Obligations United States District of Columbia
What a District of Columbia business has to have in writing
The District writes more employment obligations per employee than almost any state. Every employer posts four Office of Human Rights notices plus the DOES Labor Law Universal Notice, publishes pay ranges and healthcare-benefit information in job ads, posts a sick and safe leave notice, pays the Universal Paid Leave payroll contribution quarterly, and hands employees written copies of any policy that limits outside work.
Restaurants and bars paying the tip credit sit under the heaviest single rule in the city: a written sexual harassment policy distributed, posted and filed with OHR each year, plus certified-trainer harassment training every two years.
On data, the 2020 Security Breach Protection Amendment Act added an affirmative reasonable-safeguards duty, vendor contract terms, secure destruction and 18 months of free identity theft protection after a Social Security number breach. The District has no OSHA State Plan, so federal OSHA covers private employers.
Headcount
Industry General is always on
Sponsored
Policy Acknowledgment Proof
District of ColumbiaHandbook 2026acknowledged by name
District of Columbia on Recordwith AllyMatter
Cover District of Columbia the Modern WayEvery policy District of Columbia makes you write, acknowledged by name
01
Approve it, lock the version
Non-author approval, obsolete copies blocked
02
Every employee in District of Columbia on record
Who read which version, and when
03
Walk into any state inspection with the trail
From $29/mo, 20 editors, unlimited staff (published)
What applies
District of Columbia rules for a 15–19 person general business
State law only. The federal layer every employer carries sits on the business-type pages below. Each row names what you must write, post, file or certify, who enforces it, and links to the state authority.
Breach Notification 1Who you must tell after a data breach, and how fast
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Consumer security breach notificationAI-compiledD.C. Code §§ 28-3852, [28-3852.02] (as amended by D.C. Law 23-98, effective June 17, 2020)Any person or entity conducting business in the District that owns or licenses computerised or other electronic data containing personal information about a District residentDistribute
Notice
Notify affected District residents promptly and without unreasonable delay, in a notice that names the categories and elements of information taken, gives the business's contact details, lists the credit bureaus with the free security freeze right, and gives contact details for the FTC and the DC Attorney General. Where 50 or more residents are affected, send the Attorney General a written report covering eleven specified points, including the cause, remedial action, corporate headquarters, any foreign involvement and a sample consumer notice, no later than when consumers are told. Above 1,000 residents, also notify the nationwide consumer reporting agencies. If Social Security or taxpayer identification numbers were exposed, offer every affected resident free identity theft protection services for at least 18 months and give them the information needed to enrol.
From the first employee
Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia; a violation is an unfair or deceptive trade practice under D.C. Code § 28-3904(kk)
Data Security Program 1A written safeguards program the state requires before anything goes wrong
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Security requirements for personal informationAI-compiledD.C. Code § [28-3852.01] (D.C. Law 23-98, effective June 17, 2020)Any person or entity that owns, licenses, maintains, handles or otherwise possesses personal information of a District resident, of any sizeWrite
Written program
Implement and maintain reasonable security safeguards, including written procedures and practices, sized to the sensitivity of the personal information and the nature and size of the operation. Where personal information is shared with a non-affiliated service provider, the written agreement must require that provider to keep equivalent safeguards. When destroying records or devices holding personal information about a consumer, employee or former employee, take reasonable steps against unauthorised access, weighing sensitivity, business size, cost and available technology. GLBA, HIPAA and HITECH compliance is deemed compliance.
From the first employee
Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia (unfair or deceptive trade practice)
Harassment Prevention 1A written policy, and in some states annual training, on harassment
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Tipped Wage Workers Fairness Amendment Act - sexual harassment policy and trainingAI-compiledD.C. Law 22-196 (Tipped Wage Workers Fairness Amendment Act of 2018)Businesses that employ workers paid the tip credit, chiefly restaurants, bars and hotelsWrite
Written policy
Maintain an up-to-date written sexual harassment policy that tells employees how to report harassment both to management and to the Office of Human Rights; give it to every employee and post it where all employees can see it; and submit the policy, the required certifications and a report on harassment complaints received to OHR each year. Train owners, operators, managers and employees through an OHR-certified trainer every two years, with new employees trained within 90 days of hire, and file the training compliance report with OHR within 30 business days of each session. DOES separately requires annual wages and workplace fraud training.
From the first employee
DC Office of Human Rights (harassment policy and training); Department of Employment Services (wage provisions)
Workplace Safety Programs 1Written programs the state safety agency requires beyond federal OSHA
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Federal OSHA jurisdiction (no District State Plan)AI-compiled29 U.S.C. § 651 et seq.All private-sector employers in the DistrictPost
Posting
The District does not run an OSHA-approved State Plan, so private employers follow federal OSHA directly: display the federal Job Safety and Health poster, keep OSHA 300 injury and illness records and post the 300A summary from February to April, and report fatalities within 8 hours and hospitalisations, amputations or eye losses within 24 hours to federal OSHA.
From the first employee
Federal OSHA (Washington DC Area Office)
Paid Leave Policies 2Sick and family leave laws that come with a written policy or notice
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Accrued Sick and Safe Leave ActAI-compiledD.C. Code § 32-531.01 et seq.; posting duty at § 32-531.09Every District employer; accrual rates step up with headcount (under 25, 25 to 99, and 100 or more employees)Post
Posting
Give employees paid sick and safe leave at the accrual rate set for the employer's size, keep records of accrual and use, and post and maintain the Mayor's sick and safe leave notice in a conspicuous place in English and in every language spoken by employees with limited or no English proficiency. Employers typically capture the accrual, carryover, notice and certification rules in a written leave policy.
From the first employee
DC Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage-Hour; Office of the Attorney General
Universal Paid Leave (DC Paid Family Leave)AI-compiledD.C. Code § 32-541.01 et seq.; contribution at § 32-541.03Covered employers, meaning employers who pay unemployment insurance tax on behalf of employees working in the District; self-employed individuals may opt inFile
Filing / record
Set up an account on the DOES employer portal, file quarterly wage reports and pay the Universal Paid Leave contribution on the gross wages of covered employees at the rate set in statute, complete the employer part of a worker's claim, and display the DOES Paid Family Leave notice with the other required workplace notices.
From the first employee
DC Department of Employment Services, Office of Paid Family Leave
Required Postings 1The notices every workplace in the state must display
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Required workplace postersAI-compiledD.C. Code §§ 32-531.09, 32-1453.02, 32-509; D.C. Human Rights Act (D.C. Code § 2-1401.01 et seq.)Every District employerPost
Posting
Display the four Office of Human Rights posters (DC Family and Medical Leave Act, Equal Employment Opportunity, Parental Leave Act, and The Right to Breastfeed) where employees can easily see them, and post the DOES Labor Law Universal Notice in a conspicuous place at each breakroom or time clock, along with the wage law posters. The sick and safe leave notice must appear in English and every language spoken by limited-English-proficiency employees, at up to $100 a day for failing to post it.
From the first employee
DC Office of Human Rights; DC Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage-Hour
Pay Transparency 1Salary ranges in job posts and pay disclosure on request
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Wage Transparency Act, as amended in 2024AI-compiledD.C. Code §§ 32-1451 to 32-1454 (Wage Transparency Omnibus Amendment Act of 2023, D.C. Law 25-138, effective June 30, 2024)Every District employerDistribute
Notice
Put the good-faith minimum and maximum projected salary or hourly pay in every advertised job listing and position description, running from the lowest to the highest the employer would actually pay for that job, promotion or transfer; tell candidates about the healthcare benefits available before the first interview; stop asking for or screening on wage history; and post a notice in a conspicuous place where employees congregate telling them their rights under the chapter. Employers may not stop staff discussing their own or each other's pay.
From the first employee
Office of the Attorney General for the District of Columbia
Licensing and Certifications 2Registrations, licences and certifications a business or its staff must hold
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Basic Business License and Clean Hands certificationAI-compiledD.C. Code § 47-2851.01 et seq. (licensure); D.C. Code § 47-2862 (Clean Hands)Anyone providing or offering goods or services to the public for compensation in the District, in the category matching the activity (restaurant, convenience store, home improvement contractor, residential rental, and so on)File
Filing / record
Register the entity, get a tax registration and Clean Hands certification from the Office of Tax and Revenue, secure a Certificate of Occupancy or Home Occupation Permit, and apply for the Basic Business License online through BOSS in the right category, then renew it. Clean Hands fails if more than $100 in District fees, fines, taxes or penalties is owed or a required District tax return is unfiled.
From the first employee
DC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection, Business Licensing Division; DC Office of Tax and Revenue
Food establishment licence and Certified Food Protection ManagerAI-compiledD.C. Code § 47-2851.03(b)(4); 25-A DCMR (District of Columbia Food Code)Delicatessens, bakeries, candy manufacturers, grocery stores, retail markets, ice cream manufacturers, restaurants, wholesale markets, mobile vendors and hotelsCertify
Certification
Apply online for the food establishment licence with supporting documents and fees, go through facility plan review, and file a HACCP plan or variance request where the operation requires one. Keep a Certified Food Protection Manager present during all hours of operation, credentialed by an accepted national testing organisation and valid for three years from the exam date. DC Health inspects on a pass-fail basis and publishes the reports.
From the first employee
DC Health, Food Safety and Hygiene Inspection Services Division; DLCP issues the licence
Other Written Policies 2Any other document the state makes an employer write or hand out
LawProduceWhat it requiresTriggerEnforced by
Ban on Non-Compete Agreements Amendment Act - written disclosuresAI-compiledD.C. Code §§ 32-581.03, 32-581.03a (applicable from October 1, 2022)Every District employer that has a workplace policy limiting outside work, and any employer proposing a non-compete to a highly compensated employeeDistribute + ack
Notice
If a workplace policy uses any of the statutory exceptions to the non-compete ban, such as confidentiality or conflict-of-interest restrictions, hand every employee a written copy within 30 days of them accepting the job and again every time the policy changes. Where a non-compete is proposed to a highly compensated employee, give the exact statutory notice paragraph naming DOES, and give the written provision at least 14 days before employment starts or before the employee must sign; the agreement itself must state the functional scope, the geographic limits and a term no longer than 365 days (730 for medical specialists).
From the first employee
Mayor (DOES) and Office of the Attorney General; administrative penalties from $350 to $1,000 per violation, with a $1,000 minimum for disclosure failures
Employer wage records and itemised pay statementsAI-compiledD.C. Code § 32-1008Every District employer subject to the minimum wage lawDistribute + ack
Notice
Keep, for at least three years or the federal period if longer, each employee's name, address and occupation, the date of birth of anyone under 19, pay rates and amounts paid each period, and the precise times worked each day and week; produce the records to the Mayor or Attorney General on demand with a sworn statement. Give every employee an itemised statement with each payment showing the payment date, gross wages, additions and deductions with gratuities on a separate line, net wages and hours worked. Employers paying tipped workers under § 32-1003(f), other than hotels, must run payroll through a third-party payroll business.
From the first employee
DC Department of Employment Services, Office of Wage-Hour; Office of the Attorney General
From the publisher
Keep Your Written Policies in One Place
Whatever you are working toward, AllyMatter gets your policies approved, keeps every version and records who has read each one.
See how AllyMatter works ↗From $29/mo, 20 editors, unlimited staff
Add the federal layer
Your business type, with District of Columbia on top
Small businessFederal + industry, with District of Columbia on topConstruction contractorsFederal + industry, with District of Columbia on topHealthcare practicesFederal + industry, with District of Columbia on topFood and beverage businessesFederal + industry, with District of Columbia on topTax and accounting firmsFederal + industry, with District of Columbia on topRegistered investment advisersFederal + industry, with District of Columbia on topInsurance agenciesFederal + industry, with District of Columbia on topRetail and e-commerceFederal + industry, with District of Columbia on topTrucking and logistics carriersFederal + industry, with District of Columbia on topNonprofitsFederal + industry, with District of Columbia on topFederal contractorsFederal + industry, with District of Columbia on top
Other states
The same index for another state
Alabama12Alaska12Arizona11Arkansas14California20Colorado18Connecticut17Delaware17Florida15Georgia13Hawaii16Idaho13Illinois19Indiana16Iowa13Kansas11Kentucky14Louisiana13Maine14Maryland19Massachusetts16Michigan15Minnesota19Mississippi11Missouri12Montana15Nebraska13Nevada18New Hampshire13New Jersey19New Mexico13New York17North Carolina12North Dakota13Ohio13Oklahoma11Oregon19Pennsylvania12Rhode Island13South Carolina12South Dakota11Tennessee14Texas15Utah13Vermont17Virginia17Washington21West Virginia14Wisconsin15Wyoming13
Need a hand implementing it?
Find a Consultant Who Does This Work
Tell us what you need done and we will point you to firms that do this work. Your details go to a firm only when you choose it.
Sources
D.C. Law Library - § 28-3852 Notification of security breachD.C. Law Library - § [28-3852.02] RemediesD.C. Law Library - § 28-3853 EnforcementD.C. Law Library - § [28-3852.01] Security requirementsD.C. Law Library - Chapter 38 Subchapter IIDC Office of Human Rights - Tipped Wage Workers Fairness ActDC Department of Employment Services - DC Worker Labor and Anti-Discrimination RightsDC OHR - Sexual Harassment Prevention Training and Documentation FAQ (PDF)DC Office of Human Rights - Workplace and Business PostersD.C. Law Library - § 32-531.09 Posting requirementD.C. Law Library - § 32-1453.01 Employer disclosuresD.C. Law Library - § 32-1453.02 NoticeD.C. Law Library - § 32-1452 Prohibited actions of employerD.C. Law Library - § 32-531.07 Encouragement of more generous paid leave policiesDC Paid Family Leave - Information for EmployersD.C. Law Library - § 32-541.03 Contributions to the Universal Paid Leave FundD.C. Law Library - § 32-541.04 Duration and amount of benefitsD.C. Law Library - § 32-581.03a Disclosures to employeesD.C. Law Library - § 32-581.03 Limitations on non-compete provisions for highly compensated employeesD.C. Law Library - § 32-581.04 Relief and penaltiesD.C. Law Library - § 32-1008 Duties of employers; open recordsOSHA - State Plans (Washington, D.C. is under federal OSHA)OSHA - Injury and illness recordkeeping and reporting requirementsDC Department of Licensing and Consumer Protection - Business Licensing DivisionDLCP - Steps to Obtaining a Basic Business LicenseDLCP - Tax Registration and Clean Hands Certification DetailsDC Health - Food EstablishmentsDC Health - Certified Food Protection Manager (CFPM) CertificateDC Health - Acceptable Organizations for CFPM Examination