and then bails our there buddy's on wall street. Then local politicians give away money (the businesses) for votes from the workers promising higher mandated minimum wages. It works, they get elected... but they are not solving any problems just kicking the can down the road 'till we need another increase in wages. They need this stuff to exist to get votes they need desperate people. They break our leg and then hand us crutches and expect us to thank them. The system is broken and it's not capitalism that is the problem its "crony capitalism" that is the problem. To much money in politics and not enough term limits.

This "trade money for votes" is not that complex to figure out but one needs to dig a little deeper to find out the real story and study the history of fiat currency's etc. I could be wrong but history tells a similar story as I'm telling. Money collapsing in Germany and they go for Hitler. Money collapsing in USA and we go for Trump.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P4_1pwsm5LY&t=458s

BillFleming1

@ride_bicycles Ding ding ding we have a winner!!! Someone that really gets it!

ride_bicycles

@BillFleming1 @ride_bicycles Thanks. I spend lots time studying this stuff glad you think it's paying off. Education is key. The politicians make sure the schools they fund never teach this stuff.

BillFleming1

@ride_bicycles - Public education is all about keeping the masses ignorant and not to become free thinking adults. That would challenge their power structure. An ignorant base is a powerless base. A powerless base is a base that is easy to manipulate and convince that a State Coerced minimum wage is a good thing. Because inequality. blah blah blah....

ride_bicycles

@bayhuntr you speak just like a socialist and socialism does not work. We don't have a total free market, that's the problem. Either way this stuff does not work, never has, see below.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2016/07/29/study-raising-the-minimum-wage-did-little-for-workers-earnings-in-seattle/?utm_term=.6f81101bddb3

If you want to help all people then fight as hard as you can for a truly "free market" and poor folks will be way better off. We would have to go through some serious pain to fix all the problems and distortions the government has caused but the outcome would be prosperity for all people living in the USA.

Trackbacks

State of the Unions (Video) : Political Moll says:

August 9, 2014 at 8:07 am

[…] fight for $15 has just begun, and it has already fueled some significant victories. The city of Seattle recently increased the minimum wage to $15, and San Francisco is debating a similar increase. […]
Higher minimum wages will improve economic well-being in DC says:

August 12, 2014 at 8:32 am

[…] Other cities and many states are considering minimum-wage increases, and there is recurring discussion of federal policy changes, so understanding the effects of DC’s increase matter beyond the District. […]
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Joins Lawsuit Against 'Discriminatory' Seattle Minimum Wage Hike — LiberalVoiceLiberalVoice — Your source for everything about liberals and progressives! — News and tweets about everything liberals and says:

August 14, 2014 at 3:36 pm

[…] the law, signed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (D) in June, small businesses with fewer than 500 employees are […]
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Joins Lawsuit Against 'Discriminatory' Seattle Minimum Wage Hike | NEWS | Phones | Nigeria Science | Technology |Computers says:

August 14, 2014 at 3:39 pm

[…] the law, signed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (D) in June, small businesses with fewer than 500 employees are […]
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Joins Lawsuit Against 'Discriminatory' Seattle Minimum Wage Hike says:

August 14, 2014 at 3:40 pm

[…] the law, signed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (D) in June, small businesses with fewer than 500 employees are […]
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Joins Lawsuit Against ‘Discriminatory’ Seattle Minimum Wage Hike | The News On Time says:

August 14, 2014 at 3:44 pm

[…] the law, signed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (D) in June, small businesses with fewer than 500 employees are […]
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Joins Lawsuit Against ‘Discriminatory’ Seattle Minimum Wage Hike | The Daily Float says:

August 14, 2014 at 3:56 pm

[…] the law, signed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (D) in June, small businesses with fewer than 500 employees are […]
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Joins Lawsuit Against ‘Discriminatory’ Seattle Minimum Wage Hike | Edita Kaye Today says:

August 14, 2014 at 7:20 pm

[…] the law, signed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (D) in June, small businesses with fewer than 500 employees are […]
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Joins Lawsuit Against ‘Discriminatory’ Seattle Minimum Wage Hike | Omaha Sun Times says:

August 14, 2014 at 7:33 pm

[…] the law, signed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (D) in June, small businesses with fewer than 500 employees are […]
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Joins Lawsuit Against 'Discriminatory' Seattle Minimum Wage Hike | Social Dashboard says:

August 19, 2014 at 5:16 am

[…] the law, signed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (D) in June, small businesses with fewer than 500 employees are […]
The next American Revolution? | City Growth Commission says:

August 21, 2014 at 7:03 am

[…] Seattle, legislation passed in June this year approved a rise in the city-wide minimum wage (incrementally over the next few years) to $15 per […]
The next American Revolution? | RSA 2020 Public Services says:

August 21, 2014 at 7:13 am

[…] Seattle, legislation passed in June this year approved a rise in the city-wide minimum wage (incrementally over the next few years) to $15 per […]
The next American Revolution? : RSA blogs says:

August 21, 2014 at 7:30 am

[…] Seattle, legislation passed in June this year approved a rise in the city-wide minimum wage (incrementally over the next few years) to $15 per […]
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Joins Lawsuit Against ‘Discriminatory’ Seattle Minimum Wage Hike | Political Ration says:

August 24, 2014 at 2:24 pm

[…] the law, signed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (D) in June, small businesses with fewer than 500 employees are […]
Six Major Cities with Highest Minimum Wage | Six Major Cities with Highest Minimum Wage | Social Dashboard says:

August 28, 2014 at 1:31 pm

[…] on data maintained by the National Employment Law Project (and a bit of additional info from the Seattle mayor’s office), here’s a map of the six major cities that have enacted laws to create some of the highest […]
How Cities Balance Urban Development and Affordability | CitiesSpeak says:

September 15, 2014 at 12:35 pm

[…] moved forward with this approach. Earlier this year, Mayor Murray signed new legislation that raises the city’s minimum wage to $11 by April 1, 2015 and to $15 by January 1, […]
$15 minimum wage movement spills into Canada says:

September 16, 2014 at 5:47 am

[…] have been victories. In Seattle, the newly elected mayor committed to raise the city’s minimum wage to $15 an hour and is well on the way to making that […]
Quiz: Celebrity chefs and a wage hike - Results Thru Strategy says:

September 25, 2014 at 11:56 am

[…] c. $11 an hour […]
L.A. Mayor Proposes Wage Increase | Diana Crandall says:

October 1, 2014 at 3:03 pm

[…] wage increase than Garcetti’s $13.25 per hour, the protestors hope to straddle the train that Seattle first set in motion with their $15.00 minimum wage increase earlier this […]
Socialists initiate talk on capitalism’s role in climate change » Portland State Vanguard says:

October 10, 2014 at 2:05 am

[…] She’s been going to SA meetings in Portland because of what she said were the successes of social activism in Seattle, namely the recent work of Seattle City Council member Kshama Sawant, whereby the city’s minimum wage will be gradually raised to $15 an hour by 2017, according to Seattle.gov. […]
U.S. Chamber Of Commerce Joins Lawsuit Against ‘Discriminatory’ Seattle Minimum Wage Hike | My Website says:

October 17, 2014 at 3:24 am

[…] the law, signed by Seattle Mayor Ed Murray (D) in June, small businesses with fewer than 500 employees are […]
Pro $20 Minimum Wage Group Posts $13-Per-Hour Job Listing - Christian Forums says:

October 18, 2014 at 2:25 am

[…] […]
$20 Minimum Wage Endorsing Socialist Group Posts $13-Per-Hour Job Listing | Ben Swann Truth In Media says:

October 18, 2014 at 12:48 pm

[…] the Freedom Socialist Party to wait seven years before fully implementing the $15 minimum wage. The City of Seattle’s posting on the new minimum wage law says, “Small employers (businesses with fewer than 500 employees) […]
Socialist Party Pushing $20 Minimum Wage Defends $13-An-Hour Job Listing - NEWS | Phones | Nigeria Science | Technology |Computers says:

October 18, 2014 at 2:51 pm

[…] wage were raised to $20 — and he’d even prefer $22, at least in Seattle. The city will begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage in […]
Socialist Party Pushing $20 Minimum Wage Defends $13-An-Hour Job Listing - GANGUPON says:

October 18, 2014 at 3:10 pm

[…] wage were raised to $20 — and he’d even prefer $22, at least in Seattle. The city will begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage in […]
Socialist Party Pushing $20 Minimum Wage Defends $13-An-Hour Job Listing says:

October 18, 2014 at 3:25 pm

[…] if the minimum wage were raised to $20 — and he'd even prefer $22, at least in Seattle. The city will begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage in […]
Socialist Party Pushing $20 Minimum Wage Defends $13-An-Hour Job Listing | Omaha Sun Times says:

October 18, 2014 at 3:57 pm

[…] wage were raised to $20 — and he’d even prefer $22, at least in Seattle. The city will begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage in […]
Socialist Party Pushing $20 Minimum Wage Defends $13-An-Hour Job Listing | Social Trenders says:

October 18, 2014 at 5:45 pm

[…] wage were raised to $20 — and he’d even prefer $22, at least in Seattle. The city will begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage in […]
Socialist Party Pushing $20 Minimum Wage Defends $13-An-Hour Job Listing - Social News Dashboard says:

October 18, 2014 at 7:33 pm

[…] wage were raised to $20 — and he’d even prefer $22, at least in Seattle. The city will begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage in […]
Socialist Party Pushing $20 Minimum Wage Defends $13-An-Hour Job Listing | The Zen Column says:

October 18, 2014 at 8:58 pm

[…] wage were raised to $20 — and he’d even prefer $22, at least in Seattle. The city will begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage in […]
Socialist Party Pushing $20 Minimum Wage Defends $13-An-Hour Job Listing | Trending On IndiaTrending On India says:

October 19, 2014 at 1:33 am

[…] wage were raised to $20 — and he’d even prefer $22, at least in Seattle. The city will begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage in […]
We’re All Friedmanites Now, IV (But for How Long?) | Them's the Breaks, Kid says:

October 21, 2014 at 5:07 pm

[…] making gains in the political sphere. While it still has its discontents, some of America’s more progressive cities have already started the process of raising the minimum wage, and not before its time. Frankly, I […]
The ISO and the Democrats: Hear no evil, see no evil | to the victor go the toils says:

October 21, 2014 at 7:00 pm

[…] the board and tips and healthcare can no longer be excluded as the temporary exemption period will expire for workers under “Schedule C”. Additionally, Oakland’s minimum wage will probably be $15.37 in 2025, assuming a 2.3% annual […]
Minimum wage increase divides gov candidates | New Mexico News Port says:

October 28, 2014 at 3:33 pm

[…] minimum wage during this year’s State of the Union address, and this year Seattle approved to gradually raise its minimum wage to $15 per […]
Hennessy’s Index, November 2014–Minimum Wage | Ecocide Alert says:

November 5, 2014 at 8:52 am

[…] The minimum wage set by Seattle’s new mayor for workers in that city. The minimum wage will rise incrementally, reaching $15 an hour for ‘schedule A’ workers in 2017. Neat fact: the implementation scheme grew out of an advisory committee consisting of labour, business and non-profit representatives. [Source] […]
Voters OK Minimum Wage Hikes in 4 States, 2 Calif. Cities | Internet Tax Lawyers says:

November 5, 2014 at 2:12 pm

[…] minimum wages in the country, but is following the lead of Seattle, which plans to eventually raise minimum wage to $15 per hour. San Francisco minimum wage workers will see $15 per hour wages by 2018, with incremental increases […]
Voters OK Minimum Wage Hikes in 4 States, 2 Calif. Cities - Lawyers News says:

November 5, 2014 at 4:28 pm

[…] minimum wages in the country, but is following the lead of Seattle, which plans to eventually raise minimum wage to $15 per hour. San Francisco minimum wage workers will see $15 per hour wages by 2018, with incremental increases […]
USi | The campaign for a Living Wage in Ireland says:

November 27, 2014 at 4:36 am

[…] the world there is a fight back against low pay. Workers in the US are campaigning for – and sometimes winning – a $15 per hour minimum wage, and there have been vibrant and powerful campaigns to make […]
Black Friday Strikes – For Living Wage and for Ferguson | recession FRESH says:

December 1, 2014 at 11:31 am

[…] demanded to raise the minimum wage to $15 an hour, and follow the legislative precedent set in Seattle, which allows for a $15 minimum wage for residents beginning April 2015. Walmart has been the subject of scrutiny for more than a decade due to notoriously exploiting […]
T4A.org – This Week: Mayor Ed Murray, Former CTO Todd Park, and Reinventing Bipartisanship says:

December 1, 2014 at 1:34 pm

[…] social justice and equality. Most recently, he has received praise for Seattle’s passage of the $15 minimum wage, a law born out of his early executive action to raise the wage for city employees. Murray is also […]
It’s not just fast food: The Fight for $15 is for everyone now | Google News Today says:

December 4, 2014 at 12:47 pm

[…] a conversation around smallest salary such that $15 no longer sounds outlandishly high, and some local jurisdictions have even changed to make it a reality. And those who attend do in fact seem […]
”Emmä tiedä, oon vaan töissä täällä” | Janne Cederberg says:

December 11, 2014 at 12:14 pm

[…] (Edit: Minimipalkan poisto ei ole ongelmaton asia; itse tulkitsin Sukulan ehdotuksen ensisijaisesti viestinä siitä, että laiskuus ei saa olla kannattavaa. Mainittakoon, että Seattlen kaupunki teki hiljattain vastakkaisen päätöksen nostaessaan minimipalkkaa.) […]
277,000 Ohioans to be affected by minimum wage increase - Ohio news says:

December 30, 2014 at 7:14 am

[…] Washington state will have the highest state minimum wage in the nation on Jan. 1, after a 15-cent increase boosts the wage to $9.47 per hour. Seattle’s city council approved raising its minimum wage to $15 per hour over three years. […]
Fair Rewards: Raising the Minimum Wage - The B Team says:

January 15, 2015 at 4:59 pm

[…] announced a minimum wage increase to $10.10 for all federal workers. In June, Seattle’s Mayor announced an increase in their city’s minimum wage, one that will eventually reach $15 in a phased increase approach. […]
Year End Tax Tip - Seattle CPA & Accounting Firm says:

January 27, 2015 at 4:49 pm

[…] ** Seattle’s New minimum Wage Ordinance – For employer with less than 500 employees, minimum wage will increase to $11.00 beginning April 1, 2015- Dec31, 2015. If employees do receive tips and/or payments to a medical benefits plan, the employer can pay $10.00/hour as minimum wage, plus $1.00/hour made up of tips and/or contributions to a medical benefits plan. http://murray.seattle.gov/minimumwage/#sthash.9poqOzOM.dpbs […]
Mayor Murray Remarks on Seattle’s Achievements and Challenges | The Northwest Urbanist says:

February 17, 2015 at 4:33 pm

[…] achievements that were implemented over the past year or will begin this year. The city’s minimum wage ordinance will take effect in April, starting at a citywide standard of $11 per hour. Permanent […]
Mayor Murray Remarks on Seattle’s Achievements and Challenges | The Urbanist says:

February 19, 2015 at 7:00 am

[…] achievements that were implemented over the past year or will begin this year. The city’s minimum wage ordinance will take effect in April, starting at a citywide standard of $11 per hour. Permanent […]
Salaries and ATM Fees | The Charis Project says:

February 27, 2015 at 7:36 am

[…] much of this is frustrating to me. In Seattle, where I’m from, people are trying to raise the minimum wage to $15 per hour. That’s more in one hour than many (most?) people in Thailand make in a day. […]
House votes $12 minimum wage off floor :: The Capitol Record | News, background and notes on Washington state government. says:

March 3, 2015 at 11:06 pm

[…] in Seatac, where the minimum was set at $15 an hour by voter initiative, and Seattle, where the $15 minimum wage will be phased in starting in […]
#NVLeg Special Report: Earning a Living - Let's Talk Nevada says:

March 10, 2015 at 4:11 am

[…] Seattle Mayor’s Minimum Wage Fact Sheet […]
Job cuts precede Seattle minimum-wage hike | CalWatchdog.com says:

March 13, 2015 at 5:25 pm

[…] reason for the higher wage was explained on Mayor Ed Murray’s […]
Seattle raises minimum wage, businesses close down – liberals COMPLETELY BAFFLED » The Right Scoop - says:

March 14, 2015 at 1:31 pm

[…] have elaborated on the issue, another major factor affecting restaurant futures in our city is the impending minimum wage hike to $15 per hour. Starting April 1, all businesses must begin to phase in the wage increase: Small employers have […]
Seattle Raises Minimum Wage, Businesses Close Down – Liberals Completely BAFFLED says:

March 14, 2015 at 3:42 pm

[…] have elaborated on the issue, another major factor affecting restaurant futures in our city is the impending minimum wage hike to $15 per hour. Starting April 1, all businesses must begin to phase in the wage increase: Small employers have […]
Socialist Economics | nomansblogtimeandtidewaitforme says:

March 15, 2015 at 5:20 am

[…] second cause was due to the complicated law itself. It phases in over time, from April of this year through 2023. It’s requirements […]
Seattle’s Minimum Wage Law: A Slow-Motion Accident Right Before Our Eyes - Enlightened Liberal says:

March 15, 2015 at 8:38 am

[…] second cause was due to the complicated law itself. It phases in over time, from April of this year through 2023. It’s requirements […]
Seattle eateries closing as $15 minimum wage approaches - Page 3 says:

March 17, 2015 at 8:57 am

[…] minimum wage the employer is responsible for the difference, so it does apply to tipped wage. Here's some interesting reading, but if people get laid off because of it, then screw them, right? […]
A follow-up to the Seattle restaurants/minimum wage story - Lawyers, Guns & Money : Lawyers, Guns & Money says:

March 18, 2015 at 3:02 pm

[…] the absurdity of the original Seattle Magazine story becomes even more clear if we look at the implementation schedule. The minimum wage in Seattle is presently 9.47, up from 9.32 on January 1st (Washington has an […]
Why Are So Many Seattle Restaurants Closing Lately? says:

March 21, 2015 at 11:08 am

[…] […]
More Seattle restaurants close doors as $15 minimum wage approaches - Page 3 says:

March 21, 2015 at 8:22 pm

[…] Considering this thread is ALL about a 15/hr minimum wage in Seattle Washington, throwing around "monthly net" when no one here KNOWS what payroll taxes are in Washington state is just throwing out straw men arguments. Stick with the facts. The facts are that over a 7 year period starting April 1 of this year local restaurants that employ less than 500 employees nation wide, will have to implement the 15/hr minimum wage. For those too lazy, or too stupid to look up the facts in this matter. $15 Minimum Wage […]
Minimum Wage, The Food Service Industry, And Shifting To Urbanization | HooDoo Economics says:

March 22, 2015 at 4:48 am

[…] and recently of certain areas of the Pacific Northwest, in particular Washington State and Seattle. I always see a lot of the same arguments being made on both sides of the issue and I kind of have […]
Anonymous says:

March 24, 2015 at 3:46 pm

[…] mentioned this as an issue*, another major factor affecting restaurant futures in our city is the impending minimum wage hike to $15 per hour. Starting April 1, all businesses must begin to phase in the wage increase: Small employers have […]
Seattle’s minimum wage law goes into effect — but, first, a Capitol Hill victory lap | CHS Capitol Hill Seattle says:

March 30, 2015 at 7:05 am

[…] The city’s Office of Labor Standards is responsible for enforcing the law and handling violation reports. You can find out more about the minimum wage law here. […]
We go on strike April 15th! | North Carolina's Union Movement says:

April 10, 2015 at 1:57 pm

[…] inspired by the victories: a $15 wage in Seattle and San Francisco, a $12.25 wage in Oakland – and cities from New York to Chicago to LA clamoring […]
Minimum wage protests held in Ontario and across North America | Globalnews.ca says:

April 15, 2015 at 9:33 am

[…] recently announced that effective April 1 a new Minimum Wage Ordinance would be implemented across the […]
Seattle Company Raises All Its Employees’ Salaries To At Least $70K | Modified Studio says:

April 15, 2015 at 11:28 am

[…] and Washington, D.C. will increase their minimum wage, and Seattle raised its minimum wage to $15 an hour, by far the highest in the country. Politicians seem to be responding, slowly but surely, to the […]
eltounsi We asked 15 people why they're fighting for $15 and this is what they said. - eltounsi says:

April 17, 2015 at 3:35 am

[…] it weren’t for these efforts in cities like Seattle and San Francisco, it’s likely that things would have stayed how they always were. Both […]
Why Gravity Payments could be setting a business model for the future | Weblog.ws says:

April 17, 2015 at 6:39 pm

[…] to say, a news done utterly a splash. The City of Seattle recently upheld an ordinance hiking a smallest income to $15, creation it a premiere bridgehead in a ongoing inhabitant brawl […]
We asked 15 people why they're fighting for $15 and this is what they said.-Dr Kiji says:

April 17, 2015 at 7:41 pm

[…] it weren’t for these efforts in cities like Seattle and San Francisco, it’s likely that things would have stayed how they always were. Both […]
How Does Raising The Minimum Wage Affect Rents? says:

April 27, 2015 at 12:36 pm

[…] Seattle starts phasing in a $15/hour minimum wage, it’s worth pausing to consider exactly how higher minimum wages affect local housing values and rents. The minimum wage question is very, very complicated, when you peel away the political rhetoric and start looking at the underlying economics. […]
I got frustrated by economic ignorance on the Internet so I wrote this | Nate Russell says:

April 29, 2015 at 9:28 pm

[…] Source: http://murray.seattle.gov/minimumwage/#sthash.0F8dZTuJ.dpbs […]
Socialist Party Pushing $20 Minimum Wage Defends $13-An-Hour Job Listing | My Website says:

May 5, 2015 at 7:28 am

[…] wage were raised to $20 — and he’d even prefer $22, at least in Seattle. The city will begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage in […]
Meet The Fist-Shaking Socialist Behind America's Highest Minimum Wage - LiberalVoiceLiberalVoice — Your source for everything about liberals and progressives! — News and tweets about everything liberals and progressives says:

May 6, 2015 at 2:30 pm

[…] when she toppled a four-term incumbent in 2013. She quickly played a pivotal role in bringing about Seattle’s $15 minimum wage law, the most aggressive of its kind in any major U.S. […]
Beck Tears Into ‘Communist Hippies’ Who Are ‘Destroying People’s Lives’ With Minimum Wage Demands | Video | TheBlaze.com says:

May 12, 2015 at 12:04 pm

[…] wage has only risen to $11 an hour,” Beck’s co-host Stu Burguiere clarified. “It will keep rising every year until it gets to $15 an hour. Restaurants are now scrambling to figure out how they will pay for […]
Beck Tears Into ‘Communist Hippies’ Who Are ‘Destroying People’s Lives’ With Minimum Wage Demands | Peel the Label says:

May 12, 2015 at 12:14 pm

[…] wage has only risen to $11 an hour,” Beck’s co-host Stu Burguiere clarified. “It will keep rising every year until it gets to $15 an hour. Restaurants are now scrambling to figure out how they will pay for […]
Beck Tears Into ‘Communist Hippies’ Who Are ‘Destroying People’s Lives’ With Minimum Wage Demands says:

May 12, 2015 at 12:21 pm

[…] has only risen to $11 an hour,” Beck’s co-host Stu Burguiere clarified. “It will keep rising every year until it gets to $15 an hour. Restaurants are now scrambling to figure out how they will pay for […]
They’re Finally Getting the Right Idea at A Geek With Guns says:

May 13, 2015 at 9:00 am

[…] wage were raised to $20 — and he’d even prefer $22, at least in Seattle. The city will begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage in […]
They’re Finally Getting the Right Idea - Freedom's Floodgates says:

May 13, 2015 at 9:14 am

[…] minimum wage were raised to $20 — and he’d even prefer $22, at least in Seattle. The city will begin phasing in a $15 minimum wage in […]
5 Things Your Small Business Should Do This Summer | Internet Tax Lawyers says:

June 2, 2015 at 6:13 am

[…] For example, Seattle’s passed a law increasing its minimum wage to $15. However, for small businesses with less than 500 employees, the minimum wage doesn’t increase to $15 until 2021. […]
Can Seattle’s restaurants survive the new $15 minimum wage? | Grist says:

June 12, 2015 at 10:08 am

[…] tenets. His five employees already make more than $12 an hour, which includes shared tips. It’s within the next few years, once the wage raises again to $13 an hour, that problems could arise. If he raises menu prices, Alfau expects that his regulars, some of whom […]
Can Seattle’s restaurants survive the new $15 minimum wage? | Enjeux énergies et environnement says:

June 12, 2015 at 12:11 pm

[…] tenets. His five employees already make more than $12 an hour, which includes shared tips. It’s within the next few years, once the wage raises again to $13 an hour, that problems could arise. If he raises menu prices, Alfau expects that his regulars, some of whom […]
Fast food pay backpack might destroy 1 / 2 of McDonald, my eateries 's business operator claims | LaResistenciaDigital.Net says:

June 16, 2015 at 6:20 am

[…] are a $15 salary wouldn’t be needed any earlier than it had been by Dallas or La, which equally lately used this kind of increase and utilized it to all companies, not only […]
Cascadian Capitalism Update: Introducing Canopy | Crash Dev says:

June 18, 2015 at 5:03 pm

[…] has changed since I first published that post, including the passage of Seattle’s $15 minimum wage ordinance (sparking the adoption of a similar law in Los Angeles and related efforts in New York, Chicago, […]
Shifting the Goalposts in Seattle Minimum Wage Debate | The Big Picture says:

June 29, 2015 at 3:30 am

[…] been a few months since the first increase in the Seattle minimum wage (see here for the schedule of bump […]
Now Conservatives Want to Wait and See on the $15 Minimum Wage | Skunk Works says:

June 29, 2015 at 11:10 am

[…] a (debunked) story about Seattle-area restaurant closures are now claiming to defer judgment until 2021, when every employer in Seattle will be required to pay $15 an hour. It’s a disingenuous […]
$15 An Hour NOW – Not 5 To 7 Years From Now | PopularResistance.Org says:

July 4, 2015 at 10:10 am

[…] salary won’t be available in Seattle for workers at large employers (of 500 or more workers) until 2018, and 2022 for small employers. San Francisco’s minimum wage workforce won’t make $15 an […]
2015 Brings Widespread Minimum Wage Increases in the US | Employment Law Worldview says:

July 8, 2015 at 1:39 am

[…] CA ($12.25 on March 2), Chicago, IL ($10.00 on July 1), Washington, D.C. ($10.50 on July 1), Seattle, WA ($10.00 for employers of 500 or fewer employees, $11.00 for employers of more than 500 employees, […]
Who Pays Minimum Wage Increase? - DDIFO | DDIFO says:

July 9, 2015 at 5:56 pm

[…] Jim Olson wouldn’t specify what contributed to the increase (coffee prices haven’t risen), Seattle was first in the nation to raise its minimum wage to $15/hour beginning this past April. In a case of pure coincidence I’m sure, the 3.5% increase in pricing […]
Seattle's Minimum Wage Ordinance Effective April 1 - Gravel2Gavel Construction Law Blog says:

July 13, 2015 at 4:40 pm

[…] minimum wage in the City of Seattle to $15/hr., phased in over time, beginning April 1, 2015. The minimum wage ordinance has a different schedule for increasing the employees’ pay based upon the employers’ […]
Tacoma mayor to propose $12 hourly wage issue for fall ballot | Fellowship of the Minds says:

July 14, 2015 at 4:00 am

[…] would pay $12 per hour in 2018. That year, Seattle businesses with fewer than 500 employees will be required to pay $11.50 per hour under a phased-in plan that gets those businesses to $15 by 2021. “Alternately, when you step […]
The Advocates for Self-Government Chipotle Increases Prices in San Francisco to Match Increase in the City’s Minimum Wage » The Advocates for Self-Government says:

July 16, 2015 at 7:46 am

[…] in May 2014, enacted a similar gradual minimum wage increase. On April 1, employers in Seattle had to pay $11 an hour. Additional increases will be phased in over time, though when will depend on the size of the […]
Guy Leaving ‘No Tip’ Cards Because Of Seattle’s $15 Minimum Wage Is An Idiot And Here’s Why « 104.3 K-Hits Chicago says:

July 22, 2015 at 1:24 pm

[…] In fact, you might want to study up on the many intricacies of the law, which you can read about in full here. […]
Opinion: Guy Leaving ‘No Tip’ Cards Because Of Seattle’s $15 Minimum Wage Is An Idiot And Here’s Why « CBS Chicago says:

July 22, 2015 at 1:49 pm

[…] many intricacies of these laws so you don’t look like an idiot? Read about Seattle’s here and Chicago’s […]
Minimum Wage OR Minimum Unemployment? | Acton PowerBlog says:

July 23, 2015 at 12:00 pm

[…] ways, however few policies impact the market as directly as wage laws. The $15 minimum wage law in Seattle dramatically influences determinants of business owners’ hiring practices. In many cases, […]
Businessman Gloats After Setting A $70K Minimum Wage... He's Not Gloating Anymore. says:

August 3, 2015 at 5:29 am

[…] set his plan in motion not long after the city itself announced it would gradually raise its minimum wage to $15 an hour. Mayor Ed Murray made the announcement in May […]
What happens when a business raises its minimum wage to $70K? Find out here | Tea Party News says:

August 3, 2015 at 7:23 am

[…] set his plan in motion not long after the city itself announced it would gradually raise its minimum wage to $ 15 an hour. Mayor Ed Murray made the announcement in May, […]
Effects of raising the minimum wage: Research and key lessons - Journalist's Resource Journalist's Resource says:

August 3, 2015 at 1:58 pm

[…] 1. Some smaller jurisdictions have adopted a $15-per-hour rate, however. The city of Seattle is phasing in a plan to raise its minimum wage to $15 per hour. So is the University of California, where the mandated […]
Raising Manufacturing Employees’ Wages? Consider the Unintended Consequences | Manufacturing Law Blog says:

August 10, 2015 at 3:10 pm

[…] in even higher minimum wages. For example, Los Angeles County, the City of Los Angeles and the City of Seattle adopted a $15 minimum wage to be phased in by […]
What Kind of Revolution are Progressives Making? | meta-activism says:

August 11, 2015 at 2:08 pm

[…] Seattle is not just a progressive city. It is a famously progressive city, which recently raised the minimum wage and led the fight behind Washington state’s legalization of gay marriage […]
Fact Versus Fiction on Seattle Minimum Wage | The Big Picture says:

August 11, 2015 at 3:00 pm

[…] interest in the minimum wage experiment that is going on in the city of Seattle, which last year approved increases to be phased in – ultimately to $15/hour – over the next several […]
Bold changes needed to create equitable opportunities to thrive | Solid Ground Blog says:

August 18, 2015 at 12:01 pm

[…] year I participated in a bold step to strengthen the wage structure for those who work in Seattle. The success of the Income Inequality Advisory Committee has sparked […]
The Moral Argument Against the Minimum Wage | Douglas Groothuis, Ph.D. says:

August 27, 2015 at 1:55 pm

[…] an hour. The largest battleground has been in Seattle, where a $15 minimum wage is scheduled to be phased in over the next two to seven years. This has prompted a vigorous national debate about the utility […]
Fully Support Fight for $15 - Sage Lewis for Mayor of Akron says:

August 30, 2015 at 12:10 pm

[…] Seattle and San Francisco already passed laws raising wages to $15 an hour. […]
On Raising the Minimum Wage | The Time Stream says:

August 31, 2015 at 7:28 pm

[…] to eventually bring the minimum wage up to $15 an hour, including Los Angeles, New York City, and Seattle. However, this argument falls apart when it comes under […]
Dr. King Supported Workers' Rights | News Agency says:

September 4, 2015 at 10:05 am

[…] the nation. $15 an hour living wage laws are being implemented in cities like Los Angeles and Seattle, and a statewide victory seems imminent for fast-food workers in New York State. A recent court […]
» Dr. King Supported Workers' Rights says:

September 4, 2015 at 10:06 am

[…] the nation. $15 an hour living wage laws are being implemented in cities like Los Angeles and Seattle, and a statewide victory seems imminent for fast-food workers in New York State. A recent court […]
Dr. King Supported Workers' Rights - LiberalVoiceLiberalVoice — Your source for everything about liberals and progressives! — News and tweets about everything liberals and progressives says:

September 4, 2015 at 10:10 am

[…] the nation. $15 an hour living wage laws are being implemented in cities like Los Angeles and Seattle, and a statewide victory seems imminent for fast-food workers in New York State. A recent court […]
Dr. King Supported Workers' Rights « CauseHub says:

September 4, 2015 at 10:34 am

[…] the nation. $15 an hour living wage laws are being implemented in cities like Los Angeles and Seattle, and a statewide victory seems imminent for fast-food workers in New York State. A recent court […]
Dr. King Supported Workers' Rights - Kansas City Sun Times says:

September 4, 2015 at 9:56 pm

[…] the nation. $15 an hour living wage laws are being implemented in cities like Los Angeles and Seattle, and a statewide victory seems imminent for fast-food workers in New York State. A recent court […]
9th CIRCUIT UPHOLDS SEATTLE DISCRIMINATORY $15 MINIMUM WAGE LAW | says:

September 27, 2015 at 10:21 am

[…] does not violate the Constitution or existing laws, despite requiring that franchise businesses start paying a higher minimum wage more quickly than non-franchise small […]
Políticos da Florida vão experimentar o que é viver com um salário mínimo says:

September 30, 2015 at 9:16 am

[…] estado no país do Tio Sam, tem o salário mínimo de 15 dólares hora. Mas várias cidades, como Seattle ou São Francisco, já adotaram o valor. No nível federal, o salário mínimo é de 7,25 dólares, […]
No, We Don’t Need a $15 Minimum Wage | Thoughts. says:

October 1, 2015 at 1:53 pm

[…] money that is funnelled back into the economy, right? They also draw on real-life examples in cities such as Seattle that have already mandated a raise in their federal minimum wage to $15 an hour. However, the […]
Tacoma voters to consider new wage floor - $12 for Tacoma says:

October 13, 2015 at 2:10 pm

[…] expensive to live in Western Washington than Eastern Washington, for example. And Seattle, which is raising its minimum wage to $15 in the next three to five years, has a much higher cost of living than Tacoma’s — almost […]
REPORT: Seattle Wage Hike Off To 'Pretty Bad Start' | The Daily Caller says:

October 24, 2015 at 1:00 pm

[…] its report, the American Enterprise Institute looked at restaurant job growth in both Seattle and the rest of Washington. The state itself has gained 5,800 industry jobs since January. Seattle, […]
Seattle Raises Minimum Wage to $15, Look What is IMMEDIATELY Happening to Jobs... says:

October 24, 2015 at 2:26 pm

[…] its report, the American Enterprise Institute looked at restaurant job growth in both Seattle and the rest of Washington. The state itself has gained 5,800 industry jobs since January. Seattle, […]
REPORT: Seattle Wage Hike Off To ‘Pretty Bad Start,’ Kills 700 Jobs | Seattle says:

October 24, 2015 at 5:50 pm

[…] its report, the American Enterprise Institute looked at restaurant job growth in both Seattle and the rest of Washington. The state itself has gained 5,800 industry jobs since January. Seattle, […]
Seattle Wage Hike Off To ‘Pretty Bad Start’ | pundit from another planet says:

October 25, 2015 at 8:13 pm

[…] its report, the American Enterprise Institute looked at restaurant job growth in both Seattle and the rest of Washington. The state itself has gained 5,800 industry jobs since January. […]
REPORT: Seattle Wage Hike Off To ‘Pretty Bad Start,’ Kills 700 Jobs says:

October 26, 2015 at 5:48 am

[…] its report, the American Enterprise Institute looked at restaurant job growth in both Seattle and the rest of Washington. The state itself has gained 5,800 industry jobs since January. Seattle, […]
Seattle’s Minimum Wage Hike Is Underway. Hiring Has Slowed Already | Uncommon Sense says:

October 26, 2015 at 8:44 am

[…] the ordinance allows for the changes to become fully implemented over the next 3 or 7 years, depending on the size of […]
Seattle Wage Hike Off To ‘Pretty Bad Start,’ Kills 700 Jobs | US Issues says:

October 26, 2015 at 1:42 pm

[…] its report, the American Enterprise Institute looked at restaurant job growth in both Seattle and the rest of Washington. The state itself has gained 5,800 industry jobs since January. Seattle, […]
My 2.5 Star Trip to Amazon’s Bizarre New Bookstore | AiDaIa - Gardening says:

November 4, 2015 at 12:10 pm

[…] benefits. That’s well above starting rates at most indies; it also comes in ahead of Seattle’s impending $15 minimum wage. The effort Amazon had to exert to recruit these talented booksellers—they were noticeably good […]
$15 a Success in Seattle? | Western Free Press says:

November 5, 2015 at 12:08 pm

[…] minimum wage regulation scheme in the country, the Seattle ordinance divides employers into four categories, each with different amounts of time to reach the $15 […]
TECNOLOGÍA » My 2.5 Star Trip to Amazon’s Bizarre New Bookstore says:

November 5, 2015 at 9:38 pm

[…] That’s well above starting rates at most indies; it also comes in ahead of Seattle’s impending $15 minimum wage. The effort Amazon had to exert to recruit these talented booksellers—they were noticeably […]
Seattle’s minimum wage battle | The L•E•Jer says:

November 8, 2015 at 3:23 pm

[…] Office of the Mayor, $15 Minimum Wage, http://murray.seattle.gov/minimumwage/#sthash.dabwy3oq.lidhwpme.dpbshttp://murray.seattle.gov/minimu… (last visited Sept. 24, […]
My 2.5 Star Trip to Amazon’s Bizarre New Bookstore | News Asia says:

November 8, 2015 at 3:30 pm

[…] That’s good above starting rates during many indies; it also comes in forward of Seattle’s impending $15 smallest wage. The bid Amazon had to strive to partisan these gifted booksellers—they were noticeably good […]
What the 'Fight For 15' Could Mean for Workers and Local Economies | Civil Eats says:

November 13, 2015 at 1:12 am

[…] has started to yield results through municipal policies: $15 an hour wages will be in effect in Seattle by 2017, Los Angeles by 2020, and San Francisco by 2018. In New York, after a July announcement to […]
My 2.5 Star Trip to Amazon’s Bizarre New Bookstore | International Reaction says:

November 13, 2015 at 4:03 am

[…] That’s good above starting rates during many indies; it also comes in forward of Seattle’s impending $15 smallest wage. The bid Amazon had to strive to partisan these gifted booksellers—they were noticeably good […]
In Most Large Markets, Even $15 Minimum Wage Wouldn’t Help Renters Much - Zillow Research says:

November 13, 2015 at 4:29 pm

[…] cities nationwide are considering following in Seattle’s footsteps and raising their minimum wage to $15 per hour. Supporters of the increase say it’s necessary to […]
$15 a Success in Seattle? | Western Free Press says:

November 17, 2015 at 2:54 pm

[…] minimum wage regulation scheme in the country, the Seattle ordinance divides employers into four categories, each with different amounts of time to reach the $15 […]
Is Seattle's minimum wage killing jobs? - The Seattle Times -RocketNews says:

December 22, 2015 at 12:26 pm

[…] we have a ways to go before the wage really hits $15. The largest employers must pay it beginning in 2017; smaller companies may have until […]
Is Seattle’s minimum wage killing jobs? | Seattle says:

December 22, 2015 at 1:57 pm

[…] we have a ways to go before the wage really hits $15. The largest employers must pay it beginning in 2017; smaller companies may have until […]
5 New Laws Making News in 2016 | The Avvo NakedLaw Blog says:

January 5, 2016 at 10:22 am

[…] the city of Seattle’s $15 minimum wage ordinance took effect last year, the news recently has been about the national movement pushing increases elsewhere. Governor Mario […]
5 New Laws Making News In 2016 | Law Deluxe says:

January 8, 2016 at 5:40 pm

[…] the city of Seattle’s $15 minimum wage ordinance took effect last year, the news recently has been about the national movement pushing increases elsewhere. Governor […]
Seattle food jobs 'soaring'? At only 0.67% growth last year and by several ... - American Enterprise Institute -RocketNews says:

January 9, 2016 at 12:44 pm

[…] rest of the state increased by 3.6% in 2013 and actually fell by -0.2% in 2014. On May 1, 2014, the Seattle city council passed a $15 an hour minimum wage law that mandated increases to $11 an hour on April 1, 2015 followed by further increases to $13 an […]
Seattle food jobs ‘soaring’? At only 0.67% growth last year and by several … | Seattle says:

January 9, 2016 at 2:11 pm

[…] rest of the state increased by 3.6% in 2013 and actually fell by -0.2% in 2014. On May 1, 2014, the Seattle city council passed a $15 an hour minimum wage law that mandated increases to $11 an hour on April 1, 2015 followed by further increases to $13 an […]
Seattle food jobs ‘soaring’? At only 0.67% growth last year and by several comparisons, ‘anemic’ seems more accurate | RightForAmerica says:

January 9, 2016 at 6:57 pm

[…] rest of the state increased by 3.6% in 2013 and actually fell by -0.2% in 2014. On May 1, 2014, the Seattle city council passed a $15 an hour minimum wage law that mandated increases to $11 an hour on April 1, 2015 followed by further increases to $13 an […]
IFA Appeals Seattle Discrimination to SCOTUS - DDIFO | DDIFO says:

January 28, 2016 at 12:16 pm

[…] by the US 9th Circuit Court of Appeals, to the Supreme Court of the United States (SCOTUS). The local law provides an accelerated schedule of wage increases for large employers, which it defines as […]
Minimum Wage Enforcement Begins in Seattle | The Blog Quixotic says:

February 1, 2016 at 6:05 pm

[…] More info at this link […]
Minimum Wage Enforcement Begins in Seattle | The Blog Quixotic says:

February 1, 2016 at 6:10 pm

[…] More info here. […]
Ignoring the Adverse Effects of the Minimum Wage May Cost Taxpayers Billions | Western Free Press says:

February 10, 2016 at 8:40 am

[…] for modern calls to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour or even $15 per hour, as some cities have already […]
Twenty Four Questions About a Living Wage in Boulder | Amateur Earthling says:

February 20, 2016 at 7:43 pm

[…] city or county from setting a minimum wage, so we can’t simply pass a local minimum wage like Seattle, WA and Los Angeles, CA. Our state statue includes some kind of Orwellian justification for the […]
Checking in: Seattle minimum wage hike one year later says:

February 21, 2016 at 10:48 am

[…] the new ordinance was met with endless rounds of applause from progressive groups and labor unions, almost […]
The Higher Cost of Hiring – Townsquared says:

March 4, 2016 at 3:26 pm

[…] them. Of course, this cost goes up in cities with higher minimum wage laws, like San Francisco and Seattle, where in just a few years that cost will soar to almost […]
Alex Morash: New Report Undermines Right-Wing Media Claim That Higher Minimum Wages Threaten Job Creation | All in One News says:

March 6, 2016 at 5:16 am

[…] media smears against Seattle's minimum wage increase started soon after the city approved an ordinance raising the minimum wage to $15 over the course of a three- to seven-year period. In July 2015, Fox […]
Local Radio Host Very Confused About the Minimum Wage | Skunk Works says:

March 9, 2016 at 1:54 pm

[…] initiative passes, the minimum wage will be $13.50 in rural areas by 2020, but in Seattle it will be more than two dollars higher than that in many cases, to account for the higher cost of living in Seattle. Problem […]
Seattle’s Minimum Wage Hike – We The People says:

March 10, 2016 at 2:09 pm

[…] (1) Y Charts: http://murray.seattle.gov/minimumwage/#sthash.nzU7fcKA.dpbs […]
The Truth About The Minimum Wage | 1776 Movement says:

March 25, 2016 at 1:36 pm

[…] hour and is already experiencing a rise in unemployment, and the wage isn’t even at $15.00 yet (Wages won’t be $15.00 until 2017-2021). This is what will happen if the minimum wage is raised everywhere; small businesses will fail […]
70 Tries After Seattle Raised Its Minimum Wage, I Still Can’t Find A Job says:

March 29, 2016 at 4:27 am

[…] January 1, 2016, the newly mandated minimum wage rose to $13 for larger companies (those that have more than 500 employees in the United States), and $10.50 for […]
70 Tries After Seattle Raised Its Minimum Wage, I Still Can’t Find A Job | CAPITOL ZERO says:

March 29, 2016 at 5:06 am

[…] January 1, 2016, the newly mandated minimum wage rose to $13 for larger companies (those that have more than 500 employees in the United States), and $10.50 for […]
Even as minimal wage rates increase, the issue continues to be a hot button issue | WLNS says:

March 29, 2016 at 9:02 am

[…] the other hand, Michigan Chamber of Commence does not believe that our raise increased helps the state. They say that if we were to increase the […]
What About a $15 Minimum Wage? | Acculturated says:

April 5, 2016 at 11:10 am

[…] jobs, to increase the minimum wage, and similar things. So in 2014 when Seattle finally did decide to increase its minimum wage to $15/hour, I was […]
Taxpayers Pay through the Nose for the Minimum Wage by Adam Millsap - Dr. Rich Swier says:

April 19, 2016 at 12:09 pm

[…] for modern calls to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour or even $15 per hour, as some cities have already […]
Taxpayers Pay through the Nose for the Minimum Wage - Austin County News Online says:

April 21, 2016 at 9:45 am

[…] for modern calls to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour or even $15 per hour, as some cities have already […]
The Minimum Wage Makes Teens Unemployable, So Taxpayers Are Paying $5.5 Billion to Find Them Jobs | Megalextoria says:

April 21, 2016 at 11:18 am

[…] for modern calls to raise the federal minimum wage to $10.10 per hour or even $15 per hour, as some cities have already […]
Minimum-wage law: This is not play money | Sykays says:

April 27, 2016 at 5:12 pm

[…] that’s before bigger wage jumps coming in the near future: Employers with more than 500 workers had to pay $13 an hour as of last […]
Minimum-wage law: This is not play money - Announcement Press says:

April 27, 2016 at 5:16 pm

[…] that’s before bigger wage jumps coming in the near future: Employers with more than 500 workers had to pay $13 an hour as of last […]
Minimum-wage law: This is not play money - Ba Wire says:

April 27, 2016 at 6:29 pm

[…] that’s before bigger wage jumps coming in the near future: Employers with more than 500 workers had to pay $13 an hour as of last […]
What some Capitol Hill businesses are saying about the Seattle minimum wage study | CHS Capitol Hill Seattle says:

April 28, 2016 at 7:03 am

[…] the first in a series of several commissioned by the council in tandem with their passing of the original wage hike ordinance — showed that, aside from a roughly 7% price increase in Seattle’s restaurant industry, […]
$15 minimum wage caused jump in restaurant prices says:

May 3, 2016 at 1:42 pm

[…] that’s before bigger wage jumps coming in the near future: Employers with more than 500 workers had to pay $13 an hour as of last […]
Electoral Folly: No Matter How Good the Candidate, Business as Usual Rules Elected Office says:

May 13, 2016 at 1:54 am

[…] the wake of Sawant’s election victory, the new mayor, Ed Murray, quickly put together an “Income Inequality Advisory Committee.” The committee included Sawant and major representatives of labor, but also representatives of […]
A Socialist on City Council: A Look at the Career of Kshama Sawant says:

May 16, 2016 at 3:39 pm

[…] the wake of Sawant’s election victory, the new mayor, Ed Murray, quickly put together an “Income Inequality Advisory Committee.” The committee included Sawant and major representatives of labor, but also representatives of […]
Ex McDonald's CEO Claims $15/Hr Minimum Wage Will Doom Us AllViral Pirate says:

May 25, 2016 at 8:12 am

[…] he didn’t didn’t account for current $15-an-hour initiatives like the one in Seattle that allows businesses to pay employees under the age of 18 less than the $15/hr minimum wage. It […]
ロボットが人間の仕事を奪う「最低賃金」は15ドル：マクドナルド前CEO発言 | テクノロジージャパン says:

May 26, 2016 at 8:32 pm

[…] なお、レンシ氏の試算には、最低賃金時給15ドルに関する現在の状況が考慮されていない。「時給15ドル」に関して一番有名だと思われるシアトルの場合、市が行った初回の調査結果では、（失業が増えるという予測もあったがそうした事実は生じておらず）「破滅的な状況には陥っていない」という結果が出ている。もちろん、これはまだ最終的なデータではないし、現在の最低賃金は時給13ドルではあるのだが（2021年までに段階的に値上げされる計画だ）。なお、シアトルでは、18歳未満の労働者などには最低賃金を15ドルより低くすることが認められている。 […]
Minimum Wage Workers | Blake Griffin says:

June 2, 2016 at 7:11 pm

[…] “$15 Minimum Wage.” Mayor Murray. N.p., 06 May 2014. Web. 02 June 2016 http://murray.seattle.gov/minimumwage/ […]
BrightStar on Frontlines of Battle Against Minimum Wage Law | Home Health Care News says:

June 12, 2016 at 7:24 pm

[…] Seattle’s new minimum wage law allows small businesses several years to reach $15 per hour by 2021 with gradual wage increases. Businesses with more than 500 employees must pay workers $15 per hour beginning January 2017 or 2018. […]
electronic city youtube | We asked 15 people why they’re fighting for $15 and this is what they said. says:

June 13, 2016 at 5:33 am

[…] it weren’t for these efforts in cities like Seattle and San Francisco, it’s likely that things would have stayed how they always were. Both […]
Seattle Minimum Wage Success? | Thoughts from a Classical Liberal says:

June 30, 2016 at 9:20 am

[…] [1]: http://murray.seattle.gov/minimumwage/#sthash.CmlFbmW6.dpbs [2]: […]
Starbucks Workers Petition Against Underemployment – Our New Left says:

July 3, 2016 at 10:48 pm

[…] An online petition has surfaced calling out Starbucks for cutting hours and under-staffing cafes in what they say is a response to higher labor costs. At the time of this writing, the petition has reached over ten thousand signatures after just ten days. This comes roughly a year after the Bernie Sanders campaign made the conversation of a $15/hr minimum wage commonplace in America. Businesses and legislators all over the country have been dealing with the mounting pressure from a growing population of people who believe that the best way of reducing poverty is to use this country’s wealth to lift up the underprivileged. Even Starbucks’ home town of Seattle has passed $15/hr minimum wage legislation. […]
Minimum Wage Hike and how it influences the staffing industry » CEOWORLD Magazine says:

July 8, 2016 at 3:15 am

[…] the development of the $15 minimum wage movement. With California and New York, along with the city of Seattle, passing legislation that will raise the minimum wage to $15 for some positions over the next few […]
REI Workers Call for Better Pay and Working Conditions, Consider Unionization - Seattle Events Live says:

July 11, 2016 at 1:39 pm

[…] about 20 cents more than the Seattle the minimum wage. (Large companies in the city currently pay $12.50-$13 an hour and will all pay $15 by 2018.) Some employees said the company should tie wages to a “living […]
The Laborer Is Worthy of His Hire,… or Less So » Shepherd's Fool says:

July 19, 2016 at 11:30 am

[…] City of Seattle just raised the minimum wage from $9.32/hr. to $15.00/hr, that is more than a 50% increase. That means that if a burger joint […]
What an increase of minimum wage could do to your business | WinWinUSA Blog says:

July 25, 2016 at 11:27 am

[…] Cities and states around the country have been raising the minimum wage on their own, with Seattle being the first to raise their minimum wage to $15, and the rest of the country is most likely going to follow […]
Seattle's Minimum Wage Keeps Rising; Guess What's Happening | The Federalist Papers says:

July 30, 2016 at 9:47 am

[…] Liberals promised us that by raising the minimum wage in Seattle, all sorts of glorious things would start happening. You just wait and see, they said. It’s gonna be awesome. […]
Liberal Fairy Tales: How Jobs Are Created | The Federalist Papers says:

July 31, 2016 at 4:41 pm

[…] Robert Gehl reports Liberals promised us that by raising the minimum wage in Seattle, all sorts of glorious things would start happening. You just wait and see, they said. It’s gonna be awesome. […]
The 'Fight-for-$15' Fantasy – Investor's Business Daily – Daily Stock Advisor says:

August 1, 2016 at 6:06 am

[…] Washington has found that a minimum-wage increase to $11 per hour in Seattle (median wage of $23) produced little net benefit or cost to workers. But that says little about what undesirable effects an $11-per-hour minimum might produce two […]
Les effets de la hausse du salaire minimum à Seattle | says:

August 10, 2016 at 1:46 am

[…] où la hausse a eu lieu (soit à Seattle, où le salaire minimum est passé de 9,54 $ à 11,00 $ le premier avril 2015, mais à seulement 10,00 $ pour quelques employeurs) avec seulement ceux observés dans le […]
Cartoon Reveals EXACTLY How Obama's Policies Are Making a "Difference" | The Federalist Papers says:

August 11, 2016 at 6:28 am

[…] Robert Gehl reminds us that liberals promised us that by raising the minimum wage in Seattle, all sorts of glorious things would start happening. You just wait and see, they said. It’s gonna be awesome. […]
Which City Will Actually Get the $15 Minimum Wage First? – InsideSources says:

August 11, 2016 at 9:18 am

[…] was followed by over a dozen cities when it became the first to pass the $15 minimum wage in June 2014. The city made history but won’t see the increase […]
Some early results from Seattle’s radical experiment with a $15 an hour minimum wage: fewer jobs, fewer hours | Drawnlines Politics says:

August 17, 2016 at 7:29 pm

[…] so far. Depending on the size of the firm, Seattle’s minimum wage is currently between $10.50 to $13 an hour, and will increase to $15 an hour between January 2017 and January 2021. The chart above displays the history of the minimum wage in Seattle in both nominal terms (light […]
Full-time Become an expert in of Creativity and Entrepreneurship | Dëshmorët e Kombit says:

August 22, 2016 at 6:34 am

[…] http://murray.seattle.gov/minimumwage/ […]
Language - The Foreign language of International Commercial? - Funny Cute Animals says:

August 22, 2016 at 6:38 am

[…] http://murray.seattle.gov/minimumwage/ […]
Environmental Taxation at the Forefront of Washington State’s Ballot Initiatives – Leo's Notes says:

November 6, 2016 at 1:02 pm

[…] are also planned to fund the sales tax cut and tax credit. Combined with Seattle’s impending $15 minimum wage and sizable manufacturing presence, Initiative 732 spells certain economic trouble for the […]
Quotation of the day on how socialism kills and impoverishes….. – American Enterprise Institute says:

December 30, 2016 at 12:12 am

[…] who employs 900 people, said it’s not simply that the city passed mandates such as $15-per-hour minimum wage, sick leave and secure scheduling among others; it’s that the council and the mayor appear to […]
$15 now — As workers at Seattle’s biggest chains hit milestone wage, Hill’s small biz owners make 2017 adjustments | CHS Capitol Hill Seattle says:

January 2, 2017 at 7:04 am

[…] the first in a series of several commissioned by the council in tandem with their passing of the original wage hike ordinance — showed that, aside from a roughly 7% price increase in Seattle’s restaurant industry, there […]
If You Knew Raising the Minimum Wage Wouldn’t Tank the Economy, Why Wouldn’t You Do It? – Kingston Action Group for Basic Income Guarantee says:

January 6, 2017 at 7:21 am

[…] of the city’s landmark minimum wage increase—which will eventually raise workers to $15 over the next several years—businesses continued to open, workers’ salaries continued to rise, and unemployment continued […]
The Curse of Econ 101 – A World With Trump says:

January 14, 2017 at 6:49 am

[…] inequality, the minimum wage is a centerpiece of political debate. California, New York City, and Seattle are all raising their minimums to $15, and President Barack Obama called for a federal minimum of […]
MCC Rate & Wage Changes: 2017 | Millionair Club Charity Blog says:

January 19, 2017 at 12:38 pm

[…] To learn more about Seattle’s schedule of Minimum Wage Increases, click here. […]
We asked 15 people why they’re fighting for $15 and this is what they said. | Viral Temperature says:

February 3, 2017 at 2:08 am

[…] it weren’t for these efforts in cities like Seattle and San Francisco, it’s likely that things would have stayed how they always were. Both […]

Office of the Mayor Mayor Edward B. Murray

Mayor Edward B. Murray left office on September 13, 2017.
This website is for archival purposes only, and is no longer updated.

$15 Minimum Wage

LATEST INFORMATION

PASSED LEGISLATION

Schedule 1 employers (more than 500 employees in the U.S.)

Schedule 1 employers (more than 500 employees in the U.S.) with medical benefits

Schedule 2 employers (500 or fewer employees in the U.S.)

Schedule 2 employers (500 or fewer employees in the U.S.) with minimum compensation

CHARTS

RESEARCH

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

General provisions

Employees Covered

Employers Covered

Wages and Compensation

Minimum Wage and Compensation Schedules

Requirements, Penalties, and Enforcement

Trackbacks

Office of the Mayor Mayor Edward B. Murray

Mayor Edward B. Murray left office on September 13, 2017. This website is for archival purposes only, and is no longer updated.

LATEST INFORMATION

PASSED LEGISLATION

Schedule 1 employers (more than 500 employees in the U.S.)

Schedule 1 employers (more than 500 employees in the U.S.) with medical benefits

Schedule 2 employers (500 or fewer employees in the U.S.)

Schedule 2 employers (500 or fewer employees in the U.S.) with minimum compensation

CHARTS

RESEARCH

COMMITTEE MEMBERS

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS

General provisions

Employees Covered

Employers Covered

Wages and Compensation

Minimum Wage and Compensation Schedules

Requirements, Penalties, and Enforcement

Trackbacks

Mayor Edward B. Murray left office on September 13, 2017.
This website is for archival purposes only, and is no longer updated.