Are you in Compliance with DC's New Paid Leave Law?

January 31, 2020

Don't Let DC Government Fine You
Stay in Compliance with New Paid Family Leave Law by Posting Required Employee Notice

On July 1, 2020, the DC Paid Family Leave program will launch and at that time District employees would be able to apply to the DC government for paid family leave benefits for qualifying parental, family, and medical events. Under the Universal Paid Leave Act, all DC employers are required to post the Mayor's paid leave notice in a conspicuous place within their respective worksites. This notice details an employee's right to paid-leave benefits, that retaliation against an employee for requesting, applying for, or using paid-leave benefits is prohibited and that job protection is not entitled for an employee who works for a covered employer with under 20 employees.

In addition to placing this notice within your respective businesses, all employers must provide the notice to employees at the time of hiring and annually thereafter, and at the time the covered employer is aware that the leave is needed. The DC Department of Employment Services has released the employer notice (a copy is provided below for your reference) and has requested that all employers to please post the required PFL Employee Notice in your worksites along with other labor law posters by February 1, 2020.

Any covered employer that violates this notice requirement and is not in compliance will be assessed a civil penalty not to exceed $100 for each covered employee to whom individual notice was not delivered and $100 for each day that the covered employer fails to post the notice in a conspicuous place.

It is important that we advise you on how to remain compliant with local regulations and should you have questions on the paid family leave program please feel free to contact DC Department of Employment Services (DCDOES) at DOES.OPFL@dc.gov, take advantage of their 6-part Employer Webinar Series (see below), or register to participate in upcoming seminars at https://dcpaidfamilyleave.dc.gov