District of Columbia DCFMLA Public Health Emergency (COVID-19): Temporary Amendment Poster

COVID-19 Leave during Public Health Emergency	 	
 - Temporary “COVID-19” Leave under DC Family and Medical Leave Act (DCFMLA)  Workplace Poster- Updated June 8, 2021	
THIS COVID-19 LEAVE NOTICE APPLIES TO EMPLOYERS OF ANY SIZE WITH ONE OR MORE EMPLOYEES IN THE DISTRICT 
OF COLUMBIA. 
Effective Dates:  March 11, 2020 through approximately September 30, 2021 (or the end of the public health 
emergency, if sooner)
KEY PROVISIONS OF TEMPORARY COVID-19 LEAVE UNDER DCFMLA	
1.  COVID-19 Leave (D.C. Code § 32-502.01): During a declared state of public health emergency, an 
employee who has worked for 30 days for an employer of any size may use up to 16 weeks of 
“COVID-19” Leave for one of the following reasons:
a. Care for Self: A recommendation from a healthcare provider to quarantine or 
isolate, including because the employee or an employee’s household member is 
high risk for serious illness from COVID-19;
b.  Care for Family or Household Member: A need to care for a family member or a 
member of the employee’s household pursuant to a government or healthcare 
provider’s order to quarantine or isolate; or
c.  Childcare Closure: A need to care for a child whose childcare facility is closed or 
childcare provider is unavailable. 
The right to COVID-19 Leave terminates when the public health emergency ends, even if an 
employee has not exhausted the 16-week entitlement.
2.  Certification (D.C. Code § 32-502.01(c)): For COVID-19 Leave, an employer may request certification 
of the need for leave, including a signed, dated letter from a healthcare provider, including 
a probable duration, or a statement by a childcare provider or a printed statement from the 
childcare provider’s website. 
3.  Penalties: Violation of the COVID-19 Leave provision (D.C. Code § 32-502.01) could result in a civil 
penalty of $1000 per offense in addition to any damages outlined in D.C. Code § 32-509.
4.  “COVID-19 Public Health Emergency” means Mayor’s declarations of emergencies under MO 2020-
045 and MO 2020-046 and any extensions thereof.  
5.  No Effect on Traditional Family and Medical Leave: CSEA does not change the definitions of 
employer and employee, or eligibility for traditional family and medical leave entitlements, i.e., the 
employee must have worked for one year without a break in service and at least 1,000 hours in the 
preceding twelve months, and only employers with 20 or more employees are covered. Guidance 
on traditional family and medical leave can be found at: ohr.dc.gov/page/OHRGuidance.	
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ohr.dc.gov      phone: (202) 727-4559     fax: (202) 727-9589      441 4th Street NW, Suit e 570N, Washington, DC 20001

ohr.dc.gov      phone: (202) 727-4559     fax: (202) 727-9589      441 4th Street NW, Suite  570N,  Washington,  DC  20001       	
Filing a Complaint of a Violation	
If you believe an employer has wrongfully denied you “COVID-19” leave, family 
leave, medical leave, or retaliated against you under this statute, you can file a 
complaint within one year of the incident with the Office of Human Rights (OHR). 
To file a complaint, visit ohr.dc.gov.  Questions about the OHR process can also be 
answered by phone at (202) 727-4559.	
 
EMPLOYER POSTING REQUIREMENTS 
ALL employers, regardless of size, must post and maintain this COVID-19 Leave Notice in a conspicuous place. 
An employer that willfully fails to post this notice may be ordered to pay a fine of up to $100 for each day the 
employer fails to post the notice.
FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
OHR issued an interpretational guidance with answers to frequently asked questions, which may be accessed 
here: ohr.dc.gov/page/OHRGuidance.