The rate is for work inside Seattle
Seattle's Office of Labor Standards set the 2027 minimum wage at $22.14 an hour in a September 28 official announcement. It takes effect January 1. The city says the minimum applies to employees working within city limits, regardless of immigration status.
The notice lists the current 2026 rate as $21.30 and links the annual adjustment to the local consumer-price index. That does not mean an October paycheck already has to use the January rate. It also does not identify a universal increase for everyone whose pay is already above the minimum.
A future rate is not this week's pay
Washington separately announced a 2027 statewide minimum of $17.73. The state agency notes that several localities have higher minimums. A Seattle mailing address, employer headquarters or regional description is not a substitute for checking where covered work occurs.
The city offers private compliance help for businesses and question or complaint routes for workers. Keep records of hours, location and pay if comparing a paycheck with the applicable floor. This is a local wage announcement with a distinct jurisdiction, not a second claim that every Washington worker will earn $22.14. The practical difference is which law applies at the workplace.