- The Washington Times - Tuesday, February 9, 2016

D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson has pared down the District’s plan to give city workers 16 weeks of paid medical and family leave, thought still keeping the proposal as the most generous leave policy in the country.

Late Monday, Mr. Mendelson reduced the 16-week proposal to 12 weeks and cut the maximum weekly benefit from $3,000 to $1,500. Other jurisdictions around the country provide no more than six weeks of paid leave.

Mr. Mendelson, at-large Democrat, said the changes make the plan more financially tenable, but D.C. Chief Financial Officer Jeffrey DeWitt reserved judgment on that until a budget for the program is scored.

Workers’ rights advocates expressed wariness about the reduced benefits.

“We have concerns that corporate lobbyists will continue to try to weaken the bill,” said Jaime Contreras, local vice president of the Service Employees International Union. “Working families should always come first for the District, especially given that businesses will assuredly continue to thrive in the District’s strong and growing economy.”

The paid leave program would give time off to all full- and part-time workers for the birth or adoption of a child, to care for a family member with a serious illness, recuperation from military deployment or an employee’s recovery from a serious illness.

• Ryan M. McDermott can be reached at rmcdermott@washingtontimes.com.

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