Dear Colleagues,
Each January, we deliver an annual notice of the benefits offered to eligible employees under the DC Paid Family Leave program as requested by the Government of the District of Columbia and its Department of Employment Services. You can download the notice or view it below.
If you have any questions regarding this program or any of the paid leave benefits offered through Georgetown University, you can learn more on our Faculty & Staff Benefits website, email benefitshelp@georgetown.edu or contact us at 202-687-2500.
Be well,
Charles DeSantis
Associate Vice President, University Benefits & Wellness
Chief Benefits Officer
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NOTICE TO EMPLOYEES
Information on Paid Family Leave in the District of Columbia
Your employer is subject to the District of Columbia’s Paid Family Leave law, which provides covered employees paid time off from work for qualifying parental, family, medical, and prenatal events.
For more information about the Paid Family Leave program, please visit the Office of Paid Family Leave website at dcpaidfamilyleave.dc.gov.
COVERED WORKERS
To receive benefits under the Paid Family Leave program, you must work for a covered employer in the District of Columbia. To find out if you are a covered worker, you may ask your employer or contact the Office of Paid Family Leave using the contact information below.
Your employer is required to inform you if you are covered by the Paid Family Leave program and must provide information about the program at the following times:
- At the time you are hired
- At least once each year
- If you request leave that could qualify for Paid Family Leave benefits
COVERED EVENTS
There are four types of Paid Family Leave benefits:
- Parental leave: Benefits to bond with a new child for up to 12 weeks per year
- Family leave: Benefits to care for a family member for up to 12 weeks per year
- Medical leave: Benefits for your own serious health condition for up to 12 weeks per year
- Prenatal leave: Benefits for prenatal medical care for up to 2 weeks per year
MAXIMUM LEAVE ENTITLEMENT
Each type of leave has its own eligibility rules and annual limits. The maximum combined amount of parental, family, and medical leave is 12 weeks in a year.
Pregnant employees may qualify for an exception: up to 2 weeks of prenatal leave during pregnancy, followed by up to 12 weeks of parental leave after birth, for a maximum of 14 weeks.
APPLYING FOR BENEFITS
If you experience an event that may qualify for Paid Family Leave benefits, you must apply within 30 days of the event.
More information about applying for benefits is available at:
dcpaidfamilyleave.dc.gov.
BENEFIT AMOUNTS
Paid Family Leave benefits are based on wages reported by your employer to the Department of Employment Services. If you believe your wages were reported incorrectly, you may submit proof of your correct wages.
The current maximum weekly benefit amount is $1,190.
EMPLOYEE PROTECTIONS
The Office of Paid Family Leave does not administer job protection. However, certain job protections may be available under laws enforced by the District of Columbia Office of Human Rights (OHR).
Under the Universal Paid Leave Act, the Office of Paid Family Leave provides notice that:
- Retaliation by a covered employer for requesting, applying for, or using Paid Family Leave benefits is prohibited
- Employees of covered employers with fewer than 20 employees are not entitled to job protection while taking Paid Family Leave
- Employees have the right to file a complaint with OHR if they believe they have been retaliated against
For more information about job protections, visit:
ohr.dc.gov.
CONTACT INFORMATION
For more information about Paid Family Leave:
Website: dcpaidfamilyleave.dc.gov
Phone: 202-899-3700
Email: does.opfl@dc.gov
Office of Paid Family Leave
4058 Minnesota Avenue NE
Washington, DC 20019
OPFL EE Rev. 10/2025