DC Code § 32-502.01 (2021)
2021 District of Columbia Code|Title 32 - Labor|Chapter 5 - Leave from Work|Subchapter I - Family and Medical Leave|§ 32-502.01. COVID-19 leave

 *NOTE: This section was created by temporary legislation that will expire on February 4, 2022.*   *NOTE: This section includes amendments by emergency legislation that will expire on October 22, 2021. To view the text of the temporary legislation that created this section, click this link: Temporary Version.*  (a) From March 11, 2020, until November 5, 2021, an employee shall be entitled to leave if the employee is unable to work due to: (1) A recommendation from a health care provider that the employee isolate or quarantine, including because the employee or an individual with whom the employee shares a household is at high risk for serious illness from COVID-19; (2) A need to care for a family member or an individual with whom the employee shares a household who is under a government or health care provider's order to quarantine or isolate; or (3) A need to care for a child whose school or place of care is closed or whose childcare provider is unavailable to the employee. (b)(1) An employee may use no more than 16 weeks of leave pursuant to this section from March 11, 2020, until November 5, 2021. (2) Repealed. (c) An employer may require reasonable certification of the need for COVID-19 leave as follows: (1) If the leave is necessitated by the recommendation of a health care provider to the employee, a written, dated statement from a health care provider stating that the employee has such need and the probable duration of the need for leave; (2) If the leave is necessitated by the recommendation of a health care provider to an employee's family member or individual with whom the employee shares a household, a written, dated statement from a health care provider stating that the individual has such need and the probable duration of the condition. (3) If the leave is needed because a school, place of care, or childcare provider is unavailable, a statement by the head of the agency, company, or childcare provider stating such closure or unavailability, which may include a printed statement obtained from the institution's website. (d) Notwithstanding § 32-516, this section shall apply to any employer regardless of the number of persons in the District that the employer employs. (e)(1) Except as provided in paragraphs (2) and (3) of this subsection, leave under this section may consist of unpaid leave. (2) Any paid leave provided by an employer that the employee elects to use for leave under this section shall count against the 16 workweeks of allowable leave provided in this section. (3) If an employer has a program that allows an employee to use the paid leave of another employee under certain conditions and the conditions have been met, the employee may use the paid leave as leave and the leave shall count against the 16 workweeks of leave provided in this section. (4) An employee shall not be required, but may elect, to use leave provided under this section before other leave to which the employee is entitled under federal or District law or an employer's policies, unless barred by District or federal law. (f) The provisions of § 32-505 shall apply to an employee who takes leave pursuant to this section. (g) An employer who willfully violates subsections (a) through (e) of this section shall be assessed a civil penalty of $1,000 for each offense. (h) The rights provided to an employee under this section may not be diminished by any collective bargaining agreement or any employment benefit program or plan; except, that this section shall not supersede any clause on family or medical leave in a collective bargaining agreement in force on the applicability date of this section for the time that the collective bargaining agreement is in effect. (i) Repealed.  (Oct. 3, 1990, D.C. Law 8-181, § 3a; as added June 24, 2021, D.C. Law 24-9, § 104(b), 68 DCR 004824; July 24, 2021, D.C. Act 24-125, § 3(c), 68 DCR 007342.)  Emergency Legislation  For temporary (90 days) amendment of this section, see § 3(c) of Public Emergency Extension and Eviction and Utility Moratorium Phasing Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-125, July 24, 2021, 68 DCR 007342).   For temporary (90 days) creation of this section, see § 104(b) of Coronavirus Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-96, June 7, 2021, 68 DCR 006025).   For temporary (90 days) creation of this section, see § 104(b) of Coronavirus Support Emergency Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Act 24-30, Mar. 17, 2021, 68 DCR 003101).   For temporary (90 days) creation of this section, see § 103(b) of Coronavirus Support Second Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-405, Aug. 19, 2020, 67 DCR 10235).   For temporary (90 days) creation of this section, see § 6 of Coronavirus Support Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-332, July 7, 2020, 67 DCR 8609).   For temporary (90 days) creation of this section, see § 104(b) of Coronavirus Support Congressional Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-328, June 8, 2020, 67 DCR 7598).   For temporary (90 days) creation of this section, see § 104(b) of Coronavirus Support Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-326, May 27, 2020, 67 DCR 7045).   For temporary (90 days) creation of this section, see § 102(b) of COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Act 23-247, Mar. 17, 2020, 67 DCR 3093).  Temporary Legislation  For temporary (225 days) creation of this section, see § 104(b) of Coronavirus Support Temporary Amendment Act of 2021 (D.C. Law 24-9, June 24, 2021, 68 DCR 004824).   For temporary (225 days) creation of this section, see § 104(b) of Coronavirus Support Temporary Amendment Act of 2020 (D.C. Law 23-130, Oct. 9, 2020, 67 DCR 8622).