ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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AN ACT
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IN THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA
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To amend, on an emergency basis, due to congressional review, the District of Columbia
Government Comprehensive Merit Personnel Act of 1978 to provide paid leave for a
District government employee when the employee suffers the death of the employee’s
minor child or a stillbirth.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE COUNCIL OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA, That this
act may be cited as the “District Government Parental Bereavement Leave Congressional
Review Emergency Amendment Act of 2023”.
Sec. 2. Section 1203 of the District of Columbia Government Comprehensive Merit
Personnel Act of 1978, effective March 3, 1979 (D.C. Law 2- 139; D.C. Official Code § 1-
612.03), is amended by adding a new subsection (n- 1) to read as follows:
“(n-1)(1) In addition to the leave authorized by subsection (n) of this section, an
employee shall be entitled to 10 days of bereavement leave without loss of pay, leave, or service
credit when the employee suffers a stillbirth or the employee suffers the death of the employee’s
child under the age of 21 years.
“(2) Leave authorized by paragraph (1) of this subsection must be exercised
within 60 days after the death of the employee’s child or after the employee suffers a stillbirth.
“(3) Leave authorized by paragraph (1) of this subsection shall not count toward
the unpaid medical and family leave entitlements in the District of Columbia Family and Medical
Leave Act of 1990, effective Oc tober 3, 1990 (D.C. Law 8- 181; D.C. Official Code § 32- 501 et
seq.), and shall be in addition to paid medical or family leave otherwise available to the
employee under this title.
“(4) For the purposes of this subsection, the term:
“(A) “Child” means:
“(i) The biological, adoptive, or step- child of the employee or the
employee’s spouse; or
“(ii) A person for whom the employee stands in loco parentis.
“(B) “Stillbirth” means the death of a fetus at 20 weeks’ gestation or later
for the following employees:
“(i) An employee who was pregnant with the fetus; ENROLLED ORIGINAL
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“(ii) An employee who is the spouse or domestic partner of the
individual who was pregnant with the fetus; or
“(iii) An employee who intended to assume parental
responsibilities for the fetus had the fetus been born alive.”.
Sec. 3. Applicability.
This act shall apply as of November 19, 2022.
Sec. 4. Fiscal impact statement.
The Council adopts the fiscal impact statement of the Budget Director as the fiscal impact
statement required by section 4a of the General Legislative Procedures Act of 1975, approved
October 16, 2006 (120 Stat. 2038; D.C. Official Code § 1- 301.47a).
Sec. 5. Effective date.
This act shall take effect following approval by the Mayor (or in the event of veto by the
Mayor, action by the Council to override the veto), and shall remain in effect for no longer than
90 days, as provided for emergency acts of the Council of the District of Columbia in section
412(a) of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act, approved December 24, 1973 (87 Stat. 788;
D.C. Official Code § 1- 204.12(a)).
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Chairman
Council of the District of Columbia
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Mayor
District of Columbia