Under the District of Columbia Department of Employment Services’ mandatory Paid Family Leave Employee Notice (PFL Notice), employers subject to the new paid family leave law, enacted by the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016 (UPLA), must supply the PFL Notice to covered employees by February 1, 2020. Employers must post the PFL Notice in their workplace along with other labor law posters. Additionally, the notice must be:
- Annually distributed to employees electronically or physically (employers should retain proof of electronic distribution),
- Provided to new employees at the time of hire, and
- Supplied to individual employees when the employer receives direct notice of the employee’s need for leave for an event that could qualify for paid family leave benefits.
As a reminder, the PFL Notice addresses employee rights and paid leave benefits available under the UPLA. Eligible employees can apply for leave and wage replacement benefits under the UPLA beginning on July 1, 2020. The UPLA provides up to:
- Eight weeks per year to bond with a new child
- Six weeks per year to care for a family member with a serious health condition
- Two weeks per year to care for a personal serious health condition
Employees who take leave under the UPLA will receive partial wage replacement benefits from the Office of Paid Family Leave, which are furnished by the employer’s payroll taxes.
To ensure compliance with the UPLA, employers should review their current leave policies. Although not finalized, the Department of Employment Services’ proposed paid family leave regulations provide guidance to employers regarding UPLA compliance.
