Twelve (12) weeks
Family leave
Focus on what matters the most.
Family Leave provides up to twelve (12) weeks of benefits in a year to care for a family member with a serious health condition. This is a benefit provided by the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES), separate from any existing company benefits that your employer may provide.
Who Qualifies for Family Leave?
You can receive Family Leave benefits if you will be providing care or companionship to a family member with a serious health condition. Eligible family members are:
- Your child
- Your parent
- Your spouse
- Your grandparent
- Your sibling
This includes biological, foster, step-relative, and some in-law family members from the list above.
How Much Can I Receive in Family Leave Benefits?
DC Paid Family Leave provides wage replacement of 90% of wages up to 1.5 times DC’s minimum wage and 50% of wages above 1.5 times DC’s minimum wage. To determine your benefit, DC Paid Family Leave uses wages reported by your employer and reported to DOES.
To calculate your potential benefit amount, visit
https://dcpaidfamilyleave.dc.gov/benefits-calculator/.
12
Twelve (12) weeks family leave
How Do I Apply?
Start by telling your employer that you will be applying for Paid Family Leave benefits. Although you should notify your employer prior to the event of your intent to apply for benefits, you must wait until after the event has occurred to apply for benefits.
When you apply for Paid Family Leave benefits, DOES will request a medical certification from your family member’s medical provider confirming your family member’s condition and that care or companionship is required.
When you are ready to apply, you can do so online or over the phone. Go to dcpaidfamilyleave.dc.gov or call the contact center at 202-899-3700.
After you apply, you can expect to hear back from the Office of Paid Family Leave within 10 business days.
Plan for
tomorrow today.
Plan ahead. Learn more about Paid Family Leave before you need it. Visit dcpaidfamilyleave.dc.gov or call the contact center at 202-899-3700.
Other Frequently Asked Questions:
Q: Can I apply for Family Leave benefits multiple times throughout the year?
A: Yes, you may receive DC Paid Family Leave benefits multiple times throughout the year. You can receive a maximum of twelve (12) weeks of Family Leave benefits, as part of the overall maximum of twelve (12) weeks total of DC Paid Family Leave benefits (for other events, such as Parental Leave or Medical Leave) per year. The date on which you first received benefits is when the year starts; it is not a calendar year. You will be eligible to receive benefits again one year after that date.
Q: Is my job protected when I take DC Paid Family Leave?
A: DC Paid Family Leave does not provide job protection. Other laws, such as the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), provide job protection when a person takes Paid Family Leave. It is important for you to notify your employer before applying for leave and to determine a schedule that works.
Q: My employer provides paid family leave. Can I use employer-provided paid family leave benefits and DC Paid Family Leave benefits?
A: Yes, it is up to the discretion of your employer to determine how their employer-provided benefits will coordinate with DC Paid Family Leave benefits.Employers may not reduce, in any way, the benefits provided by DC Paid Family Leave. Some employers may require employees to use DC Paid Family Leave benefits before applying for the employer-provided benefits. You may not work while receiving DCPaid Family Leave benefits, but you may receive both employer-provided and DC Paid Family Leave benefits simultaneously.
