District of Columbia Code
Subchapter IV - Universal Paid Leave
§ 32–541.01. Definitions

For the purposes of this subchapter, the term:
(1) "Average weekly wage" means the total wages subject to contribution under § 32-541.03 earned by an eligible individual during the 4 quarters during which the individual's wages were the highest out of the 5 quarters immediately preceding the qualifying leave event, divided by 52; except, that, for claims filed after October 1, 2021, and before the 365th day after the end of the public health emergency, the term "average weekly wage" means the total wages subject to contribution under § 32-541.03 for the 4 quarters during which the individual's wages were the highest out of the 10 quarters immediately preceding the qualifying leave event, divided by 52.
(2) "Bonding" means the formation of a close emotional and psychological relationship between a parent or primary caregiver and an infant or child.
(3) "Covered employee" means an employee of a covered employer:
(A) Who spends more than 50% of his or her work time for that employer working in the District of Columbia; or
(B) Whose employment for the covered employer is based in the District of Columbia and who regularly spends a substantial amount of his or her work time for that covered employer in the District of Columbia and not more than 50% of his or her work time for that covered employer in another jurisdiction.
(4) "Covered employer" means:
(A) Any individual, partnership, general contractor, subcontractor, association, corporation, business trust, or any group of persons who directly or indirectly or through an agent or any other person, including through the services of a temporary services or staffing agency or similar entity, employs or exercises control over the wages, hours, or working conditions of an employee and is required to pay unemployment insurance on behalf of its employees by § 51-103; provided, that the term "covered employer" shall not include the United States, the District of Columbia, or any employer that the District of Columbia is not authorized to tax under federal law or treaty; or
(B) A self-employed individual who has opted into the paid-leave program established pursuant to this subchapter.
(5) "D.C. FMLA" means the subchapter I of this chapter.
(6) "Eligible individual" means a person whose claim for paid-leave benefits is not based on employment for the United States, the District of Columbia, or an employer that the District of Columbia is not authorized to tax under federal law or treaty, who meets the requirements of this subchapter and regulations issued pursuant to this subchapter and:
(A) Has been a covered employee during some or all of the 52 calendar weeks immediately preceding the qualifying event for which paid leave is being taken; or
(B) Is a self-employed individual who has:
(i) Opted into the paid-leave program established pursuant to this subchapter; and
(ii) Earned self-employment income for work performed more than 50% of the time in the District of Columbia during some or all of the 52 calendar weeks immediately preceding the qualifying event for which paid leave is being taken.
(6A) "Employer contribution rate" means the uniform percentage of covered employees' wages that covered employers must contribute to the Universal Paid Leave Fund, including the percentage of annual self-employment income that a covered employer who is a self-employed individual must contribute, as provided under this subchapter.
(6B) "Exigent circumstances" means:
(A) Physical or mental incapacity that prevents an eligible individual or eligible individual's authorized representative from filing for paid leave benefits following the occurrence of a qualifying leave event;
(B) A demonstrable inability to reasonably access the means by which a claim could have been filed by the eligible individual or the eligible individual's authorized representative following the occurrence of a qualifying leave event; or
(C) Actual lack of knowledge by an eligible individual of his or her right to apply for paid leave benefits pursuant to this subchapter due to the noncompliance of all of the eligible individual's covered employers with the notice requirements required by § 32-541.06(i)(3) during the period when the individual could have received paid leave benefits pursuant to this subchapter; provided, that such employer noncompliance shall be confirmed by the Mayor before the eligible individual shall be eligible for paid leave benefits pursuant to this subchapter.
(7) "Family member" means:
(A) A biological, adopted, or foster son or daughter, a stepson or stepdaughter, a legal ward, a son or daughter of a domestic partner, or a person to whom an eligible individual stands in loco parentis;
(B) A biological, foster, or adoptive parent, a parent-in-law, a stepparent, a legal guardian, or other person who stood in loco parentis to an eligible individual when the eligible individual was a child;
(C) A person to whom an eligible individual is related by domestic partnership, as defined by § 32-701(4), or marriage;
(D) A grandparent of an eligible individual; or
(E) A sibling of an eligible individual.
(8) "Health care provider" shall have the same meaning as provided in § 32-501(5).
(8A) "Insurer" shall have the same meaning as provided in § 31-2231.01(7).
(9) "Intermittent leave" means paid leave taken in increments of no less than one day, rather than for one continuous period of time.
(9A) "Miscarriage" means the loss of a pregnancy before 20 weeks' gestation.
(10) "Open enrollment period" means:
(A) The first 90 days after the date on which the Mayor, pursuant to § 32-541.03, begins to collect contributions to the Universal Paid Leave Fund;
(B) The 60 days following the commencement of business in the District of Columbia by a self-employed individual; or
(C) Beginning with calendar year 2020 and in each calendar year thereafter, the months of November and December.
(11) "Paid-leave benefits" means the monetary benefits provided pursuant to this subchapter.
(11A) "Pre-natal medical care" means routine and specialty appointments, exams, and treatments associated with a pregnancy provided by a health care provider, including pre-natal check-ups, ultrasounds, treatment for pregnancy complications, bedrest that is required or prescribed by a health care provider, and pre-natal physical therapy.
(11B) "Public health emergency" means the Coronavirus (COVID-19) public health emergency declared pursuant to Mayor's Order 2020-046, on March 11, 2020, and all subsequent extensions.
(12) "Qualifying family leave" means paid leave that an eligible individual may take in order to provide care or companionship to a family member because of the occurrence of a qualifying family leave event.
(13) "Qualifying family leave event" means the diagnosis or occurrence of a serious health condition of a family member of an eligible individual.
(13A) "Qualifying leave event" means a qualifying family leave event, a qualifying medical leave event, a qualifying pre-natal leave event, or a qualifying parental leave event.
(14) "Qualifying medical leave" means paid leave that an eligible individual may take following the occurrence of a qualifying medical leave event.
(15) "Qualifying medical leave event" means, for an eligible individual, the diagnosis or occurrence of a serious health condition, which shall include the occurrence of a stillbirth and the medical care related to a miscarriage.
(16) "Qualifying parental leave" means paid leave that an eligible individual may take within one year of the occurrence of a qualifying parental leave event.
(17) "Qualifying parental leave event" means events, including bonding, associated with:
(A) The birth of a child of an eligible individual;
(B) The placement of a child with an eligible individual for adoption or foster care; or
(C) The placement of a child with an eligible individual for whom the eligible individual legally assumes and discharges parental responsibility.
(17A) "Qualifying pre-natal leave" means paid leave that an eligible individual who is pregnant may take for pre-natal medical care following the occurrence of a qualifying pre-natal leave event and prior to the occurrence of a qualifying parental leave event.
(17B) "Qualifying pre-natal leave event" means the diagnosis of pregnancy by a health care provider.
(18) "Retaliate" means to:
(A) Commit any form of intimidation, threat, reprisal, harassment, discrimination, or adverse employment action, including discipline, discharge, suspension, transfer or assignment to a lesser position in terms of job classification, job security, or other condition of employment;
(B) Reduce pay or hours or deny an individual additional hours;
(C) Inform another employer that the person has engaged in activities protected by this subchapter; or
(D) Report, or threaten to report, the actual or suspected citizenship or immigration status of an employee, former employee, or family member of an employee or former employee, to a federal, state, or local agency.
(19) "Self-employment income" means gross income earned from carrying on a trade or business as a sole proprietor, an independent contractor, or a member of a partnership.
(19A) "Self-insured employer" means an employer that uses its own resources, rather than providing benefits directly through an insurance contract with a third-party insurer, to pay its employees' family, medical, short-term disability, or related leave benefits ("leave benefits") and includes an employer that contracts with a third-party insurer to administer its leave benefits program.
(20) "Serious health condition" means a physical or mental illness, injury, or impairment that requires inpatient care in a hospital, hospice, or residential health care facility, or continuing treatment or supervision at home by a health care provider or other competent individual. For the purposes of this definition:
(A)(i) The term "treatment" includes, but is not limited to, examinations to determine if a serious health condition exists and evaluations of the condition.
(ii) Treatment does not include routine physical examinations, eye examinations, or dental examinations.
(iii) A regimen of continuing treatment such as the taking of over-the-counter medications, bed rest, or similar activities that can be initiated without a visit to a health care provider is not, by itself, sufficient to constitute continuing treatment for the purposes of this subchapter.
(B) The term "inpatient care" is the care of a patient in a hospital, hospice, or residential medical care facility for the duration of one overnight period or longer, or any subsequent treatment in connection with such inpatient care.
(C) The term "incapacity" means inability to work, attend school, or perform other regular daily activities due to the serious health condition, treatment of the serious health condition, or recovery from the serious health condition.
(D) Conditions for which cosmetic treatments are administered are not serious health conditions; provided, that procedures related to an individual's gender transition shall not be considered cosmetic treatments for the purposes of this subparagraph.
(E) A serious health condition involving continuing treatment by a health care provider means any one or more of the following:
(i) A period of incapacity of more than 3 consecutive, full calendar days, and any subsequent treatment or period of incapacity relating to the same condition that also involves:
(I) Treatment of 2 or more times within 30 days of the first day of incapacity, unless extenuating circumstances exist, by a health care provider, by a nurse under direct supervision of a health care provider, or by a provider of health care services under orders of, or on referral by, a health care provider. For the purposes of this sub-subparagraph, "extenuating circumstances" means circumstances beyond an individual's control that prevent the follow-up visit from occurring as planned by the health care provider;
(II) The first, or only, in-person treatment visit within 10 days after the first day of incapacity if extenuating circumstances exist; or
(III) Treatment by a health care provider on at least one occasion, which results in a regimen of continuing treatment under the supervision of the health care provider;
(ii) Any period of incapacity or treatment for such incapacity due to a chronic serious health condition. A chronic serious health condition is one which:
(I) Requires 2 or more periodic visits annually for treatment by a health care provider or by a nurse under direct supervision of a health care provider;
(II) Continues over an extended period of time, which shall include recurring episodes of a single underlying condition; and
(III) May cause episodic rather than a continuing period of incapacity;
(iii) A period of incapacity that is permanent or long-term due to a condition for which treatment may not be effective. The family member of an eligible individual must be under continuing supervision of, but need not be receiving active treatment by, a health care provider; or
(iv) Any period of absence to receive multiple treatments (including any period of recovery from the treatments) by a health care provider or by a provider of health care services under orders of, or on referral by, a health care provider, for:
(I) Restorative surgery after an accident or other injury; or
(II) A condition that would likely result in a period of incapacity of more than 3 consecutive, full calendar days in the absence of medical intervention or treatment.
(20A) "Stillbirth" means the loss of a pregnancy at 20 weeks' gestation or later.
(21) "Universal Paid Leave Fund" means the fund established pursuant to § 32-551.02.
(22) "Wages" shall have the same meaning as provided in § 51-101(3); provided, that the term "wages" also shall include self-employment income earned by a self-employed individual who has opted into the paid-leave program established pursuant to this subchapter.
(Apr. 7, 2017, D.C. Law 21-264, § 101, 64 DCR 2121; Dec. 3, 2020, D.C. Law 23-149, § 2143(a), 67 DCR 10493; Nov. 13, 2021, D.C. Law 24-45, § 4062(a), 68 DCR 010163.)
Section 7034 of D.C. Law 22-33 repealed § 301 of D.C. Law 21-264. Therefore the changes made to this section by D.C. Law 21-264 have been given effect.
Applicability of D.C. Law 21-264: § 301 of D.C. Law 21-264 provided that the creation of this section by § 101 of D.C. Law 21-264 is subject to the inclusion of the law’s fiscal effect in an approved budget and financial plan. Therefore that amendment has not been implemented.
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 4062(a) of Fiscal Year 2022 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-159, Aug. 23, 2021, 68 DCR 008602).
For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(a) of Short-term Disability Insurance Benefit Protection Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-90, May 26, 2021, 68 DCR 005853).
For temporary (90 days) repeal of § 301 of D.C. Law 21-264, see § 7034 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Congressional Review Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-167, Oct. 24, 2017, 64 DCR 10802).
For temporary (90 days) repeal of § 301 of D.C. Law 21-264, see § 7034 of Fiscal Year 2018 Budget Support Emergency Act of 2017 (D.C. Act 22-104, July 20, 2017, 64 DCR 7032).
For temporary (225 days) amendment of this section, see § 2(a) of Short-term Disability Insurance Benefit Protection Temporary Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Law 24-18, July 29, 2021, 68 DCR 006100).