Hours worked
District of Columbia minimum wage laws require employers to compensate employees for all hours worked, also referred to as working time. The District of Columbia defines working time to include all time employees:
- are required to be on the employer’s premises, on duty, or at a prescribed place;
- are permitted to work;
- are required to travel in connection with the business of the employer; or
- wait on the employer’s premises for work.
The District of Columbia has adopted the interpretations of hours worked established pursuant to the Fair Labor Standards Act, except those regulations related to the Portal-to-Portal Act shall have no force and effect. D.C. Code 32-1002.
Workweek
District of Columbia minimum wage laws do not address what constitutes a workweek from purposes of its minimum wage and overtime requirements. The standards set forth by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act related to workweek provide reasonable guidance.
Waiting time
District of Columbia minimum wage laws require employers to count time spent by employees waiting on their employer’s premises for work as hours worked for purposes of its minimum wage and overtime requirements. D.C. Code 32-1002(10)(C)
On-call time
The District of Columbia has adopted the regulations set forth pursuant to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act regarding when employers must count employee on-call time as hours worked for purposes of minimum wage and overtime requirements. D.C. Code 32-1002
Sleeping time
The District of Columbia has adopted the regulations set forth pursuant to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act regarding when employers must count employee sleeping time as hours worked for purposes of minimum wage and overtime requirements. D.C. Code 32-1002
Travel time
District of Columbia minimum wage laws require employers to count employee travel time as hours worked for purposes of its minimum wage and overtime requirements if the employees are required to travel in connection with their employer’s business. D.C. Code 32-1002(10)(C)
Meeting, lecture, and training time
The District of Columbia has adopted the regulations set forth pursuant to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act regarding when employers must count employee time spent at meetings, lectures, and training as hours worked for purposes of minimum wage and overtime requirements. D.C. Code 32-1002
Show up or reporting time
District of Columbia minimum wage laws require employers to pay employees for a minimum of four (4) hours of work when the employees report for work in compliance with their regular work schedule or as directed by their employer. This rule applies regardless of whether the employee performs work or not after reporting. If employees are scheduled to work for fewer than four (4) hours, the employer only needs to pay employees for the number of hours the employees were scheduled to work. When paying show up or reporting pay, employers must pay the employees their regular rate for time actually work but only the standard minimum wage for time not actually worked. D.C. Reg. 7-907.
Split shift pay
District of Columbia minimum wage laws require employers to pay employees for one additional hour at the applicable minimum wage rate for each day employees works a split shift. D.C. Reg. 7-906. A split shift is a daily schedule where the hours worked by an employee are not worked consecutively, not including meal periods of one hour or less. DC Reg 7-999
