A Washington employment contract sets out the terms of employment between an employer and an employee. It outlines the expectations of both parties, such as how much the employer will pay the employee for their work, the job responsibilities of the employee, hours of work, period of employment, and how to terminate the contract. The employer can also choose to protect company secrets by adding additional provisions, such as a confidentiality or non-disclosure clause.
Employment Contracts: What to Consider as an Employer in Washington
Before you write your Washington employment contract, make sure you know the state employment regulations such as the minimum wage and payday requirements.
At-Will
Washington is an at-will employment state.
Minimum Wage Laws in Washington
Basic Minimum Rate (per hour): $15.74
Premium Pay After Designated Hours: Weekly – 40
For employees who request compensating time off in lieu of premium pay, premium pay is not applicable.
Employment/Age Certification in Washington
Employment certificates are required in Washington for minors under the age of 18. The Washington Department of Labor issues employment certificates for minors.
Age certification is not required in Washington for minors who wish to work in the state.
Payday Requirements in Washington
Washington requires employers to pay employees on at least a monthly basis.
Minimum Periods for Breaks and Meals in Washington
Minimum paid rest periods are required in Washington. A paid 10-minute rest period for every four-hour work period is required. The rest period should fall as close to the middle of the work period as possible and employees can not work over three hours without a rest period.
In some occupations, smaller rest breaks can be taken instead of a scheduled break. However, the rest breaks must still total at least 10 minutes over a four-hour work period.
Meal periods are also required in Washington. Employees must be allowed a meal period when they work over five hours in a shift. A meal period must be at least 30 minutes long and start between the second and fifth hours of the shift.
Employees must be paid for meal breaks if they are required to remain on duty, remain on-call on the premises (even if not called back to duty), or are called back to work, interrupting the meal period. Employers are not required to pay for a meal break if an employee is free from all duties for their entire break.
If an employee works over three hours beyond their scheduled shift, they are entitled to an additional 30-minute meal period, which must be granted within five hours from the end of the first meal period and for each additional five hours worked.
There are different minimum rest and meal periods for agricultural workers. [1]
Washington Employment Contract Sample
Below, you can download a Washington employment contract template in PDF or Word format.
