Getting Paid
RCW 49.48.010 — the last check at the end of the pay period, and double damages for wages withheld
In Washington, when an employee stops working for an employer, by discharge or by quitting, the wages due are paid at the end of the established pay period.
Twice the wages withheld, plus costs and attorney's fees. An employer that willfully and with intent to deprive pays an employee less than the law or the contract requires, or collects a rebate of wages already paid, commits a misdemeanor, and is liable in a civil action for twice the amount withheld as exemplary damages, with costs of suit and a reasonable attorney's fee. The double damages are not available to an employee who knowingly submitted to the violation.
The adult minimum wage is recalculated each September 30 by the rate of inflation. Employers pay employees all tips and gratuities, which cannot count toward the minimum wage, and provide paid sick leave.
Sources for this section (4)
- RCW 49.48.010 — Payment of wages; wages due on termination
- RCW 49.52.050 — Rebates of wages; false records; penalty
- RCW 49.52.070 — Civil liability for double damages
- RCW 49.46.020 — Minimum hourly wage; paid sick leave
Legal information, not legal advice. Verified as of September 2026. Applying it to a particular situation is the work of a licensed Washington attorney.