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Labor Laws in District of Columbia

August 30th, 2006 Posted by Marilyn

Labor laws in District of Columbia govern and regulate the laws that regulate employees and employers. These laws are set in place to ensure that basic laws and guidelines cover all workers. In addition, labor laws in District of Columbia make sure that employees are getting the minimum wage and are not working more hours than they are required.

All states must offer their employees a minimum wage per hour. This can be more than the current federal hourly rate, but cannot be less. Labor laws in District of Columbia currently offer employees an hourly minimum rate of $6.15 per hour. There are exceptions to this rule; however, most job positions will pay this rate or more. If you are finding work in the District of Columbia, you should speak to your potential employer about the hourly rate. This should be agreed upon and in writing prior to working any hours.

Another important labor law in District of Columbia concerns the hiring practice of employers. When interviewing prospective employees, there are certain questions that are off limits. An employer cannot choose to disregard an applicant based on non-job related issues including age, race, marital status, sex, disability or religion. In addition, during the interview process, the interviewer is barred from asking certain questions. These include questions about marital status and children, whether or not the applicant will have children in the future, where the person was born and if the person has been arrested.

According to labor laws, there is a fine line between what is acceptable and what is not. For example, while an interviewer cannot ask if you have been arrested, they are allowed to ask if you have been convicted of a crime. Labor laws in District of Columbia are very similar to other labor laws in other states. If you work in the District of Columbia, you should know and understand your rights as an employee.