The District of Columbia’s Tipped Wage Workers Fairness Amendment Act (TWWFAA) continues to be a big talking point for the hospitality industry. Among other things, the TWWFAA requires D.C. employers that employ a tip credit...more
The District of Columbia will soon join an ever-growing list of jurisdictions that require employers to disclose compensation on job postings. In addition to pay scale disclosure, the District of Columbia Wage Transparency...more
1/17/2024
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Pay ,
Hiring & Firing ,
Job Ads ,
Job Applicants ,
Labor Reform ,
Pay Discrimination ,
Pay Equity Laws ,
Pay Gap ,
Pay Transparency ,
Salary/Wage History ,
Screening Procedures ,
Wage and Hour
As a funding deal continues to remain out of reach, and with the September 30th fiscal deadline rapidly approaching, a government shutdown appears close to certain. Whether it lasts for days, weeks, or months, a shutdown...more
The District of Columbia continues to implement broad employment initiatives, ranging from wage and hour laws to stricter civil penalties. The following is a rundown of key developments for employers to keep an eye on as we...more
5/8/2023
/ Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Employee Rights ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Enforcement Authority ,
Labor Reform ,
Legislative Agendas ,
Minimum Wage ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
State Attorneys General ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
On November 8, 2022, Washington D.C. voters overwhelmingly passed Initiative 82 or the “District of Columbia Tip Credit Elimination Act.” As a result, the tip credit for D.C. tipped wage workers will be gradually phased out...more
11/21/2022
/ Ballot Measures ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Food Service Workers ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Labor Reform ,
Minimum Wage ,
Regulatory Requirements ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
In addition to the laws enacted by state and local legislatures, there are proposed measures on the ballot this week that may also impact the workplace. Some of these key ballot initiatives are discussed...more
11/7/2022
/ Ballot Measures ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Labor Reform ,
Marijuana ,
Recreational Use ,
Right to Work ,
State and Local Government ,
State Labor Laws ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Union Membership ,
Wage and Hour
In 2018, the District of Columbia enacted the Tipped Wage Workers Fairness Amendment Act (“the Act”). Among other things, the Act imposes obligations on employers that employ tipped employees, including significant training...more
10/3/2022
/ Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Policies ,
Food Service Workers ,
Labor Regulations ,
Minimum Wage ,
Regulatory Reform ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Sexual Harassment ,
Tipped Employees ,
Wage and Hour ,
Wage Theft
I. The State of the U.S. Workforce -
In the early months of the pandemic, jobs declined by a staggering 22.2 million. The good news is that jobs recovery has been on the rise since February 2020. In July, the number of...more
Due to a surplus in the District of Columbia’s Universal Paid Leave Fund, the number of weeks of paid leave available to eligible employees in the District of Columbia pursuant to the Universal Paid Leave Act (UPLA) will...more
On April 9, 2022, the Maryland legislature voted to override Governor Lawrence J. Hogan’s veto of the Time to Care Act of 2022 (SB 275/HB8), passing it by a 30-16 vote in the Senate and by a 94-44 vote in the House. Maryland...more
In response to the rapid influx of COVID-19 variant cases over the course of the holiday season, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser recently announced further efforts by the city to curb the spread of the virus. In...more
Beginning at 10 p.m. on December 23, 2020, Mayor Bowser has ordered a “holiday pause” on various activities in an effort to flatten the curve. Until 5 a.m. on January 15, 2021, the mayor has directed that restaurants cease...more
The District of Columbia Council has passed several pieces of legislation that impose significant obligations on D.C. employers, particularly those in the hospitality industry. Below are summaries of recent laws passed in...more
Minimum wage laws can affect businesses of all sizes, whether operating nationwide, in multiple jurisdictions, or only in one state, county, or city. To help manage this challenge, below we provide a rates-only update that...more
Although the 2020 presidential election is technically behind us, razor-thin and contested elections for the presidency and Congress remain, potentially drawing out the uncertainty through the new year. As of the date of...more
11/9/2020
/ Equal Pay ,
Federal Labor Laws ,
Independent Contractors ,
Joe Biden ,
Joint Employers ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
LGBTQ ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Trump Administration ,
Wage and Hour
Maryland Governor Hogan moved the state into Stage Three of its reopening plan on September 4, 2020 at 5:00 p.m. in Order 20-09-01-01. This move permits practically all Maryland businesses to open, including theaters. ...more
9/10/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Health and Safety ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Public Gatherings ,
Public Health ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Seating ,
Workplace Safety
Introduction -
Prior Workplace Policy Institute (WPI) Labor Day Reports focused on key employment developments and trends to provide employers with insight on the state of work and what to expect in the coming year....more
9/8/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Infectious Diseases ,
Job Creation ,
Labor Regulations ,
On-Demand Services ,
Regulatory Agenda ,
Remote Working ,
Telecommuting ,
Unemployment ,
Wage and Hour ,
Workplace Safety
District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser announced that the District would move into Phase Two of its reopening plan on June 22, 2020. Maryland has also expanded Stage Two of its reopening plan....more
7/1/2020
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Retailers ,
Return-to-Work Agreements ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety
For the past few months, we have been keeping a very safe distance from each other: thousands of miles. However, as more businesses reopen across the country, we realize it is time to come together (virtually) to discuss an...more
On May 27, 2020, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser signed a bill that amends D.C. emergency paid leave requirements. Although many changes are stylistic and do not affect the substance of the law, one change clarifies...more
Updated June 4, 2020 -
Last week, District of Columbia Mayor Muriel Bowser moved Washington, D.C. to Phase One of the District’s plan for reopening following COVID-19 closures. ...more
As the world slowly returns to some semblance of normalcy, the District of Columbia, Maryland, and Virginia recently announced varying plans as to when they will reopen and what reopening will look like. Virginia previously...more
On April 7, 2020, the D.C. Council unanimously passed its second emergency COVID-19 relief bill, the COVID-19 Response Supplemental Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (Emergency Act), addressing a variety of programs and...more
Employers of all sizes are facing unforeseen challenges because of the ongoing public health pandemic resulting from the spread of COVID-19. ...more
As many employers see shifts in business practices to allow teleworking to facilitate continued employee safety during the COVID-19 outbreak, employers of nonimmigrant workers should be mindful of needed steps for continued...more