Mayor Gray Signs Minimum-Wage Increase into Law, $9.50 per hour starting in July

From the Mayor’s office:

“Mayor Vincent C. Gray today joined Council Chairman Phil Mendelson in signing the Minimum Wage Amendment Act of 2013 into law. The bill increases the minimum wage for all District workers to $9.50 per hour starting in July of 2014, and includes provisions that will further increase the wage in the future.

“Last year, I vetoed the Large Retailer Accountability Act in part because it would only raise the minimum wage for a small percentage of the District’s workers. I said at the time that I supported an across-the-board wage hike. Today, I’m pleased to sign the Minimum Wage Amendment Act because it does just that,” said Mayor Gray. “A bill that raises the minimum wage for all is a much better vehicle for ensuring that all District residents who work hard earn a decent living.”

Mayor Gray also expressed hope that the law could be refined following the results of an Urban Institute study that he commissioned on how best to raise the District’s minimum wage without precipitating a negative impact on the city’s strong growth in private-sector jobs.”