Overtime Pay in District of Columbia
State-specific overview · Employment Law
DC requires overtime pay at 1.5× regular wage for all hours over 40 per week, with no exemptions for salaried employees.
How District of Columbia treats Overtime Pay
The District of Columbia follows the federal Fair Labor Standards Act minimum but provides stronger protections by eliminating most salary-based exemptions. Employees earning up to a specified threshold must receive overtime regardless of job title or classification. DC also requires overtime for hours exceeding 10 per day in certain circumstances. The overtime rate applies to virtually all private-sector workers, including those classified as independent contractors in some cases, making DC's rules among the most employee-protective in the nation.
The general definition of Overtime Pay
Compensation at an increased rate for hours worked beyond the standard workweek, typically 1.5 times the regular wage.
Overtime pay is extra compensation that employers must provide when employees work more than a certain number of hours per week, usually 40 hours. Under federal law, overtime must be paid at one and a half times the employee's regular hourly rate (called "time and a half"). Some states require overtime for hours over 8 in a single day or for the seventh consecutive day worked. Certain employees, like managers and salaried professionals, may be exempt from overtime requirements. Employers who fail to pay overtime owe back wages plus penalties.
Read the full Overtime Pay entry →This page is a plain-English reference and is not legal advice. State laws change frequently. For specific situations consult a licensed attorney in District of Columbia.