District of Columbia · DC PFL
District of Columbia paid family leave
The District of Columbia program is entirely employer funded through a payroll tax, and does not offer a private plan alternative.
At a glance
Maximum duration
12 weeks parental, 12 weeks family, 12 weeks medical, and 2 weeks prenatal per 52 weeks
Benefit formula
Up to 90% of average weekly wage using a progressive formula
Waiting period
None
Private plans
Program detail
How DC PFL works
DC PFL
- Program
- DC Paid Family Leave (DC PFL)
- Contributions effective
- July 1, 2019
- Benefits effective
- July 1, 2020
- Covered employers
- Employers that pay unemployment insurance tax for employees working in the District
- Employee eligibility
- Spent more than 50% of work time in DC for a covered employer during the qualifying period
- Covered reasons
- Own serious health condition
- Bond with a new child
- Care for a family member with a serious health condition
- Prenatal medical care
- Maximum duration
- 12 weeks parental, 12 weeks family, 12 weeks medical, and 2 weeks prenatal per 52 weeks
- Waiting period
- None
- Contribution rate
- Employer payroll tax on covered wages
- Employee share
- None; fully employer funded
- Benefit formula
- Up to 90% of average weekly wage using a progressive formula
- Maximum weekly benefit
- Adjusted annually by the Department of Employment Services
- Private plans allowed
- No, the state program is the only option
- State resource
- does.dc.gov/page/dc-paid-family-leave
- Information as of
- January 1, 2026
What this means for you
Employer and employee view
If you are the employer
District of Columbia runs its program through a state fund only, so there is no private plan to buy. We can still help you handle notices, payroll coordination, and employee questions consistently with your other states.
Employer detailIf you are an employee
You qualify based on spent more than 50% of work time in dc for a covered employer during the qualifying period. Benefits run for 12 weeks parental, 12 weeks family, 12 weeks medical, and 2 weeks prenatal per 52 weeks, and there is no waiting period before your first payable week.
How to file a claimEstimate
What DC PFL might pay
A rough figure based on the published formula and weekly maximum. Nothing is submitted.
Estimate your weekly benefit
Two inputs, a rough number. Nothing is submitted or saved.
Enter your average weekly pay to see an estimate for DC PFL.
This is an estimate only. Your actual weekly benefit depends on your base-period wages, the state formula in effect when your leave begins, and any other income you receive during leave. It is not a determination of eligibility or a promise of payment.
Other jurisdictions
Compare nearby programs
New York is available now. New Jersey and Massachusetts are launching soon. The rest are upcoming states.
Talk to a specialist
Discuss a District of Columbia plan
Talk to a specialist
Tell us where your employees work and how you handle leave today. We will walk through the statutory programs that apply, your private plan options, and what implementation looks like.
Helpful to have ready
- Which states mandate paid family leave for your workforce
- Where a private plan is permitted and what the election process involves
- How the coverage and leave management platform work as one system
Best for
Employers, insurance brokers, and benefit administrators with multi-state obligations or an upcoming effective date.