The average annual salary in Washington rose to $84,167 in 2022, up 2% from the previous year, according to data from the state’s Employment Security Department. These numbers will play a vital role in determining unemployment benefits for claims initiated from July 2, 2023, paid family and medical leave benefits starting from January 1, 2024, and setting employers’ unemployment taxes from the same date. Additionally, it will influence the computation of workers’ compensation benefits by the Department of Labor and Industries.
Despite the growth, 2022’s wage increase slowed down from 2021, when average wages jumped substantially by 10.6% — the second-largest increase in the state’s history.
Over 3.4 million workers were covered by unemployment insurance in 2022, up by 177,865 from 2021. Both the minimum and maximum weekly unemployment benefits will see increases, moving to $323 and $1,109 respectively, while the employers’ taxable wage base will rise to $68,500. Minimum paid leave benefits, however, will remain unchanged at $100.
The sectors with the most significant wage growth last year include administrative, support, waste management, and remediation services, all of which saw a wage growth of 8.8%. Interestingly, the information industry experienced a decline in total wage payouts in 2022.
