McDonald's franchisee settles Washington wage disclosure lawsuit for $681,600

For franchise operators, the lesson is plain: a job posting that leaves out pay can become a costly legal problem before an interview even starts. KTC LLC, a Washington-state McDonald’s franchisee, agreed to a $681,600 class action settlement over postings that allegedly failed to disclose the wage scale or salary range for open jobs in Washington.

The case, Nyannor v. KTC LLC, is pending in King County Superior Court under Case No. 24-2-20009-6 SEA. Okyeremah Nyannor is the class representative. The settlement website says class members may be eligible for an estimated payment of about $1,093.40, and most eligible workers do not need to submit a claim form to receive money.

The class covers people who applied for KTC LLC jobs in Washington between Jan. 1, 2023, and March 13, 2025, the period after Washington’s pay-transparency posting rule took effect. The settlement FAQ says the plaintiff alleged KTC LLC violated state law by not listing the wage scale or salary range in postings for open Washington-based positions. KTC LLC denied wrongdoing but chose to settle rather than keep litigating.

For McDonald’s franchisees, the exposure goes well beyond one lawsuit. Washington law requires covered employers to include the wage scale or salary range and a general description of benefits and other compensation in each job posting. The Washington State Department of Labor and Industries says the rule generally applies to employers with 15 or more employees, and the law’s reach can extend to jobs that may be filled remotely by Washington workers or by employers recruiting in the state.

That matters in a business built on speed. McDonald’s restaurants, especially franchise stores, often hire quickly for crew, shift leads and managers, with little room for a slow legal review of every posting. But Washington’s statute carries real teeth: statutory damages run from no less than $100 to no more than $5,000 per violation, plus attorneys’ fees and costs. The state legislature later added a cure period for certain noncompliant postings, effective for postings from July 27, 2025, through July 27, 2027, a sign that lawmakers saw how technical errors could snowball into major liability.

The broader message is familiar to workers who have followed Fight for $15 and later minimum wage fights: pay is now part of the hiring process, not a separate conversation after the job offer. In Washington, applicants can challenge a posting itself, and that puts franchise hiring systems, recruiting tools and third-party job boards under a sharper compliance spotlight.