Seattle Restaurant Labor Laws (2026): Wages, Scheduling & Breaks
Minimum wage, no tip credit, Washington breaks, the Secure Scheduling Ordinance, paid sick time, and minor rules for Seattle restaurant managers in 2026.
Last reviewed: June 2026Seattle has one of the highest minimum wages in the country, no tip credit, mandatory Washington State breaks, and a predictive-scheduling ordinance aimed at large restaurants. It is among the most demanding cities in the U.S. for restaurant labor compliance.
This guide covers Seattle’s 2026 wage figures (with the Washington State rate for context), the no-tip-credit rule, breaks, the Secure Scheduling Ordinance, paid sick and safe time, and minor-employment rules. Confirm details with the Seattle Office of Labor Standards and Washington L&I before relying on them.
Seattle restaurant labor laws at a glance (June 2026)
| Standard minimum wage | $21.30/hr Seattle (Washington State: $17.13/hr) |
|---|---|
| Tipped minimum (cash) wage | Full minimum wage — no tip credit |
| Tip credit | Not permitted — tips are on top of the full minimum wage |
| Overtime | 1.5× after 40 hours/week (no daily overtime) |
| Meal break (adults) | 30-min meal for shifts over 5 hrs; paid 10-min rest per 4 hrs (Washington L&I) |
| Minimum age to work | 14 (minor work permit + parent/school authorization required) |
Minimum wage for Seattle restaurant workers
Seattle’s minimum wage is $21.30 per hour as of January 1, 2026 — a single rate for all employers, regardless of size. Seattle eliminated its small-employer and large-employer tiers on January 1, 2025, so 2026 is the second year under one citywide rate.
For context, the Washington State minimum wage (which applies outside Seattle and SeaTac) is $17.13 per hour in 2026. SeaTac maintains a separate hospitality and transportation minimum wage of $20.74, relevant for airport-area hotels and restaurants. Seattle’s rate is indexed to the regional CPI and rises each January.
Tipped wages and the tip credit in Seattle
Neither Washington State nor Seattle allows a tip credit. Tipped restaurant workers must receive the full applicable minimum wage — $21.30 per hour in Seattle — in addition to all tips. Seattle’s former small-employer tip credit fully phased out on January 1, 2025, so there is no longer any tip credit at any employer size.
Tip pools are permitted under Washington rules and may include back-of-house staff, which is broader than many states. Managers, supervisors, and other employees exempt from the Minimum Wage Act’s definition of "employee" may not share in the pool. Service charges are not tips and must be disclosed.
Overtime rules in Seattle
Both federal and Washington law require time-and-a-half for hours worked beyond 40 in a workweek. There is no daily overtime threshold for most restaurant workers.
Because there is no tip credit, overtime is calculated on the full minimum or regular wage, and tips do not factor into the overtime base.
Meal and rest breaks in Seattle
Washington State requires breaks, enforced by L&I. Employees must receive a 30-minute meal period for shifts of more than five hours, given no earlier than the second hour and no later than the fifth hour. An additional 30-minute meal is required when an employee works more than 11 hours in a day.
Employees are also entitled to a paid 10-minute rest break for every four hours worked, scheduled as near as possible to the midpoint of each four-hour segment. Rest breaks cannot be waived, and a missed or denied break generally entitles the employee to an extra hour of pay.
Hiring minors at Seattle restaurants
Washington requires both a Minor Work Permit (an employer endorsement on the business license) and a parent/school authorization form before a minor starts work. The minimum age for most restaurant work is 14, with stricter limits under 16.
- Ages 14–15 (school week): 3 hours on a school day, 8 hours on Friday/Saturday/Sunday, and a maximum of 16 hours per week.
- Ages 16–17 (school week): 4 hours on a school day, 8 hours on Friday/Saturday/Sunday, and a maximum of 20 hours per week.
- An adult must supervise minors working after 8pm in restaurants and other service occupations.
- Minors may not operate or clean power-driven food slicers, grinders, choppers, or similar machinery, and most cooking and baking tasks are restricted.
Other rules Seattle restaurant managers should know
Secure Scheduling Ordinance
Seattle’s predictive-scheduling law covers food-service and retail employers with 500 or more employees worldwide (full-service restaurants must also have 40 or more locations worldwide). It requires schedules 14 days in advance, predictability pay for late changes, and a right to rest: workers cannot be required to work shifts less than 10 hours apart ("clopening") unless they agree in writing and are paid time-and-a-half for hours in that window. Small and independent restaurants are not covered.
Paid Sick and Safe Time
Seattle requires paid sick and safe time for all employees. Accrual begins on the first day of work and is usable after 90 calendar days. Employers with 1–249 full-time-equivalent employees accrue one hour per 40 hours worked; employers with 250 or more accrue one hour per 30 hours worked.
No tip credit at any size
Seattle’s tip credit fully phased out on January 1, 2025. Every tipped worker earns the full $21.30 minimum wage plus tips, and tips and service charges can never be counted toward minimum wage.
Stay compliant without the spreadsheet
Sideworks helps Seattle restaurant managers schedule staff within budget, track labor cost in real time, and keep opening and closing tasks on record — so wage, break, and overtime rules are easier to honor.