For Immediate Release
August 17, 2017
Contact: Cynthia Santana, Communications Manager, 206-256-5219, cynthia.santana@seattle.gov
Revisions proposed to City of Seattle’s Minimum Wage rule – eliminating subminimum wages for employees with disabilities.
Office of Labor Standards invites public comments until September 6, 2017
Seattle – (August 17, 2017) The Seattle Office of Labor Standards (OLS) is proposing a revision to an administrative rule for the Minimum Wage Ordinance (SHRR Chapter 90). The revision will prevent employers from paying any worker with a disability less than Seattle’s minimum wage, a practice that is currently allowed under an ordinance provision that mirrors state law.
The Seattle Commission for People with DisAbilities voted unanimously at its June meeting to end exemptions that permit employers to pay subminimum wages for workers with a disability, and the Mayor, City Council, and OLS supported this change.
Members of the public have until September 6, 2017 at 5:00pm PST to comment on the proposed rule. The full text of the rule is available at:
Please send comments by email to karina.bull@seattle.gov or by regular mail to:
Seattle Office of Labor Standards
810 Third Ave., Suite 375
Seattle, WA 98104-1627
Attn: Karina Bull, OLS Policy Manager
You can also comment by calling 206-256-5297.
The proposed subminimum wage revision is part of a larger effort to update Minimum Wage rules to reflect legislation passed during the 2017 budget process establishing OLS as an independent office; changes resulting from the Wage Theft Prevention and Harmonization Ordinance of 2015; revisions to Washington State’s minimum wage law resulting from Initiative 1433; clarifications for employer payments toward individual employee’s medical benefits plans; and to address other requests for clarification from the public. OLS issued initial draft revisions for notice and comment in late February 2017, and has worked with the Washington State Department of Labor & Industries to clarify certain issues before finalizing the rules.
After the comment period is over, OLS will issue final rules that address the previous proposals along with the subminimum wage issue.
This fall, OLS also will submit omnibus legislation to the Seattle City Council that will include the subminimum wage revision. The City Council will vote on the legislation before the end of the year.
For more information, visit https://www.seattle.gov/laborstandards or call 206-256-5297.
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