When a DC hotel, food service contractor, or building services employer changes ownership, the new operator must retain existing non-managerial workers for a 90-day transition period under the Displaced Workers Protection Act.
DC Code 32-102 (Displaced Workers Protection Act) covers food service, hotel, janitorial, and building service contractors with at least 25 employees. When ownership or service contracts change, successor employers must hire predecessor workers for a 90-day transition and may only terminate during that period for just cause. After the period, retention is evaluated based on performance. Hotels selling or rebranding must provide written employee lists and notice. Workers wrongfully denied retention may sue for back pay, reinstatement, and damages through DC Superior Court.
Skipping the 90-day retention triggers private lawsuits, back pay, reinstatement orders, and damages plus attorneys' fees, with DOES providing administrative oversight of compliance complaints.
Washington, DC
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Washington, DC
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See how Washington's hotel worker retention rules stack up against other locations.
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