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Friday, April 10, 2026

5 Basic Rights of Employees in Washington State - Legal Reader

Under Washington law, an employee accrues at least 1 hour of paid sick time for every 40 hours of work.

The rights of employees, whether public and private, in Washington are protected under many federal and state laws. The problem is that many people do not know what their rights are and what to do when they are treated unfairly at work. One way of making sure your rights are respected is to talk to an experienced Washington employment lawyer whenever you have an issue with your employer.

You cannot expect regular people to know all the paragraphs in the Washington Law Against Discrimination, the Americans with Disabilities Act or the Washington State Family Leave Act. Employment attorneys do know what the labor laws in Washington say and can help you file a complaint with state or federal agencies.

Minimum wage

The federal minimum wage is set at $7.25, but in Washington state it’s almost double $13.69 and that’s not all. In Seattle, the minimum wage for people working in large companies and chains is $16.69.

There are no special laws on overtime pay in Washington, so federal regulations apply. Overtime should be paid at 1.5 times the employee’s regular rate for any hours in excess of 40 hours worked per week.

If your employer doesn’t pay you accordingly, this may be a case of wage theft and you should get in touch with a no-nonsense employment lawyer in Seattle. You can file a complaint with the Department of Labor and Industries or take your employer to court.

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