D.C. Act 24-31. District Government Family Bereavement Leave Emergency Amendment Act of 2021.

AN ACT

To amend, on an emergency basis, 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 Family Bereavement Leave Emergency Amendment Act of 2021".

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) Beginning December 1, 2020, 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 effective date of the District Government Family Bereavement Leave Emergency Amendment Act of 2021, passed on emergency basis on March 2, 2021 (Enrolled version of Bill 24-51), or within 60 days after the death of the employee's child or stillbirth, whichever is later.

"(3) For the purposes of this subsection, the term:

"(A) "Child" means the biological, adoptive, or step-child of the employee, the employee's spouse, or person for whom the employee stands in loco parentis.

"(B) "Stillbirth" means the loss of a pregnancy at 20 weeks' gestation or later.".

Sec. 3. 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. 4. 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)).