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ARTICLE · 23 OCTOBER 2026

October 1 Brings Changes To D.C. Universal Paid Leave Act

Jackson Lewis P.C.
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The District of Columbia City Council has enacted legislation that will significantly reduce paid leave benefits available to workers under the D.C. Universal Paid Leave Act, effective October 2026. The changes will decrease family leave from twelve to six weeks and medical leave from twelve to ten weeks, while also lowering the maximum weekly benefit from $1,190 to $1,100.

United StatesEmployment and HR
Teresa Burke Wright
Teresa Burke Wright

The District of Columbia City Council has passed legislation, effective October 1, 2026, that reduces the number of weeks of paid leave available to workers in the District under the D.C. Universal Paid Leave Act (UPLA).

Before October 1, 2026, the UPLA provided the following for qualifying workers in D.C.:

  • twelve weeks of paid parental leave,
  • twelve weeks of paid family leave,
  • twelve weeks of paid medical leave and
  • two weeks of prenatal leave.

These benefit levels resulted from an increase effective July 1, 2022, following an unexpected surplus in the Universal Paid Leave Fund (the “Fund”), which funds UPLA benefits. The available leave is now being reduced, although the new amounts still exceed the amount of leave available when the law was first enacted.

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