Skip to main content

Updated: Initiative 77 Approved By Washington D.C. Voters


Yesterday, voters in Washington D.C. approved Initiative 77, a controversial ballot measure that will raise the hourly pay rate for tipped workers in the city from the present rate of $3.33/hour up to $15/hour in the coming years.  In the interim, employers will be required to make up the difference between the tipped employee minimum wage rate, $3.33/hour, and the Washington D.C. minimum wage rate, $12.50/hour, if the tipped employee does not earn at least the minimum wage rate.

Opponents of the measure had long argued that if approved, it would lead to employers passing the increased labor cost onto customers (by way of service charges, higher prices for food and services, etc.), cutting work hours of its employees, and result in widespread layoffs as employers would seek to offset the rise in wages.  However, that 'campaign' to oppose Initiative 77 apparently did not pay off as the approximate 55% of voters that voted in favor the measure were unswayed by these potential negative ramifications.  

As with many progressive labor and employment law related bills that ultimately become law, the question turns to whether other cities and states will attempt to pass similar legislation.  Something tells me others are likely to follow suit now that voters in Washington D.C. have paved the way in the matter.


For additional information:  https://wtop.com/local-politics-elections-news/2018/06/dc-voters-decide-fate-of-minimum-wage-for-tipped-workers/

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

NLRB: Discussion Among Employees About Tip Pooling is Protected Concerted Activity

  This Advice Memorandum from the National Labor Relations Board’s Associate General Counsel, Jayme Sophir, addressed whether employees which discussed and complained about tip pooling at work constituted protected concerted activity. In relevant part, an employer in New York operated a chain of steakhouses.  While tip pooling was in place at these steakhouses, some of the employees objected to it on the grounds that it was not transparent and improperly divided tips among the workers.  Employees were told not to complain or talk to each other about the tip pool and were told that doing so would endanger their jobs.  Despite the employer later attempting to provide some clarity as to how the tips were being divided, rancor still existed among some employees.  At one point, the employees were told by a general manager that some employees that had been talking about the tip pool were “cleared out” and the employer would continue to do so. In the Advice Memorandum,...
Post a Comment
Read more

NLRB: Former Employee Cannot Be Barred From Work Premises After Filing Wage Suit

MEI-GSR Holdings, LLC - NLRB Facts :  MEI-GSR Holdings, LLC d/b/a Grand Sierra Resort & Casino ("GSR") operated a facility that included a hotel, casino, restaurant, clubs, bars, and a pool which were all open to the general public.  Tiffany Sargent ("Sargent") was briefly employed by GSR as a "beverage supervisor" in December of 2012.  After her employment ended, Sargent continued to socialize at one of the clubs.  GSR had a long standing practice of allowing former employees to patronize its facility and did not prohibit Sargent from doing so.  In June of 2013, Sargent and another employee filed a class and collective action against GSR for alleged unpaid wages, in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act and Nevada law.  In July of 2014, GSR denied Sargent access to an event at one of the clubs.  GSR followed up with a letter and stated that with the on-going litigation (from the wage suit), it decided to bar Sargent from the premises. ...
1 comment
Read more

San Diego Rolls Back Vaccine Mandate For City Workers

Last Tuesday, the San Diego City Council voted to do away with the vaccine mandate for city employees. The city’s vaccine mandate that was in place required city workers to get the coronavirus vaccine or risk termination.  Perhaps to this surprise of no one, the city’s policy came under fire with 14 employees being terminated and over 100 other employees resigning.  With the coronavirus subsiding, including in Southern California, the San Diego City Council took action. Now, bear in mind, the repeal of the vaccine mandate does not take place immediately. With that being said, the mandate will be repealed March 8th.  I suppose the question now is, what other cities or regions follow San Diego’s lead? For additional information:   https://www.sandiegouniontribune.com/news/politics/story/2023-01-24/san-diego-repeals-controversial-covid-19-vaccine-mandate-citing-drop-in-cases-hospitalizations
Post a Comment
Read more