Paid Prenatal Leave for DC Workers Starts July 1!
The DC Paid Family Leave Coalitionis thrilled to announce a huge win in the District of Columbia: this month, DC workers will have up to 2 weeks of prenatal leave, in addition to the recently increased 12 weeks of paid leave for parental, medical, and family caregiving needs. This is a major increase from the 8 weeks of paid leave that DC workers were previously allowed to apply for and which did not include prenatal care.
The new Prenatal Leave measures allow pregnant workers to take the essential time necessary to care for their new baby, including taking days off for attending prenatal check-up appointments, receiving medical treatment related to their pregnancy, or to stay on bedrest due to pregnancy-related conditions. This investment in paid leave takes a huge step toward helping our community attain the resources we need to create happy, healthy families.
In addition, these measures are a concrete step toward alleviating the additional burdens put on our Black and brown residents and low-income workers. A Department of Employment Services (DOES) January 2021 report found that over 80% of those who applied for medical and family caregiving leave identify as Black, Hispanic, Asian or multi-racial. Additionally, 40% of people applying for these leaves have incomes of less than $50,000. And 35% of all DC residents who applied for medical leave live in Wards 7 and 8. While we still have a ways to go, this is a incredible win for the parents and caregivers who have worked throughout the pandemic to keep themselves and their families safe.
DC workers will have until May 31, 2022 to submit claims for prenatal leave for dates going back to October 1, 2021. Starting in June 2022, only more recent dates will be considered. To read more about these updates and the Paid Family Leave Coalition, please visit https://www.dcpaidfamilyleave.org/updates/12-weeks. Applications for Paid Leave are available through the DC Office of Paid Family Leave, and if you would like assistance applying for these programs please contact https://www.firstshift.org/ for support.
