Washington, D.C. expands Paid Family Leave Program

The expansion of the District of Columbia’s paid family leave benefits took effect Oct. 1, 2022. The changes could have taken effect as soon as July 1, 2022, but they were delayed until Oct. 1, 2022.

The Details:

Effective October 1, 2022, eligible employees will be entitled to more weeks of paid family leave. They will be able to receive a maximum of:

• 12 workweeks (up from 8 workweeks) of paid parental leave benefits within a 52-workweek period for bonding associated with:
• 12 workweeks (up from 6 workweeks) of paid family leave benefits within a 52-workweek period to provide care or companionship to a family member with a serious health condition.
• 12 workweeks (up from 6 workweeks) of paid medical leave benefits within a 52-workweek period for their own serious health condition.

Eligible employees are entitled to up to two workweeks of paid leave benefits for prenatal medical care. This is the same amount as under current rules.

Generally, employees will be eligible to receive no more than 12 weeks of paid family leave benefits in a year, regardless of the number of qualifying events.

Note: Effective the quarter beginning July 1, 2022, the employer contribution rate decreased from 0.62 percent to 0.26 percent.

Next Steps:

• Amend leave policies and forms to reflect the changes.
• Post an updated notice in the workplace.
• Ensure the program information you are required to provide at time of hire, annually, and when leave is requested reflects the changes.