(a) Action by an employee to recover unpaid wages and liquidated damages may be maintained in any court of competent jurisdiction by any 1 or more employees for and in behalf of himself or themselves and other employees similarly situated, or such employee or employees may designate an agent or representative to maintain such action for and on behalf of all employees similarly situated. Any employee, or his representative, shall have the power to settle and adjust his claim for unpaid wages. Whenever the Mayor determines that wages have not been paid, as herein provided, and that such unpaid wages constitute an enforceable claim, the Mayor may, upon the request of the employee, take an assignment in trust for the assigning employee of such wages, and of any claim for liquidated damages, without being bound by any of the technical rules respecting the validity of any such assignments, may bring any appropriate legal action necessary to collect such claim and may join in one proceeding or action such claims against the same employer as the Mayor deems appropriate. Upon any such assignment the Mayor shall have power to settle and adjust any such claim or claims on such terms as he may deem just.
(b) The court in any action brought under this section shall, in addition to any judgment awarded to the plaintiff or plaintiffs, allow costs of the action, including costs or fees of any nature, and reasonable attorney's fees, to be paid by the defendant. Such attorney's fees, in the case of actions brought under this subsection by the Mayor, shall be deposited in the Treasury of the United States to the credit of the District of Columbia. The Mayor shall not be required to pay the filing fee or other costs or fees of any nature or to file bond or other security of any nature in connection with any action or proceeding under this chapter.
CREDIT(S)
(Aug. 3, 1956, 70 Stat. 978, ch. 924, § 8.)
HISTORICAL AND STATUTORY NOTES
Prior Codifications
1981 Ed., § 36-108.
1973 Ed., § 36-608.
Change in Government
This section originated at a time when local government powers were delegated to a Board of Commissioners of the District of Columbia (see Acts Relating to the Establishment of the District of Columbia and its Various Forms of Governmental Organization in Volume 1). Section 401 of Reorganization Plan No. 3 of 1967 (see Reorganization Plans in Volume 1) transferred all of the functions of the Board of Commissioners under this section to a single Commissioner. The District of Columbia Self-Government and Governmental Reorganization Act, 87 Stat. 818, § 711 (D.C. Code, § 1-207.11), abolished the District of Columbia Council and the Office of Commissioner of the District of Columbia. These branches of government were replaced by the Council of the District of Columbia and the Office of Mayor of the District of Columbia, respectively. Accordingly, and also pursuant to § 714(a) of such Act (D.C. Code, § 1-207.14(a)), appropriate changes in terminology were made in this section.