DC Parental Leave Act D.C. Code Ann. §§ 32-521.01 to 32-521.06

Covered Employers: All employers who use the services of an individual for pay within the District of Columbia

Employee Eligibility: Eligible employees are those who perform services for pay in the District of Columbia and who are parents. "Parent" the mother or father of a child, a person who has legal custody of a child, a person who acts as a guardian of a child (regardless of whether they have been appointed legally as the child's guardian), an aunt, uncle, or grandparent of a child, or a person who is married to or in a domestic partnership with one of these people.

Entitlement: Eligible employees are entitled to a total of 24 hours of leave during any 12-month period to attend to, or to participate in, a school-related event for a child. A "school-related event" is an activity sponsored by either a school or an associated organization, such as a parent-teacher association. It also includes

• A student performances (such as a concert or rehearsal)

• A sporting event or practice of the school team

• A meeting with a teach or counselor

• Any similar type of activity

A school-related event must involve the parent's child directly, either as participant or subject, but not as a spectator.

An employee shall also be entitled to a day of leave each year on April 16, the District of Columbia Emancipation Day.

Employers may deny this leave only if granting leave would disrupt the employer's business and make the achievement of production or service delivery unusually difficult.

Employer Notice: Employers shall post and maintain in a conspicuous place a notice that sets forth excerpts from, or summaries of, the pertinent provisions of this subchapter, and information that pertains to the filing of a complaint. An employer who fails to do so will be fined no more than $100 per day.

Employee Notice: Employees must provide 10 calendar days' notice unless the reason for leave could not be reasonably foreseen. (Note: the Absence product does not have an automated way of identifying whether enough notice was given, because it is impossible to identify in the system whether the employee could foresee their need for leave, and if so, when they knew they would need leave.)

Certification Supporting Need for Leave: Not specified

Paid? Unpaid, although the employee can elect to use paid family, vacation, personal, compensatory, or leave back leave that has been provided by the employer.

Benefits: An employee who takes leave may not lose any employment benefit or seniority accrued before or during the date of such leave.

Reinstatement: Employee must be reinstated to his or her position

District of Columbia School Activities - Absence Specifications