The District sets some of the most employee-friendly wage rules in the country, and it adjusts them on a mid-year cycle rather than in January. Use the table below as a quick reference, then read the sections that follow for the details that trip up small employers most often.
EZTime labor rule alerts flag overtime and missed rest periods before payroll.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $18.40 per hour from July 1, 2026, for all employers regardless of size (DOES notice) |
| Tipped employees | $10.30 base cash wage from July 1, 2026; wages plus tips must reach $18.40 |
| Overtime | 1.5 times the regular rate after 40 hours in a workweek; no daily overtime rule (DC Attorney General) |
| Meal and rest breaks | DC does not appear in the U.S. DOL state tables for adult meal or paid rest periods |
| Paid sick leave | Required; 1 hour per 37, 43 or 87 hours worked depending on employer size |
| Paid family leave | Employer-funded program; 0.75% of covered wages in 2026 (Office of Paid Family Leave) |
| Payday | At least twice a month, no more than 10 working days after the pay period ends (D.C. Code 32-1302) |
| Final pay | Fired: next working day. Quit: next payday or within 7 days, whichever is earlier (D.C. Code 32-1303) |
| Minors | Work permit required under 18; 8 hours a day, 48 a week, 6 days a week maximum |
According to the Department of Employment Services (DOES) 2026 notice, the District minimum wage rose from $17.95 to $18.40 per hour on July 1, 2026, and the increase applies to all workers. Unlike most states, the District does not offer a lower rate for small businesses. The Office of the Attorney General explains that the rate generally increases every year on July 1, so the next change is expected in mid-2027 rather than on January 1. DOES has not announced a 2027 figure yet, so plan your budget around $18.40 until the next notice is published.
The base cash wage for tipped workers increased from $10.00 to $10.30 per hour on July 1, 2026. That lower cash wage is only allowed when the employee's tips, averaged over the week, bring total pay up to at least the full $18.40 for every hour worked. If they fall short, the employer pays the difference. The Attorney General's office describes a phase-in under which the tipped cash wage is set as a growing share of the standard minimum wage (56% in 2026, rising in steps to 75% in 2034), so expect this number to keep moving. Tipped employees' pay stubs must show employer-paid wages separately from tips.
Non-exempt employees who work more than 40 hours in a workweek must be paid at least one and one-half times their regular hourly pay for each extra hour. The District does not have a daily overtime rule, so a 10-hour shift by itself does not trigger premium pay as long as the weekly total stays at or under 40. This matches the federal baseline described on the U.S. DOL overtime page, which also confirms that weekend and holiday work does not require extra pay unless it pushes the week past 40 hours. Because the hourly minimum is high, overtime in the District costs at least $27.60 per hour for a minimum-wage worker, which makes tracking hours closely worth the effort. You can sanity-check a pay period with our overtime calculator.
The District is not listed in the U.S. Department of Labor's tables for state meal period requirements or paid rest periods, and the DOL notes that states missing from the rest-period table do not require paid rest breaks. The D.C. child labor statute we reviewed also sets no specific break schedule for minors. Many District employers still offer breaks voluntarily. If you do, write the policy down and apply it consistently, and make sure your time clock records when breaks start and end so hours worked stay accurate. If you are unsure whether a particular arrangement is allowed, check with the DOES Office of Wage-Hour.
District employers must provide paid sick and safe leave. The accrual rate depends on how many employees you have, as summarized by the Attorney General's wage and hour page:
| Employer size | Earns 1 hour of leave for every | Maximum per year |
|---|---|---|
| 1 to 24 employees | 87 hours worked | 3 days |
| 25 to 99 employees | 43 hours worked | 5 days |
| 100 or more employees | 37 hours worked | 7 days |
Employees can begin using accrued leave after 90 days of employment. An accurate record of hours worked is the foundation of compliance here, because the accrual is tied directly to time on the clock. The PTO accrual calculator can help you model balances.
The District runs a paid family leave program funded entirely by employers, with no deduction from workers' paychecks. The Office of Paid Family Leave lists the 2026 employer contribution at 0.75% of covered wages, up from 0.26%. Quarterly payments are due April 30, July 31, October 31 and January 31. Program changes that took effect on October 1, 2026, set benefits at up to 12 weeks of parental leave, 10 weeks of medical leave, 6 weeks of family leave and 2 weeks of prenatal leave, with a maximum weekly benefit of $1,100, according to the 2026 program update.
Larger employers should also keep the federal Family and Medical Leave Act in mind. The U.S. DOL explains that it covers private employers with 50 or more employees in 20 or more workweeks and gives eligible workers up to 12 workweeks of job-protected leave in a 12-month period.
Under D.C. Code 32-1302, employers must pay wages at least twice during each calendar month, and no more than 10 working days may pass between the end of a pay period and payday. Certain bona fide executive, administrative and professional employees may be paid monthly instead.
Final pay deadlines are short. Under D.C. Code 32-1303:
Every payday, District workers must receive an itemized statement that separately lists the base rate, hours worked at each rate, overtime, commissions, incentive pay, cash tips, credit card tips and any other additions or deductions.
Under D.C. Code 32-207, minors under 18 generally need a work permit, and the employer must obtain the permit and keep it on file where inspectors can review it. Casual work around the employer's home that is not part of the business is an exception. D.C. Code 32-202 limits anyone under 18 to 8 hours a day, 48 hours a week and 6 consecutive days a week. Workers aged 16 and 17 may not work before 6:00 a.m. or after 10:00 p.m. Those under 16 may not work before 7:00 a.m. or after 7:00 p.m., extended to 9:00 p.m. from June 1 through Labor Day. Federal rules for 14- and 15-year-olds also apply, and when two standards overlap, follow the stricter one. Employers must keep a daily start and end time record for each minor.
District employers must keep each employee's name, address, occupation and, for workers under 19, date of birth. For every pay period you also need the pay rate, the amount paid and the precise times worked each day and workweek. New hires must receive a written Notice of Hire under the Wage Theft Prevention Amendment Act; DOES can impose a $500 penalty per affected employee for failing to provide it.
The DOES Office of Wage-Hour employer page provides the required posters, including the Minimum Wage Amendment Revision Act poster, the Accrued Sick and Safe Leave Act poster and the Living Wage Act poster, plus a Notice of Hire template. Post them where employees can see them, in English and any other languages your workforce needs.
With an $18.40 minimum wage, short final-pay windows and size-based sick leave accrual, small mistakes in DC add up fast. EZTime records exact clock-in and clock-out times with a GPS mobile time clock and geofencing, NFC tags, a tablet kiosk or biometric clocks. Scheduling with shift templates and shift swaps keeps coverage tight, while overtime and break alerts warn managers before a week crosses 40 hours. Sick leave and PTO balances accrue automatically, and payroll-ready Excel or PDF exports work with any payroll software. Plans start at $2 per employee per month with a 14-day trial; see pricing.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; check the DC Department of Employment Services or an employment attorney. Last reviewed November 2026.
The DC minimum wage is $18.40 per hour as of July 1, 2026, for all employers regardless of size. The rate generally adjusts every July 1.
Since July 1, 2026, the base cash wage for tipped employees is $10.30 per hour. The employer must make up any shortfall if tips plus the cash wage do not reach $18.40 per hour.
It depends on size: employers with 1-24 workers provide 1 hour per 87 hours worked (up to 3 days a year), 25-99 workers 1 per 43 (up to 5 days), and 100 or more 1 per 37 (up to 7 days). Employees can use it after 90 days.
A fired employee must be paid by the next working day. An employee who quits must be paid by the next regular payday or within 7 days, whichever comes first.
Yes. With limited exceptions, workers under 18 need a work permit, and the employer must keep it on file. Minors are also limited to 8 hours a day, 48 hours a week and 6 days a week.