Hiring a house cleaner in Seattle: the domestic worker rules

Who it covers

Seattle's Domestic Workers Ordinance covers people who do housekeeping and cleaning in private homes, whether they are employees or independent contractors. The City says most individuals, households and businesses that pay for domestic work must follow it. (Seattle Office of Labor Standards)

What it requires

• Pay: at least Seattle's minimum for domestic workers, $21.30 an hour in 2026. (City of Seattle, read Oct 18, 2026)
• A meal period: 30 minutes after more than five hours in a row. (City of Seattle)
• Rest breaks: a paid 10-minute break for each four hours in a row. (City of Seattle)

What changes in 2027

• January 1, 2027: the minimum rises to $22.14 an hour for every individual, household and business that pays a domestic worker. (City of Seattle, read Oct 18, 2026)
• July 1, 2027: an amendment the City Council approved on September 15, 2026 takes effect. (City of Seattle)

The City says the amendment requires a written agreement between you and the worker, pay and hour records that you keep, protection from retaliation for a worker who takes paid sick and safe leave or other agreed time off, and advance notice of termination. (Seattle Office of Labor Standards)

The City says it will post more details for hiring entities as they become available. Check its page before you sign an agreement that runs past July 1, 2027. (City of Seattle)

If you hire a cleaner yourself

• Set the pay rate at or above the floor, and write down the hours you expect.
• Plan the day so a long clean includes the meal period and the paid breaks.
• Ask whether they hold a Washington business license. It is required once a business grosses $12,000 a year. (Washington DOR, read Oct 17, 2026)
• Ask whether they have employees. Washington employers buy workers' comp from L&I, not from a private insurer. (L&I)

If you book through a company

1. Ask how the company pays the people who come to your home, and whether that meets the Seattle floor.
2. Ask whether the crew are employees covered by an L&I workers' comp account.
3. Ask how long the crew will be in your home, so a long clean leaves room for breaks.

Next

Read how to hire a house cleaner and the questions to ask a cleaner.