(Washington, DC) - Effective July 24, 2008, the minimum wage for employees in the District of Columbia will increase from $7.00 per hour to $7.55 per hour. The increase coincides with the federal minimum wage increase to $6.55.
The DC Minimum Wage Act Revision Act of 1992 set the District’s minimum wage at the minimum wage set by the US Government, plus $1.
According to the Department of Employment Services’ Director Summer Spencer, employees in retail trade, laundry and dry cleaning, beauty, fast food preparation and parking lot attendants will benefit from the increased wage rate. “This increase will give some relief to households that labor at wages insufficient to provide adequately for their families,” said Director Spencer.
Currently, there are 32 states – and the District of Columbia – with minimum wage rates higher than the federal minimum wage of $5.85 an hour. A full-time District employee earning a wage of $7.55 an hour would gross $15,704 per year, which is below the 2008 poverty level of $21,200 for a family of four.
For additional information, contact the Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage - Hour at (202) 671-1880.