Initiative 82: Washington, DC could get rid of system that pays tipped workers less
Washington, DC residents will vote on a measure that would get rid of a system that lets restaurants pay tipped workers below minimum wage.
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- Question 2 would raise the minimum wage for tipped employees to $15.20 by 2027.
- Proponents say that this will help bartenders and restaurant employees make decent wages.
- Opponents argue that it will encourage restaurants to get rid of tipping entirely.
A "yes" on Initiative 82, also known as the District of Columbia Tip Credit Elimination Act of 2021, would raise the minimum wage in Washington D.C. for workers who receive tips.
Ballot measure details
Initiative 82 would raise the minimum wage from $5.05 for tipped workers incrementally over the next 6 years until it is equal to the regular minimum wage in Washington, DC.
This means that if minimum wage stayed the same in DC, wages for tipped workers would reach $15.20 by 2027.
The measure would not prevent the minimum wage from increasing in the future.
Support and opposition
The DC Committee to Build a Better Restaurant Industry is leading the movement in favor of Initiative 82. Support for the measure includes Democratic leaders, the Democratic Socialists of America, and local non-profits.
Supporters argue that the measure would get rid of the tip credit system that allows employers to pay restaurant workers and bartenders below minimum wage. With this initiative, they argue, restaurant workers will be able to make even higher wages because tips will be an actual gratuity, rather than make up the rest of the employee's wages.
Vote No on 82 is leading the opposition to this measure. Opponents argue that getting rid of the tip credit system will encourage restaurants to get rid of tipping entirely, meaning restaurant workers may not have the opportunity to make above minimum wage.
In 2018, 55% of voters in DC passed Initiative 77, which got rid of the tip credit system and sought to raise the minimum wage for tipped workers. The DC Council voted 8-5 to repeal the law.