In 2018 the Seattle City Council passed the Seattle Domestic Workers Ordinance, the first municipal law of its kind in the country. The law increased protections for Seattle domestic workers and created more guidance for domestic employers to understand how to fairly compensate workers for their work.

The Seattle Domestic Worker Ordinance provides:

  • Domestic workers the right to earn the Seattle minimum wage pay.
  • Domestic workers the right to an uninterrupted meal period and breaks.
  • Live-in domestic workers, who work more than six consecutive days, the right to an unpaid day of rest.
  • Domestic workers the right to retain their personal documents and effects (e.g. passport).

The Ordinance was sponsored by Council Member Teresa Mosqueda and signed by Mayor Jenny Durkan in July 2018. The effort was led by Seattle community organizations Working Washington, Casa Latina, National Domestic Workers Alliance,  Hand in Hand, Legal Voice, SEUI 77 and many other organizations.

More information about the Domestic Workers Ordinance

If you have questions about compliance with the Seattle Domestic Workers Ordinance please see this Question and Answer document or visit the Office of Labor Standards website.