January 1, 2023 minimum wage increase
Last updated: November 23, 2022.
Effective January 1, 2023, the UW’s minimum wage will increase from $17.27 per hour to $18.69 per hour following the City of Seattle minimum wage. This change applies to all positions on the Seattle, Bothell and Tacoma campuses except for student assistants in Tacoma.
The UWHR Compensation office and the ISC will centrally manage increases needed for any employee whose pay is below the new minimum wage as of the 12/31/2022 payroll. Employees brought up to the new minimum will see the increase on their 1/25/23 paycheck.
The range minimums for classified jobs will be brought up to the nearest step above the new minimum. For example, salaried employees who are on the lowest step of the B4 (SEIU 925) or BI (WFSE) pay table will be moved up three steps, from $3,045 per month to $3,260 per month. Similarly, hourly paid employees at the lowest SEIU 925 or WFSE step rate, $17.57 per hour, will be moved up to $18.81 per hour, the hourly rate equivalent of the new lowest step on the pay table as of January 1, 2023.
The January 1, 2023 wage increase also applies to:
- All staff positions
- Student positions including job codes 10875-Student Assistant (Seattle & Bothell campuses), 11836-Student Assistant-Non-UW Student
- All hourly academic student employees (ASEs) in jobs 10886-Reader/Grader, 10887-Tutor, 10868-Undergraduate Teaching Assistant and 10869-Undergraduate Research Assistant.
The new minimum wage is an increase to $18.69 from the current minimum hourly rates of $17.79 for the reader/grader, tutor, undergrad RA and undergrad TA. If your unit’s hourly ASE rate is higher than $18.69, no increase to the hourly rate is required.
Exception for UW Tacoma student hourlies: UW Tacoma has been following the City of Tacoma minimum wage schedule since 2015 for student hourlies. As of January 1, 2023, the Washington state minimum wage will increase from $14.49 an hour to $15.74 which will be the new minimum for Student Assistant UWT (job code 10888) and Student Assistant UWT – Grad (job code 10891).
Please plan for the budgetary impact of the new minimum wage. The UWHR Compensation office continually audits for employees paid below range minimum and works with departments and the ISC on any necessary corrections.
Questions? Email uwhrcomp@uw.edu.