SENATE BILL REPORT

                   SB 6612

                    As of January 19, 1996

Title:  An act relating to minimum hourly wages.

Brief Description:  Increasing the minimum wage for employees who graduated high school or passed a general educational development test.

Sponsors:  Senators Pelz, McAuliffe, Heavey, Smith, Sutherland, Franklin, Owen, Hargrove, Goings and Fairley.

Brief History:

Committee Activity:  Labor, Commerce & Trade:  1/23/96.

SENATE COMMITTEE ON LABOR, COMMERCE & TRADE

Staff:  Jonathan Seib (786-7427)

Background:  Since January 1, 1994, the state minimum wage for those 18 and older has been $4.90 per hour.  The minimum wage for those under 18 is established by the Department of Labor and Industries.  For 16 and 17-year‑olds, it is set at 100 percent of the wage required for those 18 and over.  For those under 16, the wage is set at 85 percent of the wage required for those 18 and over (currently $4.17).  The federal minimum wage is $4.25 per hour.

Summary of Bill:  The state minimum wage for any employee who has graduated from high school or passed a general educational development test is 50 cents per hour more than the minimum wage otherwise in effect for those 18 and older.

An employer found by the Department of Labor and Industries to have discharged or refused to hire a person solely because that person was eligible for the graduate minimum wage is subject to a civil penalty of not more than $10,000 per violation. 

Appropriation:  None.

Fiscal Note:  Not requested.

Effective Date:  Ninety days after adjournment of session in which bill is passed.