Seattle Employment Lawyers

You should make sure to discuss the details of your situation with a lawyer before deciding on your course of action. In the meantime, though, here’s an overview of some laws that shape key areas of the employment relationship for businesses and employees in Seattle.

Many workplace disputes arise from concerns over whether a business has properly paid an employee. Seattle has a minimum wage ordinance that applies to employers of all sizes. It protects most employees who perform work in Seattle and applies to all hours worked in the city. Certain types of employees are exempt, such as some white collar workers and agricultural workers. As of 2025, the minimum wage for covered employees is $20.76 per hour. It increases each year to account for inflation. The Seattle Office of Labor Standards enforces the ordinance.

Washington State has its own wage law. This provides for a minimum wage of $16.66 per hour. It increases each year based on the consumer price index. Businesses can’t count tips and service charges paid to an employee as part of their minimum wage. Exemptions are largely the same as those under the Seattle ordinance. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries enforces this law.

The state wage law also requires most employees to be paid overtime if they work more than 40 hours in a seven-day workweek. An employer must pay overtime at one and half times the regular hourly rate of the employee. You can’t waive your right to overtime pay. In addition, Washington State requires employees to get a paid rest period of at least 10 minutes for every four hours worked. They cannot be required to work more than three hours without a rest break. An employee is also entitled to a meal period when they work for more than five hours. The meal period must last for at least 30 minutes and start between the second and fifth hours of the shift. Meal breaks don’t have to be paid if an employee is free from all duties during that time.

The law defines “hours worked” more broadly than you might expect. These include any time during which the employer requires, allows, knows, or reasonably believes the employee to be on the employer’s premises or at a certain workplace. An employee might need to be paid for activities such as required trainings and meetings, wait time, on-call time, travel time, and time when they put on and take off uniforms or personal protective equipment. An employer still must pay an employee for working extra hours without permission, but an employee may face discipline if they do.

A federal law called the Fair Labor Standards Act also provides minimum wage and overtime requirements. However, these tend to be less generous than the city and state rules. For example, the minimum wage under the FLSA is only $7.25 per hour, and businesses that employ tipped workers only need to pay them $2.13 per hour if their tips account for the difference. The FLSA also doesn’t require rest breaks or meal breaks. The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor enforces this law.

Local, state, and federal laws shield most Seattle employees from discrimination in the workplace based on having certain protected characteristics. Discrimination often involves firing an employee or refusing to hire a job applicant, but it also may involve actions such as withholding benefits, providing less favorable assignments, paying an employee less for doing the same work, demoting or refusing to promote an employee, or engaging in harassment that creates a hostile work environment.

Seattle has enacted a fair employment practices ordinance, which is enforced by the Seattle Office for Civil Rights. It covers employers of all sizes. Protected traits under the ordinance include race (including hairstyles associated with race), color, age (40 or older), sex, marital status, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, political ideology, creed, religion, ancestry, caste, national origin, citizenship or immigration status, honorably discharged veteran or military status, pregnancy outcomes, or the presence of a disability. You’ll need to file a complaint within 18 months of the conduct that you thought was discriminatory.

Washington State has its own law against discrimination. It’s found at RCW Chapter 49.60 and enforced by the Washington State Human Rights Commission. The law applies to employers with eight or more employees. Protected traits include race (including hairstyles associated with race), creed, color, national origin, sex, marital status, age (40 and older), disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, honorably discharged veteran or military status, or the use of a trained dog guide or service animal by a person with a disability. You’ll need to file a signed complaint within six months of the conduct that appeared to violate the law.

Several federal laws also protect employees and job applicants from discrimination. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission enforces most of these laws. They tend to apply to somewhat larger employers than the city and state laws. For example, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy, sexual orientation, and gender identity), and national origin. It covers employers with 15 or more employees. The Americans With Disabilities Act provides protections to employees and job applicants with disabilities, also covering employers with at least 15 employees. The Age Discrimination in Employment Act covers employers with at least 20 employees and protects workers who are 40 or older. The standard deadline for filing a charge with the EEOC is 180 days, but it extends to 300 days if a state agency enforces a law that prohibits discrimination on the same basis.

Harassment in the workplace may rise to the level of illegal discrimination in certain situations. Probably the most notorious form of harassment is sexual harassment. This may involve unwelcome advances, requests for sex, or other conduct or communications based on sex.

Sexual harassment claims generally take two forms. First, quid pro quo (“this for that”) harassment happens when a supervisor, manager, or someone else in a position of authority demands sexual favors from the employee in exchange for employment benefits, or in exchange for avoiding a negative employment action. Meanwhile, hostile work environment sexual harassment occurs when the harassment is so frequent or severe that it interferes with an employee’s ability to do their job. You might be able to bring a claim based on a single major incident, such as an assault, or based on a series of less significant incidents that build up over time.

Employers have an obligation to take steps against sexual harassment. They need to provide complaint procedures for employees who believe that they have experienced harassment, and they need to promptly and thoroughly look into any complaints that they receive. Employers also must act promptly to stop any further harassment.

If you need to take time off from work to address a medical concern or a family issue, you have rights under Seattle, Washington, and federal laws. Seattle has a paid sick and safe time ordinance. The rate at which this leave accrues depends on the size of the employer. If your employer has 250 or more full-time employees, you’ll get one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked. If you work for a smaller business, you’ll get one hour of leave for every 40 hours worked. You can take this leave to deal with your own health condition or care for a family member with a health condition, among other reasons. The Seattle Office of Labor Standards enforces this law.

Washington State has a generous paid family and medical leave program. It’s operated by the Washington State Employment Security Department. Most employees in the state are eligible for this leave if they’ve worked for at least 820 hours during the qualifying period, as this is defined under state law. Qualifying reasons for this leave include:

• A serious health condition of the employee
• Caring for a family member with a serious health condition
• The birth or placement of a child with the employee
• A qualifying exigency under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (discussed further below)

This leave is job protected if the employee works for an employer with 50 or more employees, they’ve worked for their current employer for at least 12 months, and they’ve accumulated at least 1,250 hours with the current employer during the 12 months before taking the leave. Generally, an employee can get up to 12 weeks of paid leave per year, but they may get up to 16 weeks of paid leave if they have more than one qualifying event in the same year. A pregnancy or childbirth condition that causes incapacity may allow an employee to get up to 18 weeks of paid leave. It’s paid at up to 90 percent of the employee’s weekly pay, up to a cap.

In addition, Washington State has a paid sick leave law. Employees accrue this leave at a rate of one hour for every 40 hours worked. They can start using this leave 90 days after starting to work for the employer. You’re entitled to get your normal hourly pay for your earned paid sick leave hours. You can take this leave to deal with an illness, injury, or health condition affecting a qualifying family member or you, among other reasons. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries enforces this law.

A federal law called the Family and Medical Leave Act protects many employees as well. It provides up to 12 weeks of unpaid but job-protected leave in a 12-month period. The FMLA generally applies to private-sector employers if they have 50 or more employees. You may be eligible for FMLA leave if you’ve worked for a covered employer for at least 12 months and for at least 1,250 hours during the 12 months before the leave. You’ll also need to work at a place with 50 employees within 75 miles.

Qualifying reasons for this leave include a serious health condition of the employee that prevents them from working, a need to care for a serious health condition of a child, spouse, or parent, or bonding with a child after their birth, adoption, or foster care placement. Certain exigencies involving the foreign deployment of a family member in the military also qualify for this leave. The FMLA also provides up to 26 weeks of “military caregiver leave” in a 12-month period if the employee needs to care for a qualifying family member who is in the military or a recent veteran and dealing with a serious injury or illness. The Wage and Hour Division of the U.S. Department of Labor enforces this law.

Like most other states, Washington State follows a rule called “at-will employment.” This means that both the employer and the employee generally have a right to end their relationship for any reason, or for no particular reason. Your employer doesn’t need to have a certain justification for firing you. However, at-will employment has certain key exceptions. Your employer can’t fire you because you have a trait protected by anti-discrimination laws. They also can’t fire you as punishment for doing certain things that are protected under the law, such as filing a complaint of discrimination or harassment, pursuing workers’ compensation benefits, serving on a jury, or refusing to do something illegal at work.

Sometimes an employment contract may specify certain reasons for terminating an employee. If an employee gets fired for a reason that isn’t allowed by the contract, they may have a wrongful termination claim. In addition, an employer may create an implied contract with an employee by making certain statements that seem to limit reasons for termination or require the employer to follow a certain procedure before terminating the employee. These cases tend to be especially complex, so you should consult an attorney if you’re thinking about bringing this type of claim.

If you get injured or ill because of your work, you probably can get workers’ compensation benefits regardless of who was at fault. These provide medical benefits and partial wage replacement, although the tradeoff is that you can’t sue your employer for damages like pain and suffering. (However, you can sue a third party in a personal injury lawsuit for the full scope of your damages.) You should report a job-related injury or occupational disease to your employer as soon as possible. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries (or the employer if it’s self-insured) must receive a report of the injury within one year after an accident on the job, or within two years after the diagnosis of an occupational disease.

After a claim gets approved, workers’ comp will cover medical bills directly related to the injury or illness until the worker’s condition has stabilized so that they’re not expected to improve further. If an employee misses work, they may receive time-loss compensation, which usually is about 60 to 75 percent of their normal wage, subject to certain minimums and maximums. You won’t get benefits for the first three days after your injury unless you’re still unable to work on the seventh day afterward. Time-loss compensation isn’t subject to income tax.

You may be able to get unemployment benefits if you lose your job through no fault of your own. Conversely, you may not be able to get these benefits if you got fired for misconduct, such as dishonesty, violating company policy, or frequent unexcused absences. You might sometimes be able to get unemployment benefits if you quit voluntarily, depending on the reason. An applicant generally must have worked for at least 680 hours during what’s called the “base year” and have earned at least some of their wages in Washington State over the last 18 months. They must be able and available to work, and they must meet certain job search requirements, including completing three job search activities each week that they submit a claim for benefits.

You can usually get up to 26 weeks of unemployment benefits during the 52-week benefit year. As of 2025, Washington State caps the weekly benefit amount at $1,079. The Washington State Employment Security Department manages this system.

The Seattle Metropolitan Chamber of Commerce lists many of the most notable employers in the city and its surroundings. These include:

• Amazon
• Boeing
• Microsoft
• Starbucks
• Costco
• Weyerhaeuser
• Nordstrom
• REI
• Alaska Airlines
• Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation

Employees can build careers in a broad range of industries, extending from traditional sectors like retail and information technology to newer sectors like interactive media and clean technology.

If you think that your employer may have violated a law that protects you, it’s often a good idea to consult the agency that enforces the law. This might involve filing a complaint or simply getting more information about what the law requires. Here are some of the key agencies that enforce laws affecting many Seattle employees:

• Seattle Office of Labor Standards: enforces the city minimum wage ordinance and the city paid sick and safe time ordinance
• Washington State Department of Labor & Industries: enforces the state wage law and the state paid sick leave law
• U.S. Department of Labor: enforces the federal Fair Labor Standards Act and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act
• Seattle Office for Civil Rights: enforces the city anti-discrimination ordinance
• Washington State Human Rights Commission: enforces the state anti-discrimination law
• U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission: enforces most federal anti-discrimination laws

The Washington State Employment Security Department operates both the paid family and medical leave program and the unemployment benefits program. The Washington State Department of Labor & Industries manages the workers’ compensation program.

Justia provides a wealth of free resources on the law. These include the Employment Law Center in the Justia Legal Guides, which explains many key workplace rights. We also offer the Justia Ask A Lawyer platform, where you can anonymously post a question about a legal issue that has come up in your workplace. You might get a helpful answer from an employment lawyer in Seattle or another part of Washington State. However, you should be aware that Justia isn’t a law firm, and a lawyer who answers your question doesn’t create an attorney-client relationship with you.

If you’re looking for that level of assistance, you should explore the listings on this page in the Justia Lawyer Directory. It allows you to efficiently compare and contact a broad range of attorneys in the Seattle area. This is a big decision that could have major implications for any legal claim that you bring, so you should take the time to think through your choice.

You might hesitate about signing up for an attorney with the fees that this involves, but it’s usually worth the money. A lot can be at stake in workplace disputes. The guidance and representation of a skilled professional can make a huge difference. Your lawyer will understand the ins and outs of each law that may affect your case, and they’ll be familiar with how courts and other decision-makers interpret them. Their legal knowledge will help ensure that you assert your rights as fully as possible.

In addition, your lawyer can handle the logistics of compiling documents, witness statements, and other evidence to support your claim. They can also navigate the process of settlement negotiations, helping assess any offers that the employer makes. This will help you make a more informed decision about whether you want to wrap up your case at that stage or go further into litigation. If you choose to go to trial, your lawyer will be able to craft a polished strategy for presenting your side of the story to the judge or jury. They’ll make sure to follow deadlines and other procedural rules so that your case stays on track. Meanwhile, you can focus on getting a new job or doing anything else needed to put your life back together.

Many employment attorneys serve the Seattle area, and it can be daunting to think about which would be the best for your needs. Perhaps you’ll get suggestions from coworkers, friends, or family members who have gotten legal services before, but the chances are that you’ll eventually look for an attorney online. The Justia Lawyer Directory provides an efficient way to sort through your options.

You should prioritize working with a lawyer who handles the type of case that you’re bringing. If you kept fending off the advances of a coworker, and your employer did nothing about it, you should look for a lawyer who has experience in sexual harassment cases. If you had an employment contract that said that you could only be fired for cause, but your employer let you go for no particular reason, you should work with an attorney who has handled wrongful termination cases based on these types of contracts.

It’s helpful to check out the website of a law firm that interests you. You might see some of their past results, which can give you a sense of their track record. This isn’t the only thing that matters, though. You also should make sure to explore client reviews, which can illuminate intangibles like an attorney’s accessibility, responsiveness, and compassion for their clients. Endorsements from fellow attorneys can suggest that they’re highly regarded in the profession, which can make a difference when they’re negotiating with opposing counsel or presenting an argument to a judge.

Your attorney shouldn’t have an extensive history of violating the rules of professional conduct imposed by the Washington State Bar Association. Their incompetence or misconduct could seriously damage your claim. However, a minor incident at some point in the past might not necessarily steer you away from an attorney who otherwise looks like a strong choice.

Once you find a few attorneys who interest you, you should meet with each of them to discuss your case. They can think about whether they want to pursue it, while you can think about whether you’d feel confident and comfortable working with them. Your personalities will need to mesh well for the attorney-client relationship to reach its full potential.

1. What should I do if I see harassment at my job?

   You should tell the person engaging in the harassment that it’s unwelcome, and you might want to let their supervisor know as well. In addition, you should report the incident to Human Resources or anyone else at your workplace who has been designated to handle these types of complaints. If you don’t get a satisfactory response within a reasonable time, you can bring your concerns to the Seattle Office for Civil Rights, the Washington State Human Rights Commission, or the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, assuming that your employer is covered by the law that each agency enforces. You also might want to discuss your next steps with an attorney.

2. Are non-compete agreements enforceable in Washington?

   Non-compete agreements are generally not enforceable against employees who earn below a certain income threshold. (This amount is adjusted each year for inflation.) If an employee’s wages exceed the threshold, the non-compete agreement still must be reasonable in scope, duration, and geographic area.

3. Do employers in Washington need to accommodate nursing mothers?

   Yes, both federal law and Washington State law require employers to provide reasonable break times for employees to express breast milk and a private, non-bathroom space that is shielded from view and free from intrusion. Washington further requires employers to offer flexible scheduling and other arrangements to accommodate nursing mothers unless this would cause an undue hardship.

4. What happens to final pay and unused vacation when I leave a job in Washington?

   An employer in Washington must pay all wages due (including any accrued, unpaid wages and commissions) on or before the next regularly scheduled payday following your last day of employment. Whether your employer must pay out unused vacation or PTO if you leave the job depends on company policies or employment contracts.

5. How much will I need to pay my employment lawyer?

   Many employment attorneys in Seattle and elsewhere charge hourly fees for their work. This means that the total bill will depend on how long they spend on your case, which might be determined by its complexity and how far it goes into litigation. If you’re concerned about whether you can afford an attorney, you can always ask if they offer flexible payment plans. Some lawyers handle cases for contingency fees, though, which means that their fee comes out of any compensation that they get for you. In limited situations, you might be able to hire an attorney to do a simple task for a flat fee. Make sure to carefully read the fee provision in your representation agreement and ask any questions needed to clarify what to expect.