The District sets its own minimum wage well above the federal floor, requiring most private employers to pay at least $17.95 per hour with annual CPI adjustments under DC Code 32-1003.
DC Code 32-1003 establishes a minimum wage that has steadily climbed past $17 per hour and is indexed annually to the Washington-area CPI each July 1. The tipped credit applies but combined wages plus tips must reach the full minimum, and Initiative 82 phases out the tipped wage entirely by 2027. Employers must post DOES notices, keep three years of payroll records, and pay overtime at 1.5x. Federal preemption does not apply because the Fair Labor Standards Act expressly permits higher state and local minimums.
Underpayment triggers back wages plus liquidated damages of triple the unpaid amount, civil penalties, and DOES wage-theft investigations enforceable in DC Superior Court.
Washington, DC
Employers receiving DC government contracts or assistance, including major hotels with city-supported financing, must pay covered workers the annually adjust...
Washington, DC
DC operates a fully employer-funded Universal Paid Family Leave program providing up to 12 weeks of partially-paid leave for parental, family-care, medical, ...
See how Washington's minimum wage preemption rules stack up against other locations.
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