DC Paid Family Leave Changes Are Now in Effect: An October Checklist for DC Employers

By Joshua Lavine, CEO and Company Culture Expert, Capitol Benefits  ·  Last updated October 23, 2026

Looking for the full breakdown of what changed on October 1 and the new benefit limits? Start with DC Paid Family Leave was cut on October 1. This page is the employer task list that follows from it.

The reduced DC Paid Family Leave limits took effect on October 1, 2026, so employers with District based staff should update leave policies, employee notices and any disability or supplemental coverage that was built around the old 12 week caregiving benefit. Family caregiving leave is now 6 weeks, medical leave is 10 weeks, and the maximum weekly benefit is $1,100, while parental bonding stays at 12 weeks and the employer payroll tax stays at 0.75% of covered wages.

In September we wrote about the cuts to DC Paid Family Leave scheduled for October 1. That date has now passed and the new limits are in effect. If you have people working in the District, here is a practical checklist for the weeks ahead.

What changed on October 1

• Family caregiving leave: 12 weeks to 6 weeks
• Medical leave for an employee’s own serious health condition: 12 weeks to 10 weeks
• Maximum weekly benefit: $1,190 to $1,100
• Parental bonding leave: unchanged at 12 weeks
• Prenatal leave: unchanged at 2 weeks
• Employer contribution: unchanged at 0.75% of covered wages, with no employee payroll deduction allowed

The changes came through the District’s Fiscal Year 2027 Budget Support Act, which the DC Council passed in July.

Who the new limits apply to

The reduced benefits apply to claims filed on or after October 1, 2026. Guidance on the transition indicates that an employee whose claim was filed on or before September 30 keeps the previous benefit levels for the duration of that claim, even if some approved leave falls after October 1. If an employee has a question about a specific claim, the DC Office of Paid Family Leave is the right place to confirm it.

Coverage still follows where the work is performed, not where the employee lives. Someone who lives in Bethesda or Silver Spring and works in the District is covered by the DC program and its new limits. Someone working from a Virginia or Maryland office is not.

Your October checklist

1. Post the updated notice. The DC Department of Employment Services has released an updated Mandatory Employee Notice showing the new weeks and benefit cap. Replace the old version wherever you display required notices, and share it with employees who work remotely in the District.
2. Update your handbook and leave policy. Search for any reference to 12 weeks of DC family or medical leave. Those sentences are now out of date and can set the wrong expectation.
3. Brief your managers and HR team. An employee planning to care for a parent or spouse may still expect 12 weeks. It is better for that conversation to happen before the leave starts than in the middle of it.
4. Check your short-term disability timing. Medical leave under the DC program now tops out at 10 weeks. Look at how your short-term disability elimination period and benefit duration line up with that, so an employee recovering from surgery or an illness does not hit an uncovered stretch.
5. Decide how you will handle the caregiving gap. Short-term disability does not pay when an employee is healthy and caring for someone else. Your realistic options are employer paid caregiver leave, a broader PTO bank, or a case by case approach. Supplemental benefits such as critical illness and hospital indemnity pay cash that can help a household during a family health event, but they are not leave.
6. Tell your employees in plain terms. A short note explaining what changed, who it affects, and what your company offers goes a long way.
7. Look at your whole DMV workforce. If you also have staff working in Maryland, the state’s own program is on a separate track. We cover it in our guide to Maryland FAMLI employer registration.

Is this change permanent?

Not necessarily. The legislation allows the original benefit levels to return beginning in October 2030, but that depends on future DC budgets. For planning purposes, we suggest building around the current 6 and 10 week limits and treating any restoration as a welcome surprise.

What we are telling clients

Most employers do not need to buy anything new this month. The most useful steps right now are getting the notice posted, correcting your written policies, and checking your short-term disability timing. The bigger question of whether to fill the caregiving gap can be decided at your next renewal, with real numbers in front of you.

For the full picture beyond DC, our 50-state paid family and medical leave advisory covers every active program, the states with mandates coming, current rates and maximums, and where private plans are allowed.

Frequently Asked Questions

When did the DC paid family leave changes take effect?
October 1, 2026. Family caregiving leave dropped to 6 weeks, medical leave dropped to 10 weeks, and the maximum weekly benefit dropped to $1,100.

Do the new limits apply to leave that was already approved?
The new limits apply to claims filed on or after October 1, 2026. Claims filed on or before September 30 keep the previous benefit levels for the duration of the claim. Employees can confirm the details of a specific claim with the DC Office of Paid Family Leave.

Do DC employers need to post a new notice?
Yes. The DC Department of Employment Services has issued an updated Mandatory Employee Notice that reflects the new leave weeks and maximum weekly benefit. Employers should display it in a conspicuous place and share it with remote employees covered by the program.

Did the employer contribution rate change?
No. The contribution remains 0.75% of covered wages, and employers still cannot deduct it from employee pay.

Will 12 weeks of family leave come back?
The legislation allows the original levels to return beginning in October 2030, but that depends on future budgets. We recommend planning around the current limits.

Related reading from Capitol Benefits

• DC Paid Family Leave Is Being Cut on October 1. What DC Employers Should Do Before Then
• Maryland FAMLI: You Have to Register Now, Even Though Benefits Start in 2028
• Employee benefits for DMV employers