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A Council committee voted unanimously today to approve raising the minimum wage to $11.50 by 2016 and mandating paid sick days for tipped workers.

In a vote of 6-0, the Business, Consumer, and Regulatory Affairs committee approved a proposal that would raise the minimum wage to $11.50 over three years, with the wage rising each year after that based on the Consumer Price Index. Councilmembers David Grosso (I-At Large), Jim Graham (D-Ward 1), Mary Cheh (D-Ward 3), Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7), Vincent Orange (D-At Large) and Council Chair Phil Mendelson also voted in favor of an amendment that would give tipped workers paid sick days.

Councilmember Marion Barry (D-Ward 8) attended today’s hearing to show his support, but was unable to vote as he’s not a committee member.

Not included in today’s minimum wage proposal was a hike for tipped workers. Cheh attempted to introduce an amendment to raise the tipped minimum wage to 50 percent of the regular wage by 2016, but Graham and Orange rejected it, with the latter saying leaving it out would make the bill “veto-proof.” Orange said he has nine Council votes in favor of the proposal as is.

The fight over a tipped minimum wage hike has been hotly contested between the restaurant industry and local nonprofits.

Orange said there will be a certification process for all restaurants to ensure that employees are being paid D.C.’s minimum wage through a tipped credit. “After we collect data, we can take this up again,” Orange told Cheh. Grosso introduced an amendment to have the certification process transferred online, unless that would be a hardship to the business. From his blog:

I will follow up with the appropriate agency to ensure this is a simple one-click certification if no wages had to be supplemented and a two-click process when wages do have to be supplemented. All enforcement and certification should fall on the agency, not on the business. Businesses just need to keep good records in case of an audit, as they should anyway. The desired outcome of this provision, and this amendment to it, is an increase of prosecution of bad actors and less burden on responsible business owners.

The full Council will have its first reading and vote on the bill on December 3.