Committee Work

On Wednesday, July 13, at 1pm, the DC Council's Labor and Workforce Development Committee will meet to vote on B24-615, “District Government Paid Leave Enhancement Amendment Act of 2022.”  The bill expands paid family leave available to District government workers to up to 12 weeks per year for family or parental leave, increased from 8 weeks per year, and establish paid personal medical leave and pre-natal leave for the first time. The bill would also adjust the current program’s rules such that employees may take leave one year following the start of their previous paid leave, rather than one year following the end of their last leave, which unfairly delays a second leave for employees initially taking leave on an intermittent basis.  

On Thursday, June 16, at 10:30am, the DC Council's Labor and Workforce Development Committee will meet to consider and vote on B24-456, the Non-Compete Clarification Amendment Act of 2022.  The legislation amends the previous non-compete legislation to create a narrow allowance for non-compete agreements with only those employees who have annual total compensation of at least $250,000, provided that the agreements last no more than one year and adhere to certain drafting requirements including clear disclosure to employees. 

In Spring 2022, the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development will hold hearings on the performance of the agencies within its jurisdiction, followed by hearings on the proposed FY2022 budgets of those agencies. The schedule is below and may be found online at https://dccouncil.gov/2021-2022-performance-oversight-fy-2023-budget-schedules/. We welcome testimony from the public and have several ways to submit testimony. Instructions for testifying follow. **Please note the schedule is subject to change.** Additionally, agencies’ responses to the Committee’s written pre-performance hearing questions are posted here: https://dccouncil.gov/performance-oversight-2022/

Nearly 20 witnesses testified at the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development July 14 hearing on B24-256, the Non-Compete Conflict of Interest Clarification Amendment Act of 2021. Click here to read the written testimony of those who participated. We greatly appreciate all the input provided by the witnesses.

As part of the FY 2022 budget process, the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development has released its budget recommendations. The report and accompanying documents are linked below.  The Committee marked up and voted on the recommendations on Wednesday, June 30, at 4pm.  

Budget documents:

• FY 2022 Budget Report (UPDATED: 7/8/21)
• FY 2022 Budget Report Executive Summary (UPDATED: 7/8/21)
• Attachment A - budget adjustments (UPDATED: 7/8/21)
• Attachment B - Budget Support Act subtitles (UPDATED: 7/8/21)
• Attachment C - Budget Hearing Records Filed Part 1 (UPDATED: 7/8/21)
• Attachment C - Budget Hearing Records Filed Part 2 (UPDATED: 7/8/21)
• Attachment C - Budget Hearing Records Filed Part 3 (UPDATED: 7/8/21)
• Labor & Workforce Development Committee FY 2022 Press Release (DATED 7/1/21)

More budget information can be found on the Council Budget Office's website.

Councilmember Elissa Silverman, Chairperson of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, received testimony from the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES) Director Dr. Unique Morris-Hughes in advance of the June 11 Oversight Hearing on the DOES Budget for FY 2022. Click here to read the Director's testimony.

The virtual hearing will begin at 9:30 a.m. on Friday, June 11, 2021. It will be broadcast live on DC Cable Channel 13 and online at https://www.dccouncil.us/.

Nearly 50 public witnesses testified at the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development June 9 hearing on the FY 2022 budget for the Department of Employment Services (DOES). Click here to read the written testimony of those who participated. We greatly appreciate all the input provided by our public witnesses, as it will inform our consideration of how we can make strategic investments to help those residents and businesses who have been hurt most by the pandemic.

Councilmember Elissa Silverman, Chairperson of the Committee on Labor and Workforce Development, and Councilmember Robert C. White, Jr., Chairperson of the Committee on Government Operations and Facilities, will hold a joint public oversight roundtable on the District’s unemployment compensation programs and related contracts.  The roundtable will be held over two days:  May 5, 2021, at 9 a.m. for public witness testimony and May 12, 2021,  at 9 a.m. for government witness and contractor testimony. The Committees have invited leadership of On Point, which operates the claimants’ online portal, and Codice and Capitol Bridge, which have been contracted to augment the UI call center, to attend.

Tune in on DC Cable Channel 13 and online at www.dccouncil.gov.

On March 11, Councilmember Elissa Silverman, chair of the DC Council's Labor and Workforce Development Committee, sent a letter highlighting four ways for the District to resolve unemployment insurance issues. The letter to Department of Employment Services Director Unique Morris-Hughes came after the Department's performance oversight hearing, where councilmembers heard from dozens of witnesses who could not get issues resolved with the Department.

Director Morris-Hughes initially responded with a letter to committee members on April 7, and we received follow-up correspondence on April 19.

On March 11, Councilmember Elissa Silverman, chair of the DC Council's Labor and Workforce Development Committee, sent a letter highlighting four ways for the District to resolve unemployment insurance issues. The letter to Department of Employment Services Director Unique Morris-Hughes came after the Department's performance oversight hearing, where councilmembers heard from dozens of witnesses who could not get issues resolved with the Department.

Director Morris-Hughes responded on April 7. Here are some important points:

• While the Director would not promise a claims processing "blitz," DOES has hired 100 new contract staff adjudicators who will be concentrating on processing all remaining claims.
• Again, there will be no "blitz," but staff at DOES will work to send robocalls and text messages to claimants regarding their right to request higher weekly benefit amounts.
• Interstate Program Coordinators will continue to reach out daily to their counterparts in Maryland and Virginia regarding DC claimants experiencing difficulties in those jurisdictions.
• DOES is reviewing the Biden Rescue Plan in order to develop clear guidance and timelines for the new benefit extensions and has issued a fact sheet on the federal plan.