CITY OF RENTON WASHINGTON

On July 1, 2024, covered employers will be required to pay a new higher minimum wage for hours worked in the City. Covered employers are required to pay employees not less than the minimum hourly wage as follows:

Covered Employers	2024 Minimum Wage Effective 7/1/24
Large Employer - More than 500 employees worldwide and certain franchises	$20.29
Mid-Size Employer - At least 15 but no more than 500 employees worldwide or over $2 million of annual gross revenue in Renton	$18.29

 

Employers that do not fall within the Large or Mid-Size Employer described above are not covered by the new minimum wage rates but must continue to meet the State of Washington minimum wage requirements.

Affected employers must offer additional hours of work to qualified, part-time employees, per the voter-passed ordinance, before hiring new employees or subcontractors (including temporary agencies).

In February 2024, the voters of Renton passed the citizen-led Initiative 23-02, which is an ordinance setting Labor Standard requirements for employers and certain employees who work within our city.

The city has 180 days from the election certification date of February 23, 2024 to develop rules and procedures for implementing and certifying compliance with this ordinance. During this time, the City will seek input and guidance from stakeholders like you before finalizing these rules.

NOTE: Under the voter-initiated ordinance, tips paid to employees do not count towards the minimum wage, and covered employers will no longer be allowed to pay lower than minimum wage rates for certain categories of workers, such as minors under 16, certified workers with disabilities, or on-the-job learners with state-issued subminimum wage certificates.

Covered employers must offer additional hours of work to qualified, part-time employees before hiring new employees or subcontractors (including temporary agencies).

All employers, including those not otherwise covered by the above requirements, are prohibited from retaliating against anyone who exercises rights protected by the ordinance, including seeking or providing information about the ordinance’s requirements or making a complaint of alleged violations.

In March, an informational letter was mailed to inform businesses that the voters of Renton passed the citizen-led Initiative 23-02, which is an ordinance setting Labor Standard requirements for employers and certain employees who work within the city.

On Monday, May 6, the Committee of the Whole received an update on RMC 5.28 (Labor Standards for Certain Employees).

The full agenda, including materials, can be found here. An audio recording of the meeting is available here. 

The city has been working through the rule making process since the initiative’s election certification date of February 23, 2024, to develop rules and procedures for implementing and certifying compliance with this ordinance. Feedback on the draft rules were requested on May 7, 2024 and the rules were finalized as of May 31, 2024.

Rules are available here:

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