Initiative 1433: minimum wage and labor rules
Election Results
| Option | Votes | Pct |
|---|---|---|
| Yes | 1,648,938 | 57.66% |
| No | 1,210,699 | 42.34% |
* Race percentages are calculated with data from the Secretary of State's Office, which omits write-in votes from its calculations when there are too few to affect the outcome. The Spokane County Auditor's Office may have slightly different percentages than are reflected here because its figures include any write-in votes.
About The Measure
Initiative 1433 would boost the state’s minimum wage from $9.47 to $13.50 by 2020 and also require employers to provide workers with paid sick leave.
If passed, the minimum wage would rise to $11 an hour in 2017, $11.50 in 2018, $12 in 2019 and $13.50 in 2020. After that, the minimum wage would increase by the rate of inflation.
I-1433 also requires most businesses to provide workers with paid sick leave after 90 days of employment.
An employee would get at least one hour of paid sick leave for every 40 hours worked. Sick leave could also be used to take care of a sick family member.
Opponents say the significant boost to the minimum wage would hurt businesses that rely on low-wage workers. Those businesses would be forced to cut employees, they say, and might even close, making jobs harder to find, especially for younger people.
Supporters say that people who work full time should not have to live in poverty, as they likely are if earning minimum wage. They say that businesses end up benefitting by the boost in wages because consumers have more money to spend. They also argue that people should not be at risk of losing a job or going without pay for being sick.
Complete Coverage
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Initiative 1433: Pro: Wage increase means more customers for businesses
I opened my coffee shop and restaurant in downtown Spokane almost two years ago. From the beginning, I knew that the most important assets of my businesses are my employees. Caring for their well-being and treating them with respect have been the best decisions I have made. As a result, they love their jobs, take great care of my businesses and continue to contribute beyond my expectations.
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