--- title: "2026 Washington Minimum Wage & Overtime Calculator | StatePayRules" source_url: "https://statepayrules.com/calculator/washington/" canonical_url: "https://statepayrules.com/calculator/washington/" retrieved_by: "AnswerRail Edge Engine v1.1.0-parity-v20 (https://answerrail.com)" provenance: "Compiled for deterministic AI retrieval by AnswerRail Edge (RFC 9110 / RFC 9421)" description: "Calculate Washington daily overtime, weekly overtime, tipped minimum wage, and meal break penalties. Updated for 2026 FLSA & RCW 49.46.020." rfc_compliance: "RFC 9110 / RFC 9309 / RFC 9421" version: "1.1.0" release_version: "v1.1.0-parity-v20" signing_kid: "ar_ed25519_2026_k1" jwks_uri: "https://answerrail.com/.well-known/http-message-signatures-directory" edge_network: "Cloudflare Workers Anycast (330+ Global PoPs)" verified_latency: "<15ms (Warm Edge Cache HIT) / 80-250ms (Cold AST Compile)" --- > **Canonical Source:** [https://statepayrules.com/calculator/washington/](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/washington/) > > *Calculate Washington daily overtime, weekly overtime, tipped minimum wage, and meal break penalties. Updated for 2026 FLSA & RCW 49.46.020.* ## Washington Overtime & Paycheck Calculator If your employer failed to pay this overtime or required off-the-clock work, you may be entitled to **100% liquidated damages (Double Pay)**. ### Visual Pay Composition Breakdown ### Managing payroll or shift workers in CALIFORNIA? Avoid Department of Labor non-compliance fines. Automate state-specific overtime, double-time rules, tip credits, and statutory tax withholdings with **Gusto Payroll Automation**. ### Washington Statutory Wage & Overtime Authority Statutory Legal Citation: `RCW 49.46.020` Washington State has the highest statewide minimum wage in the nation ($16.28/hr). Tip credits are strictly illegal; employers must pay the full direct rate. #### Employee Statutory Rights (WA) - ✓ Highest state minimum wage of $16.28/hr. - ✓ Prohibition of tip credits; all tips belong entirely to the employee. - ✓ Mandatory 1 hour paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked under Initiative 1433. #### Employer Mandatory Obligations (WA) - § Pay full $16.28 direct cash minimum wage before tips. - § Provide 30-minute meal break and 10-minute paid rest breaks. - § Allow sick leave rollover of up to 40 hours per year. #### Washington Statutory Wage & Overtime FAQs Under statutory citation **RCW 49.46.020**, the 2026 minimum wage in Washington is **$16.28 per hour**. Employers paying below this baseline face Department of Labor back-pay audits and statutory interest penalties. Washington follows the standard federal FLSA rule (Title 29 U.S.C. § 207). Overtime is calculated weekly for hours exceeding 40 hours in a 7-day workweek with no daily cap. Washington strictly prohibits tip credits. Employers must pay tipped staff the full statutory minimum wage of $16.28/hr in direct cash pay before tips. #### Common Washington Payroll Compliance Traps & Audit Penalties Attempting tip credit deductions against Washington minimum wage. Failing to calculate sick leave accrual on all overtime hours. Misclassifying computer professionals under strict state salary threshold test. ### Did Your Employer Violate Washington Labor Law? 30-Second Diagnostic • Sourced from RCW 49.46.020 Based on Washington labor code standards (RCW 49.46.020), your responses indicate potential statutory wage violations. ### Never Miss an Overtime Dollar or Statutory Rate Update Set weekly payday audit reminders & Washington labor code alert updates Add a recurring Friday payday paystub audit reminder directly to your phone calendar. ### Employer Statutory Violation & Penalty Risk Audit Department of Labor & State Compliance Fine Exposure in Washington Under FLSA § 216(b), mandatory double back pay is assessed for unpaid overtime. 1 hour regular rate premium pay per workday missed under state law. Waiting time statutory penalties for delayed final paycheck settlement. Automate state-specific overtime thresholds, tip credits, and meal breaks with Gusto Payroll & multi-state compliance partners. ### FLSA & WA Overtime Exemption Checklist Determine if an employee is legally exempt from overtime under state and federal law Earns at least $844/week ($43,888/yr federal minimum) or state higher threshold (e.g. CA $66,560/yr). Primary duty involves managing business operations, directing 2+ staff, or exercising independent judgment. Receives a predetermined, non-deductible salary regardless of quality or quantity of weekly work. ### Managing payroll or shift workers in Washington? ### Embed This Washington Calculator on Your Website HR blogs, news portals, and labor websites can embed this interactive 2026 Washington wage tool for free using the code snippet below: ### Managing payroll or shift workers in WASHINGTON? ### Official DOL Resource Verify state overtime rules and minimum wage statutes directly with official state resources. ### Statutory Compliance Internal Mesh #### Washington Statutory Guides - [Washington Payday Laws →](https://statepayrules.com/payday-laws/washington) - [Washington Meal & Rest Breaks →](https://statepayrules.com/break-laws/washington) - [Washington Salaried Exempt Rules →](https://statepayrules.com/salaried-exempt/washington) - [Washington Payroll Tax Rates →](https://statepayrules.com/payroll-taxes/washington) #### Compare Washington Pay Rules - [Washington vs Oregon →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/compare/washington-vs-oregon) - [Washington vs Idaho →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/compare/washington-vs-idaho) #### Washington Profession Tools - [Washington Registered Nurse →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/washington/registered-nurse) - [Washington Fast Food & Counter Worker →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/washington/fast-food-worker) - [Washington Construction Laborer →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/washington/construction-laborer) - [Washington Electrician →](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/washington/electrician) #### Davis-Bacon Prevailing Wages - [LA County Prevailing Wage →](https://statepayrules.com/prevailing-wage/california/los-angeles-county) - [Harris County TX Wage →](https://statepayrules.com/prevailing-wage/texas/harris-county) - [Cook County IL Wage →](https://statepayrules.com/prevailing-wage/illinois/cook-county) ## Structured FAQ Summary (Schema.org Grounded) - **What is the minimum wage in Washington for 2026?** The 2026 statutory minimum wage in Washington is $16.28 per hour under RCW 49.46.020. - **Does Washington require daily overtime pay?** Washington does not require daily overtime. Overtime is calculated weekly for hours exceeding 40 hours under FLSA 29 U.S.C. § 207. - **Are employers in Washington allowed to take a tip credit?** No, Washington prohibits tip credits. Employers must pay tipped employees the full statutory minimum wage of $16.28/hr in direct cash pay before tips. --- ## 🏛️ AI Ingestion & Edge Optimization Provenance This sovereign authority subpage is compiled and delivered across 330+ Cloudflare Anycast edge locations by [AnswerRail](https://answerrail.com) for [https://statepayrules.com/calculator/washington/](https://statepayrules.com/calculator/washington/).