Paid Leave · District of Columbia
District of Columbia Paid Medical Leave in 2026
Your own serious health condition, including pregnancy and childbirth recovery. Here is how many weeks the District of Columbia pays, what each week pays at your income, and the formula the state uses — worked through at $60,000 a year, with a table for other pay levels.
Informational only — not financial or legal advice. Does not include income tax on benefits.
In the District of Columbia you can take up to 10 weeks of medical leave and be paid for 10 of them: about $1,019 a week, or 88% of your usual pay.
- 90% of the first $1,104.00$993.60
- 50% of the $49.85 above $1,104.00$24.92
- Weekly benefit$1,018.52
- Program: DC Paid Family Leave, run by DC DOES Office of Paid Family Leave.
- Waiting period: none for this type of leave.
- Who qualifies: Work for a private-sector employer in DC (federal, DC government, WMATA and church employees are not covered).
- Figures are the rules from October 1, 2026 (FY2027 Budget Support Act): medical leave fell from 12 weeks to 10, family caregiving from 12 to 6, and the cap from $1,190 to $1,100. Two weeks of prenatal leave are separate. DOES has not published how leave already in progress on October 1 is treated; call the Office of Paid Family Leave if that is you.
Law: D.C. Code § 32-541.04 · Figures: DC OPFL — 2026 program changes
Job protection is separate. Federal FMLA gives up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave if your employer has 50+ employees within 75 miles and you have worked there 12 months and 1,250 hours. State paid leave usually runs at the same time, not after it.
Assumes steady pay over the past year. Benefits are figured from your quarterly wage records, so uneven pay changes the answer. Informational only, not financial or legal advice.
District of Columbia medical leave by yearly pay
| Yearly pay | Weekly wage | Weekly benefit | Share of pay | Total for 10 paid weeks |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| $30,000 | $576.92 | $519.23 | 90% | $5,192 |
| $45,000 | $865.38 | $778.85 | 90% | $7,789 |
| $60,000 | $1,153.85 | $1,018.52 | 88% | $10,185 |
| $80,000 | $1,538.46 | $1,100.00 (cap) | 72% | $11,000 |
| $100,000 | $1,923.08 | $1,100.00 (cap) | 57% | $11,000 |
| $150,000 | $2,884.62 | $1,100.00 (cap) | 38% | $11,000 |
Assumes the same pay in every quarter of the base period. The share of pay falls as income rises because the formula replaces less of each extra dollar, then stops at the cap.
Asking your employer
District of Columbia pays the benefit, but your employer still needs notice. Draft a leave request letter that cites D.C. Code § 32-541.04 and federal FMLA.
Other kinds of leave in District of Columbia
Last reviewed: September 2026
Frequently asked questions
How much does District of Columbia medical leave pay per week in 2026?
Up to $1,100.00 a week. Below the cap, the benefit is a share of your average weekly wage: at $60,000 a year it is about $1,019 a week. The table above shows other pay levels.
How many weeks of medical leave do you get in District of Columbia?
Up to 10 weeks under DC Paid Family Leave. Figures are the rules from October 1, 2026 (FY2027 Budget Support Act): medical leave fell from 12 weeks to 10, family caregiving from 12 to 6, and the cap from $1,190 to $1,100. Two weeks of prenatal leave are separate. DOES has not published how leave already in progress on October 1 is treated; call the Office of Paid Family Leave if that is you.
Who qualifies for District of Columbia medical leave?
Work for a private-sector employer in DC (federal, DC government, WMATA and church employees are not covered). Qualifying for pay is separate from job protection: federal FMLA protects your job only if your employer has 50+ employees within 75 miles and you have worked there 12 months and 1,250 hours.
What law sets District of Columbia's medical leave benefit?
D.C. Code § 32-541.04, administered by DC DOES Office of Paid Family Leave. StubTrue reviews the figures each year when the state updates its average weekly wage and cap; last reviewed September 2026.
Related tools
See how many weeks of leave your state gives, how many are paid, and what each week pays — for a new baby, your own health, or caring for family. Formula and law shown.
/paid-leave-calculatorOpen →Leave Request Letter GeneratorDraft a request for time off to your employer that cites federal FMLA and your state's paid leave program. Copy it and send.
/leave-request-letterOpen →State Disability & Paid Leave Deduction CalculatorSee exactly how much your state's SDI or PFML payroll deduction takes from your paycheck — covers CA, NJ, NY, RI, HI, WA, MA, CT, and OR.
/state-disability-calculatorOpen →