Lawmakers in Washington, D.C. have voted to overturn Initiative 77 ballot measure, which was approved by voters in June to increase the minimum wage for tipped restaurant workers.
On Tuesday, D.C. city council voted 8 to 5 in favor of repealing the measure. Now, D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser can either veto or sign the bill. She has previously expressed opposition to the initiative.
Under Initiative 77, businesses are required to pay the full $15 local minimum wage to restaurant servers in D.C., whose whole income is earned from tips.
At the moment, businesses in the capital pay tipped workers a meager $3.89 per hour. Meanwhile, the minimum wage in the city is $13.25, and it is expected to go up to $15 by 2020. The employers are required to pay more, if the restaurant workers are unable to earn enough from tips.
If Initiative 77 is implemented, the tipped minimum wage will be gradually hiked each year by $1.50 till it rises to $15 in 2025. By 2026, the minimum wage is expected to be uniform for all workers.
The tipped restaurant workers in the city are more likely to live in poverty using food stamps.