4719940 Resolution 20-396, “Sense of the Council in Support of the Living Wage Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2014”

A RESOLUTION

 

20-396 

IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

January 7, 2014

 

To declare the existence of an emergency with respect to the Council’s support in requesting that the executive branch update the living wage under the Living Wage Act of 2006 to $13.70 per hour by March 1, 2014.

 

RESOLVED, BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this resolution may be cited as the “Sense of the Council in Support of the Living Wage Emergency Declaration Resolution of 2014”.

 

Sec. 2. (a) Under the Living Wage Act of 2006 ("Act"), the executive branch is required by March 1st of every year to recalculate, according to the consumer price index, the pay of employees of companies that are recipients of government contracts or government assistance in the amount of $100,000 or more.

 (b) Just recently, for the first time in 3 years, the executive branch increased the living wage from $12.50 an hour to $13.40 an hour.  However, another recalculation must be made on March 1, 2014.

 (c) Of particular concern is that the Director of the Department of Employment Services (“DOES”) has left the agency and a new or interim director will be in charge of implementing an updated living wage by March 1, 2014.

 (d) The executive branch's prior lack of urgency on this issue has caused harm to working families, costing them over $3,500 in lost wages.

 (e) It is important for the Council to stay on top of this issue and pass this resolution on an emergency basis to make clear to the new or the interim Director of DOES that the implementation of the most up-to-date living wage by March 1, 2014 should be a top priority.

               

Sec. 3.  The Council of the District of Columbia determines that the circumstances enumerated in section 2 constitute emergency circumstances making it necessary that the Sense of the Council in Support of the Living Wage Emergency Resolution of 2014 be adopted on an emergency basis.

 

Sec. 4.  This resolution shall take effect immediately.