Tell Seattle to protect restaurants
Continue total compensation
UPDATE OCT. 4 – Yesterday, Mayor Bruce Harrell announced that he is walking away from discussions regarding total compensation. As a result, total compensation will sunset effective Jan. 1, 2025 and Seattle’s minimum wage will increase to $20.76 for all employers.
This is an outrageous turn of events and a total failure of leadership on the part of the mayor and the city council.
Your local government affairs team attempted to engage with city leaders for the last several months and offered multiple alternatives as a compromise that would have provided reasonable wage increases while also allowing small businesses to keep their doors open.
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Our industry faces increased costs and decreased flexibility unless the Seattle City Council takes action this year.
Currently, small businesses may use $2.72 per hour in tips or medical benefits to count toward the wage they pay. This system has worked as intended for a decade.
But without council action, the total compensation credit will sunset on Jan 1, 2025 and the minimum wage will increase to $20.76 for all employers in Seattle. That means small restaurant operators are facing a 20.3% increase in labor costs.
Our ask is simple: continue what is working for employers and employees alike and protect small businesses by eliminating the sunset of total compensation.