Employers receiving DC government contracts or assistance, including major hotels with city-supported financing, must pay covered workers the annually adjusted DC Living Wage, which exceeds the standard minimum wage.
The Living Wage Act of 2006 (DC Code 2-220.01 et seq.) requires recipients of DC government contracts of $100,000 or more, and recipients of government assistance like tax abatements above $100,000, to pay employees a living wage. The Department of Employment Services publishes the rate annually; for FY2026 it sits above $18 per hour. Hotels that received DC bond financing, PILOT agreements, or land transfers are typically covered. Posted notices, payroll certifications, and recordkeeping are mandatory, and DOES audits compliance.
Underpayment exposes contractors to back wages, liquidated damages, contract debarment, and civil penalties enforced by the Department of Employment Services and DC Attorney General.
Other ordinances people look up for this city. Green dot = verified primary-source excerpt.
Washington, DC
Washington DC does not regulate lawn ornaments on private property through a specific ordinance. Statuary, religious displays, and decorative landscape eleme...
Washington, DC
Washington DC has no city ordinance specifically regulating inflatable holiday displays on private property. The primary city concerns are (1) public-space e...
Washington, DC
The District of Columbia does not impose specific install-by or take-down-by dates for holiday lights on private property. City-wide regulation is limited to...
Washington, DC
Washington DC requires Department of Buildings (DOB) permits for built-in outdoor kitchens that involve gas line installation, electrical work, plumbing, or ...
Washington, DC
Washington DC has no smoker-specific ordinance, but smokers and wood-fired ovens are open-flame cooking devices subject to IFC Section 308.1.4 in multi-famil...
Washington, DC
Washington DC adopts the International Fire Code (IFC) as the DC Fire Code (12-G DCMR). IFC Section 308.1.4 prohibits charcoal and other open-flame cooking d...
See how Washington's hotel living wage rules stack up against other locations.
Help us keep this page accurate. If you notice an error or outdated information, let us know.