According to the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (DOES), the minimum wage in Washington, DC, is $16.10 per hour as of July 1, 2022. In fiscal year 2014, the EEOC successfully conciliated 1,031 cases. Retaliation against employees is illegal. The importance of the EEOC is based on the way it was created back in 1964 and its purpose as delineated in the Civil Rights Act. This means not all charges proceed to court with EEOC representation. Others ask their clients for an upfront retainer, which could amount to several thousand dollars before they start to work. If a person entitled to notice cannot be located after diligent search, the court may prescribe the manner of giving notice to that person or may dispense with notice to that person. An official website of the United States government. 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone) Jessica Miller-Merrell is the founder of Workology, a digital resource that reaches more than a half million HR and workplace leaders each month and host of the Workology Podcast. First, we will assess your claim and move forward if we believe you have a case. Employers misclassifying workers as exempt, Turning down a candidate for a job or promotion due to age, Refusing to hire or interview an individual based on their color, race, or nationality, Failing to provide reasonable accommodations for disabled employees, Racial slurs or other forms of discriminatory harassment by managers or supervisors, Treating genders unequally regarding pay and benefits, Experience a temporary disability or significant medical condition preventing you from working, Care for a family member experiencing significant illness, Identify your legal options and the next best steps, Help you file a claim with the OHR or EEOC, Gather evidence to support your employment case, Assess what you are owed in back pay and other damages, File a lawsuit against your employer if necessary, Fight tirelessly for maximum compensation, Claimants still have to pay when they lose the case, Attorneys may be less motivated than those working on a no-win-no-fee basis, Collect evidence of your claim, such as paperwork, emails, and witness statements, Make detailed notes of the incident, including time and date, and names of the person(s) involved, Contacting a Washington, DC, employment lawyer to protect your rights. In that case, it is time to get active and: According to state and federal laws, it is unlawful to retaliate against employees that report illegal discrimination or harassment. Once the investigator has completed the investigation, EEOC will make a determination on the merits of the charge. info@eeoc.gov You do not have to stand for it. According to the District of Columbia Minimum Wage Act, most employees are entitled to receive at least one and a half times their regular pay rate for any hours worked over 40 in a workweek. The EEOC was initially conceived as part of legislation sent to Congress in 1964 under the administration of President John F. Kennedy. This could involve a recommendation for mediation or an attempt to get an employer to put an end to the discrimination through a mutual agreement and settlement orders. Minimum Wage Violations. The EEOC investigator will evaluate the information submitted and make a recommendation as to whether there is reasonable cause to believe that unlawful discrimination has taken place. a last resort - the EEOC files suit in less than 8 percent of the cases where it believes discrimination occurred and conciliation was unsuccessful. The position must be sufficiently similar to your job regarding working conditions, pay and benefits, and duties. Map the boundaries of this ZIP Code and others on any map platform. If your employer violates minimum wage laws, you could recover up to four times the wages you are owed. In fiscal year 2014, conciliation failed in 1,714 charges. Tell us about your situation so we can get started fighting for you. Nearby zip codes include 90070, 90074, 90078, 90082, 90009. 1-844-234-5122 (ASL Video Phone), Call 1-800-669-4000 The Letter of When the EEOC investigates a case, it may decide that conciliation is best. In addition to investigating employment discrimination issues, the EEOC also has other roles. In some instances, the information request may be modified. Employees in the District of Columbia generally do not have to give workers any breaks. We fight employment claims aggressively because we want to discourage employers from treating their workers with anything less than the respect, dignity, and pay they deserve. Obtaining the assistance of a qualified attorney to help with litigation and other aspects of an employment discrimination case is highly recommended. Mailing notice to a person at a county seat is not a manner of giving notice reasonably calculated to give actual notice. Mediation and settlement are voluntary resolutions. The notification will provide a URL for the Respondent to log into the EEOC's Respondent Portal to access the charge and receive messages about the charge investigation. However, this can only be attempted when the employee has allowed at least 180 days for the EEOC to complete its investigation. through private settlements each year. Any employee experiencing discrimination must know about the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).