DC Code § 1-617.17 (2021)
2021 District of Columbia Code|Title 1 - Government Organization|Chapter 6 - Merit Personnel System|Subchapter XVII - Labor-Management Relations|§ 1-617.17. Collective bargaining concerning compensation

 *NOTE: This section includes amendments by emergency legislation that will expire on November 21, 2021. To view the text of this section after the expiration of all emergency and temporary legislation, click this link: Permanent Version.*  (a) Collective bargaining concerning compensation is authorized as provided in §§ 1-602.06 and 1-617.16. Such compensation bargaining shall preempt other provisions of this subchapter except as provided in this section. The principles of § 1-611.03 shall apply to compensation set under the provisions of this section. (b) As provided in this section, the Mayor, the Board of Education, the Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia, and each independent personnel authority, or any combination of the above (“management”) shall meet with labor organizations (“labor”) which have been authorized to negotiate compensation at reasonable times in advance of the District’s budget making process to negotiate in good faith with respect to salary, wages, health benefits, within-grade increases, overtime pay, education pay, shift differential, premium pay, hours, and any other compensation matters. No subordinate agency shall negotiate a collective bargaining agreement. (c) Repealed. (d) Repealed. (e) Repealed. (f)(1) Collective bargaining for a given fiscal year or years shall take place at such times as to be reasonably assured that negotiations shall be completed prior to submission of a budget for said year(s) in accordance with this section. (A)(i) A party seeking to negotiate a compensation agreement shall serve a written demand to bargain upon the other party during the period 120 days to 90 days prior to the first day of the fiscal year, for purposes of negotiating a compensation agreement for the subsequent fiscal year. (ii) Where the compensation agreement to be negotiated is for a newly certified collective bargaining unit assigned to a newly created compensation unit, working conditions or other non-compensation matters shall be negotiated concurrently with negotiations concerning compensation. (iii) Where the compensation agreement to be negotiated is for a newly certified collective bargaining unit assigned to an existing compensation unit, the parties shall proceed promptly to negotiate concurrently any working conditions, other non-compensation matters, and coverage of the compensation agreement. (B) Negotiations among the parties shall continue until a settlement is reached, or until 180 days after negotiations have commenced. (2) If the parties have failed to begin negotiations within 90 days of the end of the annual notice period, or have failed to reach settlement on any issues 180 days after negotiations have commenced, then an automatic impasse may be declared by any party. The declaring party shall promptly notify the Executive Director of the Public Employee Relations Board in writing of an impasse. The Executive Director shall assist in the resolution of this declared automatic impasse by selecting an impartial person experienced in public sector disputes to serve as a mediator. If the mediator does not resolve the declared automatic impasse within 30 days, or any shorter period designated by the mediator, or before the automatic impasse date, the Executive Director, upon the request of any party, shall appoint an impartial Board of Arbitration to investigate the labor-management issues involved in the dispute, conduct whatever hearing it deems necessary, and issue a written award to the parties with the object of achieving a prompt and fair settlement of the dispute. The last best offer of each party shall be the basis for such automatic impasse arbitration. The award shall be issued within 45 days after the Board has been established. The award shall contain findings of fact and a statement of reasons. The award shall be final and binding upon the parties to the dispute. (3) If the parties reach an impasse on any issues in negotiations before the declared automatic impasse date, any party shall promptly notify the Executive Director of the Public Employee Relations Board in writing. The Executive Director shall assist in the resolution of this impasse by selecting an impartial person experienced in public sector disputes to serve as a mediator. If the mediator does not resolve the impasse within 30 days, or any shorter period designated by the mediator, or before the automatic impasse date, the Executive Director, upon the request of any party, shall appoint an impartial Board of Arbitration to investigate the labor-management issues involved in the dispute, conduct whatever hearing it deems necessary, and issue a written award to the parties with the object of achieving a prompt and fair settlement of the dispute. The last best offer of each party shall be the basis for this impasse arbitration. The award shall be issued within 45 days after the Board has been established. The award shall contain findings of fact and a statement of reasons. The award shall be final and binding upon the parties to the dispute. (3A) If requested by both parties or ordered by the Executive Director of the Public Employee Relations Board, a mediator or Board of Arbitration appointed pursuant to paragraphs (2) or (3) of this subsection shall consider non-compensation matters at impasse at the same time it considers compensation matters at impasse. (4) If the procedures set forth in paragraph (1), (2), (3), or (3A) of this subsection are implemented, no change in the status quo shall be made pending the completion of mediation and arbitration, or both. (5) The factfinder, mediator, and any members of the Board of Arbitration appointed by the Executive Director of the Public Employee Relations Board shall be entitled to compensation at the maximum daily rate allowable by law for each day they are actually engaged in performing services under this section. Compensation for arbitration shall be divided equally and paid one-half by management and one-half by labor; compensation for mediation and fact-finding shall be paid by the moving party, or shared if by mutual request. (g) Multi-year compensation agreements are encouraged. No compensation agreement shall be for a period of less than 3 years. (h) Compensation negotiations pursuant to this section shall be confidential among the parties; provided, however, that the Chairman of the Council may appoint observers from its membership and staff, or both, to the negotiations. Such Council observers will be responsible for informing the members of the Council of the progress of negotiations. All information concerning negotiations shall be considered confidential until impasse resolution proceedings have been concluded or upon settlement. Management shall give the Council the same prior notice of negotiation proceedings that it gives to all parties to the negotiations. (i)(1) The Mayor shall transmit all settlements, including arbitration awards, to the Council within 60 days after the parties have reached agreement or an arbitration award has been issued with a budget request act, a supplemental budget request act, a budget amendment act, or a reprogramming, as appropriate; except that when a settlement, including an arbitrator’s award, has been fully funded by an enacted budget request act, supplemental budget request act, or budget amendment act or an approved reprogramming request, the Mayor shall submit the settlement, including an arbitrator’s award, with a certification that the settlement, including arbitrator’s award, is fully funded by the previously enacted budget measure or approved reprogramming. The budget request act, supplemental budget request act, budget amendment act, or reprogramming shall fully fund the settlement for the fiscal year to which it applies. (2) At the same time the Mayor transmits a settlement, including any arbitration award, pursuant to paragraph (1) of this subsection, the Mayor shall also transmit a financial plan that includes proposed funding for both actual and annualization costs of settlements for future fiscal years contained in a multi-year compensation agreement. (3) The Mayor shall fully support the passage of settlements by every reasonable means before all legislative bodies, except that the Mayor is not required to support Council approval of an arbitrator’s award, or to support Council approval of a settlement negotiated by the Board of Education, the Board of Trustees of the University of the District of Columbia, or other independent personnel authority, unless the Mayor participated in the negotiations. (j) A settlement, including an arbitrator’s award, shall take effect on the 30th calendar day, excluding days of Council recess, after the Mayor and the Council enact the budget request act, the supplemental budget request act, or the budget amendment act, or approve the reprogramming, as appropriate, that contains the funded settlement, unless prior to the 30th calendar day, the Council accepts or rejects the settlement, including an arbitrator’s award, by resolution. In the case of a settlement, including an arbitrator’s award, submitted after the enactment of budget legislation or the approval of a reprogramming that fully funds the settlement, including arbitrator’s award, the settlement, including arbitrator’s award shall take effect on the 30th calendar day, excluding days of Council recess, after the Mayor transmits the settlement, including arbitrator’s award, to the Council with the Mayor’s certification that the settlement, including arbitrator’s award, has been fully funded in previously enacted budget legislation or an approved reprogramming, unless prior to the 30th calendar day, the Council accepts or rejects the settlement, including arbitrator’s award, by resolution. If the Council rejects a settlement, including an arbitrator’s award, then the settlement shall be returned to the parties for renegotiation, with specific reasons for the rejection appended to the document disclosing the rejection of the settlement. (k) The Mayor shall fully fund in future fiscal year budget requests, any settlement, including an arbitrator’s award, for future fiscal years contained in a multi-year compensation agreement that has been approved pursuant to this section. Any settlement, including an arbitrator’s award, that has been approved pursuant to this section shall be included in either the District budget request or in any supplemental budget request and shall be fully supported by the District by every reasonable means before Congressional bodies. (l) Notwithstanding any provisions of subchapters XXII, XXIII, or XXVII of this chapter to the contrary, the health, life, and retirement programs authorized by these subchapters are proper subjects of collective bargaining under this section. (m) When the Public Employee Relations Board makes a determination as to the appropriate bargaining unit for the purpose of compensation negotiations pursuant to § 1-617.16, negotiations for compensation between management and the exclusive representative of the appropriate bargaining unit shall commence as provided for in subsection (f) of this section. The Mayor shall negotiate agreements concerning working conditions at the same time as he or she negotiates compensation issues. (n)(1) Notwithstanding any other provisions of law, the District is authorized to establish the compensation of District employees and to negotiate with the exclusive representative of the appropriate bargaining unit concerning the compensation rules for employees’ overtime work in excess of the basic non-overtime workday, in accordance with this chapter and the Fair Labor Standards Act of 1938, approved June 25, 1938 (52 Stat. 1060; 29 U.S.C. § 201 et seq.). (2) This subsection shall be retroactively effective as of the fiscal year beginning October 1, 2004.  (Mar. 3, 1979, D.C. Law 2-139, § 1113, 25 DCR 5740; redesignated as § 1717, Mar. 4, 1981, D.C. Law 3-130, § 2(f), 28 DCR 277; Apr. 25, 1984, D.C. Law 5-77, § 2, 31 DCR 1225; Aug. 1, 1985, D.C. Law 6-15, § 7(f), 32 DCR 3570; Feb. 24, 1987, D.C. Law 6-177, § 3(x), 33 DCR 7241; June 5, 1987, D.C. Law 7-6, § 2, 34 DCR 2637; July 25, 1987, D.C. Law 7-16, § 2, 34 DCR 3799; Oct. 1, 1987, D.C. Law 7-27, § 2(h), 34 DCR 5079; Apr. 30, 1988, D.C. Law 7-104, § 36(b), 35 DCR 147; Mar. 17, 1993, D.C. Law 9-243, § 2, 40 DCR 636; May 16, 1995, D.C. Law 10-255, § 2(b), 41 DCR 5193; Aug. 1, 1996, D.C. Law 11-152, § 302(w), 43 DCR 2978; Mar. 20, 1998, D.C. Law 12-60, § 1001, 44 DCR 7378; June 10, 1998, D.C. Law 12-124, § 101(t), 45 DCR 2464; Sept. 18, 1998, D.C. Law 12-151, § 2(b), 45 DCR 4043; Oct. 1, 2002, D.C. Law 14-190, § 3832(e), 49 DCR 6968; Dec. 7, 2004, D.C. Law 15-205, § 1022, 51 DCR 8441; Apr. 12, 2005, D.C. Law 15-334, § 2(c), 52 DCR 2012; Oct. 20, 2005, D.C. Law 16-33, § 1021, 52 DCR 7503; Mar. 25, 2009, D.C. Law 17-367, § 2, 56 DCR 1336; Sept. 24, 2010, D.C. Law 18-223, § 1032(b), 57 DCR 6242; Apr. 8, 2011, D.C. Law 18-370, § 793, 58 DCR 1008; Aug. 23, 2021, D.C. Act 24-159, § 1172, 68 DCR 008602.)  Prior Codifications 1981 Ed., § 1-618.17. 1973 Ed., § 1-341.13. Section References This section is referenced in § 1-617.16 and § 1-636.02. Effect of Amendments D.C. Law 14-190 repealed subsecs. (c) and (e); rewrote pars. (1) and (2) of subsec. (f); deleted the last sentence in subsec. (g); and rewrote subsec. (m). D.C. Law 15-205 added subsec. (n). D.C. Law 15-334, in subsec. (f), rewrote par. (1)(A), substituted “45” for “20” in par. (3), added par. (3A), and substituted “(1), (2), (3), or (3A)” for “(1), (2), or (3)” in par. (4); and, in subsec. (h), substituted “until impasse resolution proceedings have been concluded or upon settlement” for “until impasse or settlement”. D.C. Law 16-33, in subsec. (b), substituted “compensation matters. No subordinate agency shall negotiate a collective bargaining agreement.” for “compensation matters.”. D.C. Law 17-367, in subsec. (i)(1), substituted “Council within 60 days after the parties have reached agreement or an arbitration award has been issued with a budget” for “Council with a budget”. D.C. Law 18-223, in subsec. (n)(1), deleted “in excess of the basic non-overtime workday” following “overtime work”. D.C. Law 18-370, in subsec. (n)(1), substituted “for employees’ overtime work in excess of the basic non-overtime workday” for “for employees’ overtime work”. Emergency Legislation  For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 1172 of Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-159, Aug. 23, 2021, 68 DCR 008602).  For temporary amendment of section, see § 1001 of the Fiscal Year 1998 Revised Budget Support Emergency Act of 1997 (D.C. Act 12-152, October 17, 1997, 44 DCR 6196), and see § 1001 of the Fiscal Year 1998 Revised Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 1997 (D.C. Act 12-239, January 13, 1998, 45 DCR 508). For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 3732(e) of Fiscal Year 2003 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2002 (D.C. Act 14-453, July 23, 2002, 49 DCR 8026). For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1022 of Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-486, August 2, 2004, 51 DCR 8236). For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1022 of Fiscal Year 2005 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2004 (D.C. Act 15-594, October 26, 2004, 51 DCR 11725). For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1021 of Fiscal Year 2006 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2005 (D.C. Act 16-168, July 26, 2005, 52 DCR 7667). For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of Department of Mental Health Collective Bargaining Agreements Emergency Act of 2006 (D.C. Act 16-254, January 26, 2006, 53 DCR 761). For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of Department of Mental Health Collective Bargaining Agreements Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2006 (D.C. Act 16-377, May 19, 2006, 53 DCR 4397). For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 1032(b) of Fiscal Year 2011 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-463, July 2, 2010, 57 DCR 6542). For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see §§ 3(a), 4 of Budget Support Act Clarification and Technical Amendment Emergency Amendment Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-543, October 5, 2010, 57 DCR 9630). For temporary (90 day) amendment of section, see § 792 of Fiscal Year 2011 Supplemental Budget Support Emergency Act of 2010 (D.C. Act 18-694, January 19, 2011, 58 DCR 662). For temporary (90) days approval of the interest arbitration award and compensation agreement between the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department and Local 36 International Association of Firefighters, see § 2 of the Interest Arbitration Award and Compensation Agreement between the District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department and Local 36 International Association of Firefighters (Compensation Unit 4) Emergency Approval Act of 2014 (D.C. Act 20-384, July 31, 2014, 61 DCR 8043). Temporary Legislation For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 2 of the Budget Implementation Temporary Act of 1995 (D.C. Law 11-18, May 27, 1995, law notification 42 DCR 2845). For temporary (225 day) amendment of section, see § 3 of the Budget Implementation Exemption Temporary Amendment Act of 1995 (D.C. Law 11-27, law notification July 14, 1995, 42 DCR 3833). Section 3(a) of D.C. Law 18-283 repealed subsec. (b). Section 4 of D.C. Law 18-283, in subsec. (n)(1), reinstated “in excess of the basic non-overtime workday” following “for employees’ overtime work”. Section 6(b) of D.C. Law 18-283 provided that the act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect. Section 2 of D.C. Law 16-103 provided as follows: “Sec. 2. Notwithstanding section 1717(b) of the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2-139; D.C. Official Code § 1-617.17(b)), the Department of Mental Health may complete ongoing negotiations of collective bargaining agreements.” Section 4(b) of D.C. Law 16-103 provided that the act shall expire after 225 days of its having taken effect. Short Title Short title of subtitle C of title I of Law 15-205: Section 1021 of D.C. Law 15-205 provided that subtitle C of title I of the act may be cited as the Compensation Bargaining Unit Overtime Negotiation Amendment Act of 2004. Short title of subtitle E of title I of Law 16-33: Section 1020 of D.C. Law 16-33 provided that subtitle E of title I of the act may be cited as the Collective Bargaining Agreements Amendment Act of 2005. Editor's Notes Section 794 of D.C. Law 18-370 provided: “Sec. 794. This subtitle shall apply as of January 3, 2011.” Application of Law 12-60: Section 2002 of D.C. Law 12-60 provided that the act shall apply as of October 1, 1997. Repeal of § 3 of Law 6-177: Section 4(b) of D.C. Law 6-177 provided that the provisions of § 3 are repealed on the 1st day following the 36-month period after February 24, 1987. Repeal of § 4(b) of Law 6-177: Section 3(b) of D.C. Law 8-74, effective March 15, 1990, provided that § 4(b) of D.C. Law 6-177 is repealed. Applicability of § 101(t) of D.C. Law 12-124: Section 401(c) of D.C. Law 12-124, as amended by § 60 of D.C. Law 12-264, provided that § 101(h), (l), (m), (n), (o)(2) through (5), (q), (r), (t), (u), (w), and (y) of the act shall apply as of October 21, 1998. Compensation Settlement for Employees in Compensation Unit 12 Approval Resolution of 1994: Pursuant to Proposed Resolution 11-18, deemed approved February 18, 1995, Council approved the negotiated compensation settlement submitted by the Mayor of the District of Columbia for employees in Compensation Unit 12. Compensation Settlement for Employees in Compensation Unit 19 Approval Resolution of 1994: Pursuant to Proposed Resolution 11-21, deemed approved February 18, 1995, Council approved the negotiated compensation settlement submitted by the Mayor of the District of Columbia for employees in Compensation Unit 19. Compensation Settlement for Employees in Compensation Unit 18 Approval Resolution of 1994: Pursuant to Proposed Resolution 11-24, deemed approved February 18, 1995, Council approved the negotiated compensation settlement submitted by the Mayor of the District of Columbia for employees in Compensation Unit 18. Compensation Settlement for Employees in Compensation Unit 4 Approval Emergency Resolution of 1998: Pursuant to Resolution 12-432, effective March 3, 1998, the Council approved, on an emergency basis, a negotiated settlement agreement for uniformed members of the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department covered by collective bargaining. Career and Excepted Service Compensation System Changes for Non-Union Employees and the Negotiated Compensation Agreements for Union Employees of the DOC Emergency Approval Resolution of 1998: Pursuant to Resolution 12-462, effective April 7, 1998, the Council approved, on an emergency basis, the proposed compensation changes for Career and Excepted Service employees and negotiated compensation agreements for Bargaining Unit employees of the Department of Corrections in Compensation Units 1, 2, 13, and 19. Compensation Settlement for Employees in Compensation Units 1 and 2 Emergency Approval Resolution of 1998: Pursuant to Resolution 12-484, effective May 5, 1998, the Council approved, the negotiated compensation settlement by the Mayor for certain employees in Compensation Units 1 and 2. Compensation Settlement for Employees in Compensation Unit 3 Emergency Approval Resolution of 1998: Pursuant to Resolution 12-556, effective June 16, 1998, the Council approved the compensation settlement for employees in Compensation Unit 3. Compensation Settlement for Doctors, Dentists and Podiatrists in Compensation Unit 19 Emergency Approval Resolution of 1998: Pursuant to Resolution 12-602, effective July 7, 1998, the Council approved, on an emergency basis, the negotiated compensation settlement for Physicians, Dentists, and Podiatrists within Compensation Unit 19 covered by collective bargaining. Compensation Settlement for Metropolitan Police Department Civilian Communication and Cellblock Employees in Compensation Unit 1 Emergency Approval Resolution of 1998: Pursuant to Resolution 12-768, effective November 10, 1998, the Council approved, on an emergency basis, a negotiated settlement agreement for civilian members of the District of Columbia Metropolitan Police Department Communications Division and Cellblock Unit covered by collective bargaining. Compensation Settlement for Employees in Compensation Unit 4 Emergency Approval Resolution of 1998: Pursuant to Resolution 12-776, effective November 10, 1998, the Council approved, on an emergency basis, a negotiated settlement agreement for uniformed members of the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department covered by collective bargaining. Compensation Settlement for DS-699 (Emergency Medical Technician, Intermediate Technician, and Paramedic) Employees in Compensation Unit 1 Emergency Declaration Resolution of 1998: Pursuant to Resolution 12-844, effective December 15, 1998, the Council approved, on an emergency basis, a negotiated settlement agreement for civilian employees in series DS-699 (Emergency Medical Technician, Intermediate Technician, and Paramedic) of the Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department in Compensation Unit 1 covered by collective bargaining. Resolutions Resolution 15-794, the “Compensation Agreement between the District of Columbia and Compensation Unit 33 Approval Resolution of 2004”, was approved effective December 21, 2004. Resolution 15-796, the “Compensation Settlement for Employees Represented by the American Federation of State, County, and Municipal Employees, Local 2095, and the American Federation of Government Employees, Local 383, Approval Resolution of 2004”, was approved effective December 21, 2004. Resolution 16-111, the “Compensation Settlement for Employees Represented by the Services Employees International Union, District 1199-E-DC Approval Resolution of 2005”, was approved effective April 5, 2005. Resolution 16-160, the “Police Compensation Approval Resolution of 2005”, was approved effective June 7, 2005. Resolution 16-250, the “Compensation Correction for Employees in Class 3, Compensation Unit #3 Emergency Approval Resolution of 2005”, was approved effective July 6, 2005. Resolution 16-287, the “Compensation Agreement Between the District of Columbia and Compensation Unit 13 Approval Resolution of 2005”, was approved effective September 20, 2005. Resolution 16-380, the “Compensation Agreement Between the District of Columbia and the Doctors Council of the District of Columbia Representing Compensation Unit 19 Approval Resolution of 2005”, was approved effective November 15, 2005. Resolution 18-423, the “Compensation and Working Conditions Collective Bargaining Agreement between the District of Columbia Public Schools and Teamsters Locals 639 and 730, affiliated with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters Approval Resolution of 2010”, was approved effective March 16, 2010. Resolution 18-531, the “Compensation and Working Conditions Collective Bargaining Agreement Between the District of Columbia and the Washington Teachers’ Union, American Federation of Teachers Local No. 6, AFL CIO Emergency Approval Resolution of 2010”, was approved effective June 29, 2010.