Source: https://development.code.dccouncil.us/dc/council/code/titles/32/chapters/10/
Timestamp: 2019-04-24 06:17:56+00:00

Document:
D.C. Law Library - Chapter 10. Minimum Wages.
(a) The Council of the District of Columbia finds that persons employed in the District of Columbia should be paid at wages sufficient to provide adequate maintenance and to protect health. Any wage that is not sufficient to provide adequate maintenance and to protect health impairs the health, efficiency, and well-being of persons so employed, constitutes unfair competition against other employers and their employees, threatens the stability of industry, reduces the purchasing power of employees, and requires, in many instances, that their wages be supplemented by the payment of public moneys for relief or other public and private assistance. Employment of persons at these insufficient rates of pay threatens the health and well-being of the people of the District of Columbia and injures the overall economy.
(b) It is declared the policy of this subchapter to ensure the elimination of the conditions referred to above.
Mayor authorized to issue rules: Section 17 of D.C. Law 9-248 provided that the Mayor shall issue rules necessary to carry out the provisions of the act pursuant to (subchapter I of Chapter 5 of Title 2, 2001 Ed.).
Delegation of authority pursuant to D.C. Law 9-248, the “District of Columbia Minimum Wage Act Revision Act of 1992”, see Mayor’s Order 93-114, July 27, 1993.
(2) Any employee engaged in the delivery of newspapers to the home of the consumer.
(6) Any employee employed by a carrier by air who voluntarily exchanges workdays with another employee for the primary purpose of utilizing air travel benefits available to these employees.
This section is referenced in § 32-1015.
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of Wage Theft Prevention Clarification and Overtime Fairness Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-33, Mar. 28, 2017, 64 DCR 3089).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of Wage Theft Prevention Clarification and Overtime Fairness Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-583, Dec. 21, 2016, 63 DCR 16031).
(a) The Mayor and the Attorney General shall each have the power to administer oaths and require by subpoena the attendance and testimony of witnesses, the production of all books, registers, and other evidence relative to any matters under investigation, at any public hearing, or at any meeting of any committee or for the use of the Mayor or the Attorney General in securing compliance with this chapter.
(b) In case of disobedience to a subpoena, the Mayor or the Attorney General may invoke the aid of the Superior Court of the District of Columbia to require the attendance and testimony of witnesses and the production of documentary evidence.
(c) In case of contumacy or refusal to obey a subpoena, the Court may issue an order to require an appearance before the Mayor or the Attorney General, the production of documentary evidence, and the giving of evidence.
(d) A person or an entity to whom a subpoena has been issued may move to quash or modify the subpoena.
(e) Any failure to obey the order of the Court may be punished by the Court as contempt.
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(b) of Wage Theft Prevention Clarification and Overtime Fairness Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-33, Mar. 28, 2017, 64 DCR 3089).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(b) of Wage Theft Prevention Clarification and Overtime Fairness Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-583, Dec. 21, 2016, 63 DCR 16031).
(4) An explication of the actions the Mayor took pursuant to § 32-1011 against each employer charged with violating this subchapter or any regulation issued pursuant to this subchapter, including a list of fines assessed against the employer.
For temporary (90 days) creation of this section, see § 2(d) of the Fair Shot Minimum Wage Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-428, June 28, 2016, 63 DCR 9275).
(E) Any other records or information as the Mayor shall prescribe by regulation as necessary or appropriate for the enforcement of the provisions of this subchapter or of the regulations issued under this subchapter.
(2)(A) Any records shall be open and made available for inspection or transcription by the Mayor, the Mayor's authorized representative, or the Office of the Attorney General upon demand at any reasonable time. An employer shall furnish to the Mayor, the Mayor's authorized representative, or the Office of the Attorney General on demand a sworn statement of records and information upon forms prescribed or approved by the Mayor or Attorney General.
(a-1) Beginning January 1, 2020, an employer that employs an employee who is paid in accordance with § 32-1003(f), except for a hotel employer, shall use a third-party payroll business to prepare the payroll for the employer.
(7) Any other information as the Mayor may prescribe by regulation.
(6) Any such other information as the Mayor considers material and necessary.
(d)(1)(A) Within 90 days after February 26, 2015, and within 30 days of any change to the information contained in the prior written notice, an employer, except in those instances where notice is provided pursuant to § 32-1008.01, shall furnish each employee with an updated notice containing the information required under subsection (c) of this section in English and in any additional language required by subsection (c) of this section.
(B) To show proof of compliance with these notice requirements, an employer shall retain either copies of the written notice furnished to employees that are signed and dated by the employer and by the employee acknowledging receipt or electronic records demonstrating that the employee received and acknowledged the notice via email or other electronic means.
(C) Notwithstanding subparagraph (A) of this paragraph, if an employer revises its tip-out policy, the employer shall provide employees with the proposed new policy before its implementation by the employer.
(2) If an employer fails to comply with this subsection or subsection (c) of this section, the failure shall constitute evidence weighing against the credibility of the employer’s testimony regarding the rate of pay promised.
(3) The period prescribed in § 32-1308(c) shall not begin until the employee is provided all itemized statements and written notice required by this section.
(e) The Mayor shall make available for employers a sample template of the notice within 60 days of February 26, 2015. On or before February 26, 2017, the Mayor also shall publish online a translation of the sample template in any languages required for vital documents pursuant to § 2-1933. The Mayor shall also publish online translations of the sample template in any additional languages the Mayor considers appropriate to carry out the purposes of this section.
The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 20-157 added “or whatever the prevailing federal standard is, whichever is greater” in the introductory paragraph of (a)(1); substituted “precise time worked” for “hours worked” in (a)(1)(D); and added (c)-(e).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(c) of Wage Theft Prevention Clarification and Overtime Fairness Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-33, Mar. 28, 2017, 64 DCR 3089).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(c) of Wage Theft Prevention Clarification and Overtime Fairness Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-583, Dec. 21, 2016, 63 DCR 16031).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-512, Oct. 27, 2016, 63 DCR 13577).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-480, July 21, 2016, 63 DCR 10193).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(b)(2) of Wage Theft Prevention Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-8, Feb. 26, 2015, 62 DCR 2669).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(b)(1) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-544, Dec. 29, 2014, 62 DCR 243, 20 STAT 4458).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(a) of the Wage Theft Prevention Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-66, May 22, 2015, 62 DCR 6867, 21 DCSTAT 1446).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of section, see § 3(a) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-188, Oct. 27, 2015, 62 DCR 14224).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of the Wage Theft Prevention Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-291, Jan. 27, 2016, 63 DCR 1207).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-293, Jan. 27, 2016, 63 DCR 1215).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(a) of Revised Wage Theft Prevention Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Law 21-206, Feb. 18, 2017, 63 DCR 15051).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Law 21-170, Nov. 30, 2016, 63 DCR 12600).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2014 (D.C. Law 20-240, March 13, 2015, 62 DCR 1332).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(a) of the Wage Theft Prevention Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Law 21-2, June 4, 2015, 62 DCR 4552).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(a) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Law 21-57, Jan. 30, 2016, 62 DCR 15602).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of section, see § 3(a) of the Wage Theft Prevention Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2016 D.C. Law 21-101, April 6, 2016, 63 DCR 2220, 20 DCSTAT 3142).
(a)(1)(A) As of January 1, 2020, the third-party payroll business, required pursuant to § 32-1008(a-1) to process payroll for an employer that employs an employee who is paid in accordance with § 32-1003(f), shall submit a quarterly report to the Mayor no later than 30 days after the end of each quarter certifying that each employee was paid at least the required minimum wage, including gratuities.
(B) Before January 1, 2020, an employer that employs an employee who is paid in accordance with § 32-1003(f) shall submit a quarterly report to the Mayor no later than 30 days after the end of each quarter certifying that each employee was paid at least the required minimum wage, including gratuities.
(C) A hotel employer that employs an employee who is paid in accordance with § 32-1003(f) shall submit a quarterly report to the Mayor no later than 30 days after the end of each quarter certifying that each employee was paid at least the required minimum wage, including gratuities.
(E) The employer's current tip-out policy that the employer supplied to the third-party payroll business for calculation of wages during the quarter.
(b)(1) The Mayor shall create an Internet-based portal for online reporting of the quarterly wage reports required by subsection (a) of this section.
(2) An employer shall submit its quarterly wage reports online unless the employer claims that online reporting creates a hardship, in which case the employer shall submit its reports in hard-copy form.
(3) The Mayor shall provide reporting requirements training to educate employers about the reporting requirements and use of the Internet-based portal.
(2) Submit a quarterly report to the Secretary to the Council of the compliance data collected.
The 2014 amendment by D.C. Law 20-91 added this section.
Applicability of D.C. Law 22-196: § 8 of D.C. Law 22-196 provided that the the change made to subsection (b) of this section by § 6(d) of D.C. Law 22-196 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(c) of Fair Shot Minimum Wage Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-428, June 28, 2016, 63 DCR 9271).
For temporary (90 days) repeal of D.C. Law 20-91, § 3, see § 7004 of the Fiscal Year 2015 Budget Support Second Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-566, January 9, 2015, 62 DCR 884).
Section 3 of D.C. Law 20-91 was repealed by D.C. Law 20-155, § 7003, effective Feb. 26, 2015.
Applicability of D.C. Law 22-196: § 8 of D.C. Law 22-196 provided that the creation of this section by § 6(e) of D.C. Law 22-196 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.
(E) Exercised rights protected under this subchapter.
(4) Hinder or delay the Mayor or the Mayor’s authorized representative in the enforcement of this subchapter, to refuse to admit the Mayor or the Mayor’s authorized representative to any place of employment upon demand, to refuse to make available any record to the Mayor or Mayor’s authorized agent required to be made, kept, or preserved under this subchapter, or to fail to post a summary or copy of this subchapter or of any applicable regulation or order, as required under § 32-1009.
(b) An employee complaint or other communication need not make explicit reference to any section or provision of this subchapter to trigger the protections of this section. The employer, or any person acting on behalf of the employer, taking adverse action against an employee within 90 days of an employee or other person’s engagement in the activities set forth in subsection (a) of this section shall raise a presumption that the action is retaliation. The presumption may be rebutted by clear and convincing evidence that the action was taken for other permissible reasons.
This section is referenced in § 32-1011.
The 2014 amendment by D.C. Law 20-91, in (2), substituted “§§ 32-1008, 32-1009, and 32-1009.01” for “§§ 32-1008 and 32-1009” and substituted “§§ 32-1008 and 32-1009.01” for “§ 32-1008”.
The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 20-157 designated the existing text as (a); rewrote (a)(3); and added (b).
For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2, of Rhode Island Place Shopping Center Working Group Emergency Act of 2009 (D.C. Act 18-315, February 23, 2010, 57 DCR 1652).
“Sec. 2. (a) The Mayor shall implement a Rhode Island Place Working Group (’working group’) within 30 days to collaborate with businesses located in the Rhode Island Place Shopping Center bordered by Rhode Island Avenue, N.E., and Brentwood Road, N.E., in Ward 5 to address the challenge of day laborers congregating at the site.
“(b) The working group shall make recommendations for a civil resolution to the day-laborer concern at the Rhode Island Place Shopping Center site.
“(7) Other workers’ rights stakeholders as determined by the Ward 5 Councilmember.
Section 4(b) of D.C. Law 18-150 provided that the act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect.
(a) Any person who willfully or negligently violates any of the provisions of § 32-1010 shall, upon conviction, be subject to a fine of not more than $10,000, or to imprisonment of not more than 6 months, or both.
(b) No person shall be imprisoned under this section except for an offense committed willfully or after the conviction of that person for a prior offense under this section.
(c) Prosecutions for violations of this subchapter shall be in the Superior Court of the District of Columbia and shall be conducted by the Attorney General for the District of Columbia.
(F) $100 for each day that the employer fails to post notice as required under § 32-1009(a).
(2) The Mayor may assess more than one administrative penalty against an employer for the same adversely affected employee if the employer has violated more than one statutory provision of this subchapter, subchapter X-A of Chapter 2 of Title 2 [§ 2-220.01 et seq.], or Chapter 1A of this title [§ 32-131.01 et seq.].
(f) The fine set forth in this section shall not be limited by § 22-3571.01.
(g) The administrative fines and penalties collected under this section shall be deposited into the Wage Theft Prevention Fund, established by § 32-1308.01.
D.C. Law 13-245 added subsecs. (d) and (e).
The 2015 amendment by D.C. Law 20-157 substituted “willfully or negligently” for “willfully” in (a); substituted “committed willfully or” for “committed” in (b); substituted “Attorney General” for “Corporation Counsel” in (c); rewrote (d); repealed (e); and added (g).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(e) of Wage Theft Prevention Clarification and Overtime Fairness Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-33, Mar. 28, 2017, 64 DCR 3089).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(e) of Wage Theft Prevention Clarification and Overtime Fairness Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-583, Dec. 21, 2016, 63 DCR 16031).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(c) of Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-512, Oct. 27, 2016, 63 DCR 13577).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(c) of Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-480, July 21, 2016, 63 DCR 10193).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 112(d) of the Criminal Fine Proportionality Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-45, April 1, 2013, 60 DCR 5400, 20 DCSTAT 1300).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(b)(3) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-544, Dec. 29, 2014, 62 DCR 243, 20 STAT 4458).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of section, see § 3(c) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-188, Oct. 27, 2015, 62 DCR 14224).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(c) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-293, Jan. 27, 2016, 63 DCR 1215).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(c) of Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Law 21-170, Nov. 30, 2016, 63 DCR 12600).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(c) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2014 (D.C. Law 20-240, March 13, 2015, 62 DCR 1332).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(c) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Law 21-57, Jan. 30, 2016, 62 DCR 15602).
(a) A civil action may be commenced according to, and with all the remedies provided under, § 32-1308.
(b)(1) Except as provided in paragraph (2) of this subsection, any employer who pays any employee less than the wage to which that employee is entitled under this subchapter shall be liable to that employee in the amount of the unpaid wages, statutory penalties, and an additional amount as liquidated damages equal to treble the amount of unpaid wages.
(C) That the employer promptly paid the full amount of wages claimed to be owed to the employee.
(c) A subcontractor, including any intermediate subcontractor, and the general contractor shall be jointly and severally liable to the subcontractor's employees for the subcontractor's violations of this chapter. Except as otherwise provided in a contract between the subcontractor and the general contractor, the subcontractor shall indemnify the general contractor for any wages, damages, interest, penalties, or attorneys' fees owed as a result of the subcontractor's violations of this chapter, unless those violations were due to the lack of prompt payment in accordance with the terms of the contract between the general contractor and the subcontractor.
(d) Any agreement between an employer and employee in which the employee agrees to work for less than the wages to which the employee is entitled under this subchapter or any regulation issued under this subchapter shall be no defense to any action to recover unpaid wages or liquidated damages.
(e) The Mayor is authorized to supervise the payment of unpaid wages and liquidated damages owed to any employee under this subchapter or any regulation issued under this subchapter, and the agreement of any employee to accept this payment, shall upon full payment, constitute a waiver by the employee of any right the employee may have under subsection (a) of this section to any unpaid wages, and an additional amount as liquidated damages.
(f)(1) When a temporary staffing firm employs an employee who performs work on behalf of or to the benefit of a client pursuant to a temporary staffing arrangement or contract for services, both the temporary staffing firm and the client shall be jointly and severally liable for violations of this chapter to the employee and to the District.
(2) The District, the employee, or the employee's representative shall notify the temporary staffing firm of the alleged violations at least 30 days before filing a claim for a violation against a client who was not the employee's direct employer.
(3) Except as otherwise provided in a contract between the temporary staffing firm and its client, the temporary staffing firm shall indemnify its client for any wages, damages, interest, penalties, or attorneys' fees owed as a result of the temporary staffing firm's violations of this chapter.
The 2013 amendment by D.C. Law 20-61 substituted “wages and liquidated damages owed” for “wages owed” in (f).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(g) of Wage Theft Prevention Clarification and Overtime Fairness Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-33, Mar. 28, 2017, 64 DCR 3089).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(g) of Wage Theft Prevention Clarification and Overtime Fairness Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-583, Dec. 21, 2016, 63 DCR 16031).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(d) of Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-512, Oct. 27, 2016, 63 DCR 13577).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(d) of Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-480, July 21, 2016, 63 DCR 10193).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2063 of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-130, July 30, 2013, 60 DCR 11384, 20 DCSTAT 1827).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2063 of the Fiscal Year 2014 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2013 (D.C. Act 20-204, October 17, 2013, 60 DCR 15341, 20 DCSTAT 2311).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(b)(4) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-544, Dec. 29, 2014, 62 DCR 243, 20 STAT 4458).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of section, see § 3(d) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Act 21-188, Oct. 27, 2015, 62 DCR 14224).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(d) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Act 21-293, Jan. 27, 2016, 63 DCR 1215).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(d) of Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2016 (D.C. Law 21-170, Nov. 30, 2016, 63 DCR 12600).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(d) of the Wage Theft Prevention Correction and Clarification Temporary Amendment Act of 2015 (D.C. Law 21-57, Jan. 30, 2016, 62 DCR 15602).
Nothing in this subchapter shall be deemed to interfere with, impede, or in any way diminish the right of employees to bargain collectively with their employers through representatives of their own choosing in order to establish wages or other conditions of work in excess of the standards applicable under the provisions of this subchapter.
1981 Ed., §§ 36-201 to 36-219.

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