John,
We have the opportunity to make sure all working people in D.C., especially women and people of color working in tipped minimum wage jobs, get full and fair pay for their work.
D.C. residents are getting ready to vote on Initiative 82, a ballot proposal that would raise the tipped wage—the wage employers can pay their tipped workers, which is currently $5.35 an hour—to the standard minimum wage (currently set at $16.10 an hour) by 2027.
Sounds like deja-vu? Because it is.
Four years ago, D.C. residents overwhelmingly voted to abolish this two-tiered system by increasing the minimum wage for tipped workers. Yet, instead of affirming the will of the people, the D.C. Council caved to the restaurant lobby and repealed the measure before it could take effect.
The COVID-19 pandemic exposed the economic inequalities facing tipped workers. For many tipped workers, the plight of inconsistent and unpredictable work worsened and sexual harassment intensified. Initiative 82 will ensure that restaurant servers, bartenders, hair stylists, manicurists, and all other tipped workers in D.C. can finally count on a decent paycheck from their employers, with tips on top.
Vote Yes on Initiative 82 [[link removed]]
Pledge to vote on YES on 82 in support of tipped workers' rights to one fair wage.
Take Action [[link removed]]
The majority of tipped workers in D.C. are women—primarily women of color. Employers are responsible for making up the difference if a worker’s tips do not add up to the minimum wage. However, this is rarely enforced, and research shows that restaurant workers are more likely to suffer from wage theft than other workers. As a result of low pay, wage theft, and unreliable tips, D.C.’s tipped workers are more likely to live in poverty. Ultimately a #Yeson82 is a vote to help some of the most marginalized workers in D.C.’s community.
Vote for fair wages for all workers. Vote YES on Initiative 82 on November 8. [[link removed]]
In solidarity,
Diana Ramirez
she/her/hers
Senior Manager, Coalition & Policy
National Women's Law Center
Paid for by National Women’s Law Center, 11 Dupont Circle NW, Washington, DC 20036
National Women's Law Center
11 Dupont Circle NW, Suite 800
Washington, DC 20036
United States

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