DC Paid Family Leave: Access and Impact on Workers

Overview

IWPR’s latest report examines the impact of the District of Columbia’s Paid Family Leave program by analyzing qualitative data from interviews with DC residents who used the benefit. Their experiences reveal how access to paid leave influences financial, physical, and mental well-being—especially for new parents and caregivers navigating significant life events.

Key Findings

• Most participants learned about DC Paid Family Leave through friends or coworkers rather than their employers, highlighting an information gap in workplace communication.
• Participants found the application process largely manageable, though some described the system as “clunky” and lacking flexibility for split leave periods.
• Paid leave relieved financial pressure, especially for lower-income workers and new parents, allowing participants to cover essentials and avoid early return to work.
• Workers used the leave to care for newborns, grieve loss, manage postpartum recovery, and attend therapy, with many citing significant mental health benefits.
• Both men and women emphasized how the leave enabled more equitable caregiving roles at home.
• Though disappointed in the lack of employer-provided paid leave, participants valued DC’s policy as a critical safety net that helped them stay employed.

Policy Implications

The report recommends better enforcement of employer notification requirements, broader outreach and education about the program, and legislative changes to expand leave duration, include job protection, and cover stress-related care. On a national level, the authors advocate for a comprehensive paid leave policy with robust, inclusive benefits and funding mechanisms that don’t draw from existing safety net programs.