There is no right to hire in Washington, DC. As a result, a company cannot fire a worker for any reason without facing legal repercussions. The employer must give a good reason for terminating an employee, such as poor performance or misconduct, according to DC’s employment regulations. An employee may sue their employer for wrongful termination if they are fired by their employer for no good reason.
The minimum wage in Maryland is $11.60 per hour for businesses with 14 or fewer employees and $11.75 per hour for businesses with 15 or more employees. By 2025, the minimum wage is anticipated to rise to $15 per hour. In Washington, DC, the mandatory minimum wage is $15 per hour for all employers. The living wage in DC, which is higher than the minimum wage at $17.13 per hour for employers with health insurance and $19.13 per hour for employers without health insurance, is the wage needed to cover the essential needs of a typical family.
Alaska’s minimum pay is greater than the federal minimum wage, which is $7.25 per hour, at $10.34 per hour. Every year, Alaska’s minimum wage is raised to reflect inflation. The living wage in Alaska is $15.12 per hour.
The federal legislation does not mandate that employers give their staff a lunch break or other break time. However, there are numerous state regulations that regulate breaks. Employers in Washington, DC, are required to give workers who put in eight or more hours straight a 30-minute meal break. The employer is only required to provide a rest break of at least 15 minutes for every four hours worked if an employee works seven or fewer hours.
Washington, DC is not a state that grants companies the power to terminate employees, thus there must be a good basis for doing so. DC’s $15 hourly minimum wage is higher than the equivalent rates in Maryland and Alaska. In DC, the minimum wage is also higher than the living wage. Employers in DC are required to give employees who work eight or more hours straight a 30-minute meal break and a rest break for every four hours worked.