What Is The Law On Wages And Hours?

The Office of Wage­Hour of the Department of Employment Services (DOES) administers the District’s laws regarding wages and hours.

• The DC Minimum Wage Act Revision Act of 1992 defines the District’s minimum wage at that “set by the United States government, plus $1,” and requires time­and­a­half for hours worked in excess of a 40­hour week.
• The DC Wage Payment and Wage Collection Law requires payment at least twice monthly on designated paydays for all employees; payment of all earned and promised wages; and the timely payment of wages upon termination of employment.
• The DC Wage Garnishment Law protects pay from unlawful garnishments.
• The Seats Law requires proper seating for workers when they are not actively engaged in their work.

The Office of Wage­Hour also implements the Wage­Hour Rules, which provide, for example, sub­minimum wage rates for newly hired workers and reasonable allowance levels for work­related situations. The Office of Wage­Hour conducts compliance audits and may recover back wages for employees, either administratively or through court action.