Minimum wage in District of Columbia

(c) No employer shall employ any employee for a workweek that is longer than 40 hours, unless the employee receives compensation for employment in excess of 40 hours at a rate not less than 1 1/2 times the regular rate at which the employee is employed.

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statute

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September 26, 2026

Notes

D.C. Code § 32-1003(c).

Verified September 27, 2026

An employer shall pay all wages earned to his or her employees on regular paydays designated in advance by the employer and at least twice during each calendar month; except, that all bona fide administrative, executive, and professional employees (those employees employed in a bona fide administrative, executive, or professional capacity, as defined in section 7-999.1 of the District of Columbia Municipal Regulation (7 DCMR § 999.1)) shall be paid at least once per month; provided, however, that an interval of not more than 10 working days may elapse between the end of the pay period covered and the regular payday designated by the employer, except where a different period is specified in a collective agreement between an employer and a bona fide labor organization; provided further, that where, by contract or custom, an employer has paid wages at least once each calendar month, he may lawfully continue to do so.

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statute

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September 27, 2026

Verified September 27, 2026

(1) Whenever an employer discharges an employee, the employer shall pay the employee’s wages earned not later than the working day following such discharge; provided, however, that in the instance of an employee who is responsible for monies belonging to the employer, the employer shall be allowed a period of 4 days from the date of discharge or resignation for the determination of the accuracy of the employee’s accounts, at the end of which time all wages earned by the employee shall be paid. (2) Whenever an employee (not having a written contract of employment for a period in excess of 30 days) quits or resigns, the employer shall pay the employee’s wages due upon the next regular payday or within 7 days from the date of quitting or resigning, whichever is earlier. (3) When work of an employee is suspended as a result of a labor dispute, the employer shall pay to such employee not later than the next regular payday, designated under § 32-1302, wages earned at the time of suspension. (4) If an employer fails to pay an employee wages earned as required under paragraphs (1), (2), and (3) of this section, such employer shall pay, or be additionally liable to, the employee, as liquidated damages, 10 per centum of the unpaid wages for each working day during which such failure shall continue after the day upon which payment is hereunder required, or an amount equal to treble the unpaid wages, whichever is smaller.

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statute

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September 27, 2026

Verified September 27, 2026

(a)(1) An employer with 100 or more employees shall provide for each employee not less than one hour of paid leave for every 37 hours worked, not to exceed 7 days per calendar year. (2) An employer with at least 25, but not more than 99, employees shall provide for each employee not less than one hour of paid leave for every 43 hours worked, not to exceed 5 days per calendar year. (3) An employer with 24 or fewer employees shall provide not less than one hour of paid leave for every 87 hours worked, not to exceed 3 days per calendar year.

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statute

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September 27, 2026

Verified September 27, 2026

(g) Subsection (f) of this section shall not apply to an employee who receives gratuities, unless: (1) The employer has provided the employee with notice of the following, included in the notice furnished pursuant to § 32-1008(c): (A) The provisions of subsection (f) of this section; (B) If tips are not shared, that the tipped employee shall retain all tips received; (C) If tips are shared, the employer's tip-sharing policy; and (D) The percentage by which tips paid via credit card will be reduced by credit card fees; (2) If the employer uses tip sharing, the employer has posted the tip-sharing policy; and (3) All gratuities received by the employee have been retained by the employee, except that this provision shall not be construed to prohibit the sharing of gratuities among employees who customarily receive gratuities.

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statute

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September 26, 2026

Notes

D.C. Code § 32-1003(g). The tipped minimum wage itself (56% of the minimum wage from July 1, 2026, rising in steps to 75% in 2034) is in § 32-1003(f) and the rate rows.

Verified September 27, 2026

Except as provided in § 32-206, no minor under 18 years of age shall be employed, permitted, or suffered to work in, about, or in connection with any gainful occupation, except in agricultural work, or housework, or in the distribution or sale of newspapers, as prescribed in § 32-201, and except in newspaper stuffing, subject to the provisions of § 32-215, more than 6 consecutive days in any 1 week, or more than 48 hours in any 1 week, or more than 8 hours in any 1 day, nor shall any minor 16 or 17 years of age be employed, permitted, or suffered to work before 6:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. of any day; nor shall any minor under 16 years of age be employed, permitted, or suffered to work before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m. of any day, except during the summer (June 1 through Labor Day) when the evening hour shall be 9:00.

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statute

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September 27, 2026

Verified September 27, 2026

(a) Every employer who is subject to any provision of this subchapter or any regulation issued under this subchapter shall keep a copy or summary of this subchapter and any applicable regulation issued under this subchapter, in a form prescribed or approved by the Mayor, posted in a conspicuous and accessible place in or about the premises at which any employee covered by the regulation is employed. If an employer fails to comply with this requirement, the period prescribed in § 32-1308(c) shall not begin until the employer posts or provides the required notice. (b) Employers shall be furnished copies or summaries of this subchapter by the Mayor without charge,

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statute

snapshot

September 27, 2026

Notes

If the notice is not posted, the limitation period of § 32-1308(c) does not begin to run (§ 32-1009(a)).

Verified September 27, 2026

(c)(1) Any action commenced in a court of competent jurisdiction on or after February 26, 2015, to enforce any cause of action for unpaid wages or liquidated damages under this chapter, the Minimum Wage Revision Act, the Sick and Safe Leave Act, or the Living Wage Act, or any regulation issued pursuant to this chapter, the Minimum Wage Revision Act, the Sick and Safe Leave Act, or the Living Wage Act, must be commenced within 3 years after the cause of action accrued, or of the last occurrence if the violation is continuous, or the cause of action shall be forever barred. (2) This period is tolled: (A) From the date the employee files an administrative complaint with the Mayor until the Mayor notifies the employee in writing that the administrative complaint has been resolved or until the administrative complaint is withdrawn by the employee, whichever is sooner; or

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statute

snapshot

September 27, 2026

Notes

The period is tolled while an administrative complaint with the Mayor (DC Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage-Hour Compliance) is pending (§ 32-1308(c)(2)).

Verified September 27, 2026

To qualify for exemption, employees generally must meet certain tests regarding their job duties and be paid on a salary basis at not less than $684 per week.

Source

agency page

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September 26, 2026

Notes

The 2024 rule raising the level to $844/$1,128 was vacated in November 2024; DOL enforces the 2019 level of $684.

Verified September 26, 2026