Paid family leave mandates have been expanding across the country for a decade.

In sharp contrast, the District of Columbia (D.C.) recently approved its fiscal year (FY) 2027 Budget Support Act (and parallel emergency legislation, the FY 2027 Budget Support Emergency Act),[1] which includes amendments that temporarily reduce benefits available under the D.C. Universal Paid Leave (UPL) program effective October 1, 2026. The change in benefits will likely require employers to review and update their notices and leave of absence policies for D.C.-based employees.

What You Need to Know

• No Change to Paid Parental and Prenatal Leave: The new law does not affect the amount of paid leave available for parental leave (12 weeks) or prenatal leave (two weeks).
• Paid Family Leave Cut in Half: The new law will reduce the amount of paid family leave an employee can take, from 12 weeks to six weeks.
• Paid Medical Leave Slightly Reduced: Paid medical leave for employees will decrease from 12 weeks to 10 weeks.
• Maximum Weekly Benefit Cap Lowered: The maximum amount of weekly income replacement benefits an employee can receive will be capped at $1,100 (down from $1,190).

First-of-Its-Kind Changes

A growing number of states and cities around the country have passed laws enacting or expanding paid leave programs, but D.C.’s new law bucks that trend. While some states (including Michigan and Missouri) have rolled back sick leave programs, D.C. is the first jurisdiction to significantly ...

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