Seattle

On February 21, 2023, Seattle, WA became the first U.S. jurisdiction to add caste to its list of categories protected against discrimination.  This law defines “caste” as a social structure mostly associated with South Asian communities, many of whom live and work in Seattle.

The Seattle Office of Labor Standards has released a Fact Sheet on the city’s Independent Contractor Protections Ordinance offering guidance on the implementation of new pay protections for independent contractors.

On June 13, 2022, Seattle Mayor Bruce Harrell signed into law CB 120294, a measure intended to ensure app-based delivery drivers are paid a minimum wage plus tips and compensation for expenses, increase transparency related to offers for work, and preserve worker flexibility. The App-Based Worker Minimum Payment Ordinance is

In a growing trend of increasing workplace protections for independent contractors, the Seattle City Council has passed the “Independent Contractor Protections Ordinance,” aimed at increasing pay transparency for the ever-growing gig workforce. The Ordinance goes into effect September 1, 2022.

On January 25, 2021, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed an ordinance requiring hazard pay for certain grocery business employees during the COVID-19 pandemic. Mayor Durkin signed the ordinance into law on January 29. Below are expected questions and answers for employers related to the new ordinance, which took effect

On January 25, 2021, the Seattle City Council approved Council Bill 119990 (also referred to as the “hazard pay ordinance”), which establishes $4 per hour COVID-19 hazard pay for grocery employees working in the City of Seattle. Below is a chart summarizing the key provisions of the hazard pay ordinance.