Articles

February 27th, 2020

Attention D.C. Employers: Paid Leave Amendment Act Notice

Posted in: Employment Law    Tagged: Darla J. McClure

Author: Darla J. McClure

As you may have heard by now, DC has adopted the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016 (PLA). The PLA applies to all private employers in DC that are required to pay unemployment insurance. Such employers are required to pay a .62% payroll tax on employees’ wages beginning July 1, 2019 in order to fund the paid-leave benefit. This tax is 100% employer funded and may not be deducted from an employee’s paycheck.

To be eligible for benefits, an employee must spend at least 50% of his or her work time in DC. The PLA provides that eligible employees will receive paid leave of up to eight weeks to bond with a new child, six weeks to care for a family member with a serious health condition and two weeks to care for an employee’s own serious health condition. The paid leave benefit is capped at $1,000 per week and is based on an eligible employee’s wages. Payments to employees are made by the DC Universal Paid Leave Fund. Eligible employees are able to access paid leave benefits beginning July 1, 2020.

Beginning on February 1, 2020, covered employers are required to post the PLA notice at each worksite in a conspicuous place or places where notices are posted customarily along with other labor law posters. In addition, a copy of this notice must be provided in electronic or physical form

• to all employees at least once between February 1, 2020 and February 1, 2021;
• to employees hired after February 1, 2020; and
• to all employees who have contacted the employer to inform it of the need for leave for an event that could qualify for paid leave benefits under the PLL.

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