E-Alerts

District of Columbia PFL Notice Deadline: February 1, 2020

In accordance with the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016, all employers subject to the District of Columbia’s Paid Family Leave Law (“PFL”) must provide the Paid Family Leave Notice to Employees (“PFL Notice”) to all covered employees by February 1, 2020. The District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (“DOES”) recently released the PFL Notice, which includes information regarding employee eligibility, rights, and benefits under the PFL. The PFL Notice can be found on the Department’s website.

In addition to providing the PFL Notice to all covered employees by February 1, 2020 and posting the PFL Notice in a conspicuous place in the workplace, employers are also required to provide an electronic or physical copy of the PFL Notice to each covered employee:

• At the time of hire;

• Annually; and

• At the time the employer is made aware that PFL leave is needed.

Employees will be eligible for PFL benefits beginning on July 1, 2020. Employees may be eligible to take up to a maximum of eight (8) weeks of paid leave per year for the following reasons:

• Parental leave to bond with a new child (up to 8 weeks per year);

• Family leave to care for a family member with a serious health condition (up to 6 weeks per year); and/or

• Medical leave for the employee’s own serious health condition (up to 2 weeks per year).

Employees will need to apply for PFL benefits with the Office of Paid Family Leave. If approved, employees will receive partial wage replacement benefits up to the weekly maximum of $1,000. Such benefits are funded through employer payroll taxes.

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Please feel free to contact us if you have any questions regarding this notice requirement or any other leave-related issues.