Is Washington DC Really Business Friendly?

There are plenty of reasons to do business in Washington, D.C. The growing populace, The federal government, lobbyists, the vast number of associations, and the burgeoning startup scene.  But is DC really business friendly? When it comes to laws and regulations in the District, some would argue that it is not. Or at least not as business-friendly as other states and cities.  The most recent example of a local law that will have an impact on the business landscape is the Wage Theft Prevention Amendment Act of 2014.  This law is similar to Wage Theft laws in other cities, but the administrative burden that it imposes on small businesses can be challenging.  With the law set to go into effect in Mid-December, employers will be expected to comply with the law within 90 days of its effective date.  What does compliance entail, you ask? Here's a brief overview of notice requirements:

• That a notice be provided to your employees;
• The notice be in English AND the employee's primary language;
• The notice must include Company's Name, Address, and Phone Number;
• The notice must contain the employee's rate of pay and the basis in which it is paid;
• The notice also has to include when the regular pay day is for employees;
• Anything else the Mayor deems should be provided to employees;

Sound like a herculean task? Not really, if you have the resources to: a) know about the law, and b) comply with the law administratively.  Not only that, but this notice must be provided any time you have new employees or if an employee receives a pay change. The fine for not complying? $500 per employee. So get ready to comply or be prepared to break out the checkbook.