Washington meal and rest breaks
30-minute meal period on shifts over 5 hours; paid 10-minute rest break per 4 hours
Employees working more than 5 hours get a 30-minute meal period, and a paid 10-minute rest break for every 4 hours worked; an employee may not work more than 3 hours without a rest break.
- Effective
- Jan 1, 2000
Local notes & what to do
Washington has the highest state minimum wage in the country ($17.13 in 2026) and allows no tip credit. Its exempt salary threshold is also the nation's highest - $80,168.40 in 2026, set at 2.25 times the minimum wage at every employer size and scheduled to reach 2.5 times in 2028. Paid family and medical leave premiums rose to 1.13% of wages in 2026, with a maximum weekly benefit of $1,647. Several Puget Sound cities set wages well above the state rate.