Washington Wage and hour — Ask HR AI

What changes in Washington

Report lookback (context): 7 years (FCRA default). Washington applies FCRA. Vacated records under RCW §9.94A.640 must be suppressed.

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"How do I decide whether a salaried operations manager is FLSA exempt? Focus on Washington."

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Practitioner steps for Washington

Step 1. Pay at least the Washington minimum wage — track any WA city minimums (e.g. Seattle, Denver, NYC) that exceed the state floor.
Step 2. Follow the WA overtime rule; several states diverge from the FLSA 40-hour trigger (e.g. California daily overtime).
Step 3. Provide meal and rest breaks per state law and document waivers where allowed.
Step 4. Issue final pay within the WA-required window after separation and include all accrued wages, PTO, and commissions where applicable.

Applicable Washington statutes and references

RCW §49.94
RCW §49.58.100
SB 5123 (2024)
SB 5793 (2026)
15 U.S.C. §1681 et seq. (federal FCRA)

Frequently asked (federal + Washington overlay)

What are the FLSA exemption tests?

An employee is exempt from federal overtime only if they meet all three tests: paid on a salary basis, paid at or above the current DOL salary threshold, and performing exempt executive, administrative, professional, outside sales, or computer duties as defined in 29 CFR Part 541. Job title does not control — actual duties do.

Does California have different overtime rules than federal law?

Yes. California requires daily overtime after 8 hours in a workday and double-time after 12, in addition to the federal weekly 40-hour threshold. Several other states also have daily overtime or seventh-consecutive-day rules.

Do we have to pay for meal breaks?

Under the FLSA, bona fide meal periods of 30 minutes or more are generally unpaid if the employee is fully relieved of duty. State law is often stricter — California requires premium pay if a compliant meal or rest break is not provided.

Is off-the-clock work compensable?

Yes. Time an employer knows or has reason to know the employee is working — including remote email after hours or pre-shift setup — is compensable under the FLSA and virtually every state analogue. A written policy prohibiting off-the-clock work is not a defense on its own.

Same topic in another state

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Ask HR AI is not legal advice. Confirm any final answers or suggested actions with your employment legal counsel before acting on them.

Wage and hour in Washington.