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How does DC Paid Family Leave (DC PFL) work?

Your guide to wage replacement under DC PFL

 

Quick answer
 DC PFL, also called the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act, applies to almost all employers with at least one qualifying employee working in DC. Eligible employees can receive up to 14 weeks (12 weeks in most instances) of partial wage replacement per benefit year across medical, family, parental, and prenatal leave categories.

Who this applies to / Prerequisites

  • Employees must spend more than 50% of their work-time working in DC.
  • There is no earnings requirement, but the employer must have reported the employee's wages to DC for unemployment insurance purposes.

Key facts

  1. Medical Leave: Up to 12 weeks for the employee's own serious health condition, including pregnancy.
  2. Family Leave: Up to 12 weeks to care for a family member with a serious health condition.
  3. Parental Leave: Up to 12 weeks for the birth of a child (within 12 months of birth), or placement of a child for adoption, foster care, or other permanent parental responsibility (within 12 months of placement).
  4. Prenatal Leave: Up to 2 weeks for prenatal reasons only — appointments or treatments (routine or not), pregnancy complications, bedrest, or pregnancy-related physical therapy.
  5. DC PFL defines "family member" broadly, including children (biological, adopted, foster, step, legal ward, a domestic partner's child, or in loco parentis relationships), parents (including in-laws, step-parents, legal guardians, or in loco parentis relationships), a domestic partner or spouse, grandparents (including step-relationships), and siblings (including half, step, adopted, foster, or in-law).
  6. During leave, employees receive up to 90% of their wages depending on income. As of October 1, 2025, the maximum weekly benefit is $1,190.
  7. Leave can be used intermittently if needed, but only in full-day increments — employees will not be paid by DC for a partial work day.
  8. Fully insured short-term disability (STD) plans cannot offset DC PFL benefits, meaning it's possible for an employee to receive more than 100% of their weekly pre-disability earnings when combining STD and DC PFL.
  9. There is no waiting period for DC PFL.
  10. DC PFL is funded through a quarterly employer payroll tax based on covered employees' total wages; employers report the same wages used for DC Unemployment Insurance and submit quarterly wage reports and tax payments through an online portal.
  11. Employees apply through the DC Office of Paid Family Leave (online or by phone); approved benefits are paid by direct deposit or prepaid debit card.
  12. DC PFL runs concurrently with federal FMLA and DC FMLA when applicable.

What if it doesn't work

  • I'm receiving both STD and DC PFL: This is allowed and may result in more than 100% of pre-disability earnings — contact your Leave Success Manager with questions.
  • I worked a partial day and wasn't paid for that day: DC PFL only pays for full-day increments of intermittent leave.
  • If none of these apply, contact your Leave Success Manager (employees) or Customer Success Manager (HR teams).

Limits and exceptions

  • The combined benefit period is capped at 14 weeks per benefit year, with 12 weeks being typical for most claims.
  • Intermittent leave must be used in full-day increments only.
  • The $1,190 maximum weekly benefit is current as of October 1, 2025, and may change.

Related questions

  • How does DC Family and Medical Leave (DC FMLA) work?
  • What other DC leave laws does Tilt support?