72 ©2018 WASHINGTON DC ECONOMIC PARTNERSHIP LABOR LAWS & FINDING TALENT
LOCAL HUMAN RIGHTS LAWS
DC’s Office of Human Rights (OHR) enforces the DC Human
Rights Act of 1977, as amended, which expands upon federal
protections and applies to all DC businesses regardless
of their size. The 16 traits protected from employment
discrimination in DC are race, color, religion, national
origin, sex (including sexual harassment and pregnancy),
age (18 years or older), marital status, personal appearance,
sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family
responsibilities, political affiliation, disability, matriculation,
genetic information, and fair credit.
OHR enforces the following additional employment laws:
• The Fair Criminal Record Screening Amendment Act
of 2014, which prohibits most employers in DC from
asking about criminal backgrounds on job applications
or during the interview process. Covered employers may
conduct a criminal background check only after making
a conditional job offer to the applicant and may only
withdraw the offer for a legitimate business reason.
• The Protecting Pregnant Workers Fairness Act of 2014,
which requires DC employers to provide reasonable
workplace accommodations for employees whose ability
to perform job duties is limited because of pregnancy,
childbirth, breastfeeding, or a related medical condition.
• The Unemployed Anti-Discrimination Act of 2012,
which prohibits employers, employment agencies,
or entities acting on an employer’s behalf from
discriminating against individual applicants because
they are unemployed.
New laws enforced as of 2017:
• The Fair Credit in Employment Amendment Act of 2016
prohibits employers from taking discriminatory action
against a current or prospective employee based on their
credit information. This makes credit information the
20th protected trait under the DC Human Rights Act.
• The Fair Criminal Record Screening for Housing Act of
2016 which prevents most rental housing providers in
the District of Columbia from inquiring into a housing
applicant’s criminal background before extending a
conditional offer of housing.
DC Office of Human Rights · (202) 727-4559 · ohr.dc.gov
INFORMATION REQUIRED TO
DISPLAY VISIBLY
Employers in the District of Columbia are required by law
to display specific employment-related posters in locations
accessible to their employees. A listing of these posters, and
the appropriate District of Columbia government offices
where they may be obtained, is provided below:
WAGE AND HOUR
Office of Wage-Hour · (202) 671-1880
UNEMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION
Office of Unemployment Compensation · (202) 724-7000
WORKERS’ COMPENSATION (PRIVATE SECTOR)
Office of Workers’ Compensation · (202) 671-1000
OCCUPATIONAL SAFETY AND HEALTH (PRIVATE SECTOR)
Office of Occupational Safety and Health · (202) 671-1800
CHILD LABOR LAW
U.S. Department of Labor · (866) 487-9243
DC FAMILY MEDICAL LEAVE ACT
DC Office of Human Rights · (202) 727-4559
EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY
DC Office of Human Rights · (202) 727-4559
PROTECTING PREGNANT WORKERS FAIRNESS ACT
DC Office of Human Rights · (202) 727-4559
DC PARENTAL LEAVE ACT
DC Office of Human Rights · (202) 727-4559
OHR.DC.GOV DOL.GOV DOES.DC.GOV
/ohr.dc.gov
/OHR.DC.GOV
/DOL.GOV
/DOES.DC.GOV
