State Ex Rel. Hagan v. Chinook Hotel, Inc.

This suit was instituted by the Attorney General of the State of Washington, alleging that several Yakima hotels1 have violated the Washington Minimum Wage Act, RCW 49.46.010, et seq. by failure to pay the re*574quired minimum wage of $1.25 per hour to certain employees. The crucial issue is whether the statutory definition of “wages” permits the value of meals, the laundering of uniforms, and the cost of medical-welfare insurance furnished to the employees to be included in calculating wages paid, and in determining whether the mínimums provided by the act have been met. This problem was created…