DC reduces Paid family and medical leave benefits

Workers in the District of Columbia face scaled-back wage replacement benefits under the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016, jdsupra.com reported. While previous rules guaranteed up to 12 weeks of family and medical leave, newly codified amendments temporarily cut those durations and lower the maximum weekly payout.

The Universal Paid Leave program relies entirely on employer contributions through payroll taxes, maintaining a steady tax rate of 0.75 percent of covered employee wages. Eligible employees generally include nonprofit and for-profit private workers who spend at least half their work time in the district, while the DC government, federal government, Washington Metropolitan Area Transit Authority, and religious institutions remain excluded.

Temporary Leave Reductions And Benefit Cap Changes Through September 2030

Under the amendments codified in DC Official Code § 32-541.04, family leave drops from 12 workweeks to six workweeks for claims filed between October 1, 2026, and September 30, 2030. Medical leave for an employee’s own serious health condition decreases from 12 workweeks to ten workweeks during that same window.

Parental leave for bonding with a new child remains untouched at 12 workweeks, and prenatal leave stays at two workweeks. Concurrently, the maximum weekly benefit drops from $1,190 to $1,100 for claims filed on or after October 1, 2026.

Claim Deadlines And Reversion Schedules Set By District Code

Claims filed on or before September 30, 2026, keep the older benefit levels for the entirety of their approved leave, even for leave days occurring after October 1, 2026. Statutes dictate that family and medical leave benefits return to 12 workweeks beginning October 1, 2030.

The lower weekly benefit cap of $1,100 will not automatically revert alongside the duration changes on October 1, 2030. Future increases to that cap depend on inflation adjustments and whether sufficient program funds are available to support them.