AUGUST
August 24, 2020
The DCist//Eliza Berkon
As the pandemic took hold this spring, Destinie Jackson watched her hours dwindle to nothing at the Ellicott City childcare center where she worked. She applied for unemployment insurance and was soon getting $610 each week.
August 24, 2020
WAMU//Eliza Berkon
As the pandemic took hold this spring, Destinie Jackson watched her hours dwindle to nothing at the Ellicott City childcare center where she worked. She applied for unemployment insurance and was soon getting $610 each week.
August 21, 2020
EIN News//
(Washington, DC) – The District of Columbia’s Department of Employment Services (DOES) reported today that the seasonally adjusted preliminary unemployment rate was 8.4 percent in July; this was a decrease of 0.3 percentage points from the reported June rate.
August 13, 2020
Street Sense//
Andre Roberson has been working through the summer to install solar panels on Howard University rooftops. He gets paid $18/hour, and he was promoted in March from a team lead to a solar installer. He now manages seven or eight other workers.
August 10, 2020
Street Sense// Maria Trovato
…. One D.C. was advocating for rent relief to be funded by reallocating some of MPD’s budget. The Fiscal Year 2021 budget approved on July 23, two days after the protest, included $578 million for MPD, down from its current budget of $611 million. That amount of funding exceeds what is allotted to the D.C. Housing Authority, Department of Employment Services, Health Department, and University of the District of Columbia combined, Gregoire noted. D.C. Council is now on recess until Sept. 7.
August 10, 2020
Black News//
CIRTE’s CEO, Cedric Thompson, shared, “This opportunity is beneficial for the community as a whole and it answers the call to create the next generation of civic-minded leaders.” CIRTE designed the program when the D.C. Department of Employment Services requested proposals for the six-week work experience that help prepare DC youth, ages 18-24, with becoming the front-line leaders within their high-crime PSA communities.
August 6, 2020
The Washington Blade// EDT
LaToya MillerHarris is a senior training specialist at Pepco. In 2016, she and two co-workers founded the Exelon Pride Employee Resource Group for Pepco’s D.C./Maryland region.
“Being excited about Exelon’s introduction of ERGs to Pepco, I joined Baltimore Gas & Electric’s (also an Exelon Company) Pride ERG,” MillerHarris said. “Seeing the work BGE was doing for its LGBTQ employees, allies, and community, I immediately wanted to see the same for Pepco and hopped on the opportunity to be on a team that created the business plan, engaged membership, co-led the chapter and advocated for LGBTQ concerns within the Pepco workplace.”
August 1, 2020
The Washington Post// Kyle Swenson
He had five days to move out of the house in Brightwood Park, and now Daniel Vought stood looking at the plastic crates stacked in the living room holding his things. T-shirts. Power cords. Pokémon cards and stuffed animals. His beloved guitar — a Gibson Explorer electric — still hung on the wall. He figured it would be safer staying behind.
August 1, 2020
NBC News // Caroline Modarressy-Tehrani
Millions of Americans are suffering financially due to the coronavirus pandemic, but Black and Latinx women are experiencing job loss at higher levels than their white counterparts. For some women of color, unemployment has already struck more than once during the crisis. Many are struggling to find work in an increasingly tough economy.
JULY
July 30, 2020
WTOP// Megan Cloherty
“I am personally, and I know the mayor is, proud of the team at the Department of Employment Services and all of our host partners for adapting so quickly and making this summer work. We’ve had over 8,000 young people in our community engaging in this program; and I’m happy our young people will get more time to get more skills and engage more deeply with their programs and their mentors,” Kihn said during a news conference Thursday.
July 29, 2020
EINNEWS//Press Release e
(Washington, DC) - The District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (DOES) reported today that the preliminary June job estimates show an increase of 52,400 jobs for a total of 2,551,200 jobs in the Washington Metropolitan Division. The private sector increased by 51,000 jobs, while the public sector payroll increased by 1,400 jobs. The Washington Metropolitan Division's not seasonally adjusted June 2020 unemployment rate was 8.5 percent, which is a decrease of 0.4 percentage points from the May 2020 rate of 8.9 percent. The Washington Metropolitan Division’s unemployment rate was 3.3 percent in June 2019, which was 5.2 percentage points lower than the current unemployment rate of 8.5 percent.
July 25, 2020
The Washington Post//Emily Davies
As life during the pandemic heads into its fifth month, demand for food assistance continues to rise. In D.C., more than 8,000 people have filed for unemployment in the past three weeks, bringing the total number of unemployment claims filed since March to more than of 131,000, according to data published by the Department of Employment Services. Martha’s Table, which used to serve 500 meals each day, has ratcheted up its capacity to supply more than 2,000 meals daily, said Kim Ford, the organization’s president and chief executive. TAP, which had planned to host galas and mentorship events this summer, shifted its focus to food assistance, providing more than 600,000 pounds of fresh produce for families nationwide in the past three months.
July 23, 2020
Technical.ly//
Since its inception in 2013, On-Ramps to Careers has provided 700 internships and training opportunities for minority students. The organization has worked with the Department of Employment Services Summer Youth Employment Program, DC Public Schools and local technology employers to host these programs yearly.
July 23, 2020
CapRadio// Avie Schneider, Jim Zarroli | NPR
New claims for unemployment benefits rose last week for the first time in four months — since March 28 — as states began reimposing lockdown restrictions in an effort to reverse a surge of coronavirus cases.
July 17, 2020
JD Supra//
The D.C. Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016 (UPLA) provides covered employees with certain amounts of paid leave during any 52-week period for one of three qualifying events: eight weeks for parental leave; six weeks for family leave; and two weeks for medical leave. Employers covered by the UPLA have been paying the employer payroll tax since July 1, 2019, and covered employees will have the right to apply for UPLA benefits effective July 1, 2020. This article takes a look at requirements and provisions of the Final Benefit Regulations, which took effect on March 26, 2020.1
July 17, 2020
JD Supra//
The District of Columbia recently adopted a new version of emergency laws requiring employers to provide both paid and unpaid leave to eligible employees for certain COVID-19 related reasons. The Mayor signed the Coronavirus Support Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 and the Coronavirus Support Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (together, CSEA) into law on May 27,2020 and July 7, 2020, respectively. CSEA replaces prior versions of the District’s COVID-19 related emergency leave laws.
July 16, 2020
Lexology//
The District of Columbia recently adopted a new version of emergency laws requiring employers to provide both paid and unpaid leave to eligible…
July 16, 2020
Industry Week//
For the past nine years, the group has created technology and engineering career pathways for DC’s most vulnerable youth. This program has provided 700 internships and training opportunities for minority students through the Department of Employment Services, Summer Youth Employment Program, DC public schools and twenty regional technology employers.
2020 at-large Council candidates tackle questions about homelessness, DC’s budget, and police reform
July 16, 2020
Greater Greater Washington//
As part of Greater Greater Washington’s endorsement process for the non-Democratic at-large seat, our elections committee emailed our questionnaire, addressing housing, transportation, and land use issues, to candidates running in the November 3 general election, for Councilmember David Grosso’s soon-to-be-former at-large seat
July 15, 2020
Business Wire//
WASHINGTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Racism, police violence, and socioeconomic barriers remain the norms African American families are oppressed with every day. For nearly 9 years, On-Ramps to Careers continues to stand against institutional racism threatening the livelihoods of African Americans. On-Ramps creates meaningful technology and engineering career pathways for DC’s most vulnerable youth. This program has provided 700 internships and training opportunities for minority students through the Department of Employment Services (DOES) Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP), DC Public Schools and twenty regional technology employers. Over 95% are African American students and their engagement is helping change the human capital landscape and technology workforce culture.
July 14, 2020
Street Sense// Eunice Sung
From March 13 to July 7, over 120,000 unemployment compensation claims were filed in the District, according to the Department of Employment Services. To account for the potential repercussions of the public health crisis, the D.C. Tenant Union is demanding a two-year freeze on rent increases while the city recovers, the right to counsel in eviction cases, tripled funding and expanded eligibility for the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and the enactment into law of the Reclaim Rent Control platform in its entirety.
July 14, 2020
DC Policy Center//
According to preliminary data released by the D.C. Department Employment Services, the District’s labor force declined by 15,000 between April and May, in addition to a 18,000 decline between March and April, and now stands at 387,500. Between April and May, 2,300 residents lost their jobs, and employment fell to 353,200. The number of unemployed fell as well, by 12,700, bringing resident unemployment to 34,300.
July 9, 2020
GW Hatchet// Lia DeGroot, Zach Schonfeld
Businesses near campus have received financial support from the federal government under a loan program designed to keep small businesses afloat during the COVID-19 pandemic.
July 9, 2020
INC//
While many such efforts are still small and local, some multinationals such as JP Morgan Chase, Starbucks, and Slack are now making second-chance hiring an intentional and visible part of their recruitment strategies. In our own work at the Georgetown University Pivot Program, a partnership with the DC Department of Employment Services, we work every day with talented and motivated returning citizens who are ready to contribute in the workplace. Companies can partner with nonprofits working in the re-entry space, connect with the talent pipeline through workforce developers and local governments, and access relevant resources and toolkits.
July 2, 2020
The GW Hatchet// Jarrod Wardwell
D.C. officials boosted the city’s minimum wage from $14 to $15 per hour Wednesday following a years long struggle to raise pay for workers in the District.
July 1, 2020
DC Post//Jane Smith
The minimum wage in the District of Columbia will increase from $14 per hour to $15 per hour, it was announced by the city’s Department of Employment Services.
JUNE
June 30, 2020
National Law Review//
Starting July 1, 2020, eligible employees may take paid leave under the District of Columbia’s Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act.
June 30, 2020
JD Supra//
After three years of preparation, the District of Columbia’s Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016 goes live this Wednesday, July 1. The law enables eligible employees who work in D.C. to take paid leave for certain family and medical purposes. Earlier this year, the D.C. Department of Employment Services, which will administer the program, suggested that the leave benefits portion of the statute might be delayed due to COVID-19. However, this possibility did not come to pass, and benefits will be available to eligible employees starting this Wednesday as planned.
June 30, 2020
The DC Line//
WASHINGTON, DC, June 30, 2020 – Tomorrow, July 1, 2020, DC’s Paid Family Leave program fully launches, allowing eligible workers the opportunity to take time off from work to care for loved ones or themselves during the most critical times in their life without sacrificing a paycheck and financial stability. The program will offer employees of DC businesses up to eight weeks of paid parental leave, six weeks of paid leave to care for sick family members, and two weeks of paid leave for personal medical reasons. DC’s Paid Family Leave program will be the sixth of its kind in the nation.
June 30, 2020
WTOP// Rob Woodfork
Starting Wednesday, the minimum hourly wage in D.C. will be $15, the city’s Department of Employment Services announced.
June 30, 2020
WAMU// Ally Schweitzer
Advocates who fought for a $15 minimum wage couldn’t have predicted a threat like the coronavirus.
Within weeks of winning Virginia’s first wage increase in 11 years — a raise to $9.50 from the current $7.25 in January, then potentially to $15 in 2026 — progressive Democrats and labor unions watched their victory take a blow when the General Assembly voted to delay raises by four months to ease pressure on businesses harmed by the pandemic.
June 26, 2020
WAMU//Eliza Berkon
After months of back and forth with the D.C. Department of Employment Services, a D.C. resident is suing the city, alleging it owes her at least five weeks of unpaid unemployment benefits. The lawsuit casts a light on the struggle many residents are encountering as they try to get the support they need to pull through a major economic crisis.
June 26, 2020
East Idaho News//Veronica Stracqualursi and Nicky Robertson, CNN
Sen. Tom Cotton argued on Thursday that Wyoming, which he called a “well-rounded working-class state,” is more deserving of statehood than the District of Columbia, even though the nation’s capital has more citizens.
June 26, 2020
The DCist//Rachel Sadon
Paid family and medical leave has crossed its final hurdle in the District.
The city’s chief financial officer has certified that the program, which would give employees of D.C. businesses up to eight weeks of paid parental leave, has enough funding to move forward on July 1.
June 26, 2020
The Washington Business Journal//Alex Koma
D.C.’s paid family leave program looks set to launch July 1, meeting the city’s target date even as the coronavirus crisis raised questions about how the policy should move forward.
June 26, 2020
WJLA//Scott Taylor
Many in DC are heading back to work but others aren't as lucky and after more than a month of trying to collect her unemployment benefits from DC's Department of Employment Services, Michelle Ruby is still out of work and is now fighting back.
June 25, 2020
NBC Washington 4//
Many summer jobs for teens look different this summer, including those through the popular Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program. A group of about 100 teens are learning how to turn a passion for video games into a career. News4’s Juliana Valencia takes a look.
June 26, 2020
Newsela//
This past spring was a moment of rebellion for some, as teens fought their parents' demands to stay home as the deadly coronavirus pandemic descended. Next came sullen acceptance, followed by weeks of virtual learning and video games.
June 24, 2020
The DC Line//Press Release
Today, the D.C. Council’s Committee on Labor and Workforce Development unanimously approved recommendations for the fiscal year (FY) 2021 budget put forth by Committee Chair Elissa Silverman (I-At-Large). The recommendations prioritize investing in high-demand industry training in healthcare, IT, and infrastructure; modernizing DC’s unemployment insurance system; creating employment opportunities for DC youth during the school year; and making sure a level playing field is enforced so DC workers get paid fairly. In total, the Committee recommends an increase of $1.5 million to the Department of Employment Services (DOES) budget from Mayor Bowser’s proposal to help DC recover from the economic crisis that has resulted from the coronavirus pandemic and take on the challenge of truly addressing income inequality and racial inequity in the District of Columbia.
June 23, 2020
The Washington Blade//
“A $350,000 increase in the Department of Employment Services budget to establish a “Trans tech social Hub” to help people who identify as transgender and queer to “combat employment discrimination and train for legal employment.”
June 22, 2020
JD Supra//
Benefits will be available to employees under the District of Columbia’s paid family and medical leave program, known as D.C. Paid Family Leave (DCPFL), starting July 1, 2020. As discussed in our prior posts here and here, DCPFL provides partial wage replacement benefits to eligible employees who need to take leave for certain medical or family reasons. The program is funded by employer payroll taxes, which D.C. employers began paying in July 2019. DCPFL is administered by the Department of Employment Services (DOES), which will make eligibility determinations and pay benefits directly to employees.
June 19, 2020
PoPville//Prince of Petworth
After over a month of waiting from the time I submitted my Pandemic Unemployment Assistance claim I finally began receiving benefits. I was surprised that the amount I received was only $779 per week. That would be $600 coming from Federal Unemployment Compensation and only $179 coming from DC’s Pandemic Unemployment Assistance. Based on my pre-Covid income I was expecting to be getting DC’s maximum weekly benefit amount of $444. According to DC’s Pandemic Unemployment FAQ sheet, $179 is the minimum weekly benefit and $444 is the maximum. The FAQ sheet does state that PUA claims may be established at the minimum amount, but that amount may be increased after the submitted wage documentation has been reviewed. (See below)
June 18, 2020
Lexology//
Benefits will be available to employees under the District of Columbia’s paid family and medical leave program, known as D.C. Paid Family Leave…
June 17, 2020
Technical.ly//
This open letter comes after Byte Back launched a petition calling for local government leaders to invest more in digital resources. The organization is also promoting the appointment of a digital inclusion officer for the District “to ensure that digital equity is included across many D.C. government agencies.” Byte Back said it would also like to see more funding invested into tech training for the local workforce development system under the Department of Employment Services and the Workforce Investment Council. The petition gained nearly 600 signatures, and these demands are reiterated in the open letter.
June 15, 2020
The 74 Mill//Taylor Swaak
Marje Hines spent last year’s D.C. summer youth employment program working as a summer camp counselor. She’d read books with rambunctious youngsters, or take them outside to doodle with chalk and play basketball.
June 12, 2020
East of the River News// Elizabeth O’Gorek
At-Large Councilmember Elissa Silverman (I) spends her afternoons on the Seventh Floor of One Judiciary Square. There she sits with 100 other District employees, some employed by DC Department of Employment Services (DOES), many pulled from a range of other District agencies, to answer the deluge of calls related to Unemployment Insurance (UI) claims.
June 2, 2020
The DC Line//
The race for the Ward 2 seat on the DC Council is ripe for confusion: The June 2 primary for the next four-year term features an eight-way race for the Democratic nomination and an uncontested candidate for the Republican nomination. Meanwhile, a June 16 special election — open to all Ward 2 voters, regardless of party registration — has seven candidates vying to serve the remaining six months of the current term held by Jack Evans until he resigned in January amid an ethics scandal and an expected vote by his colleagues to expel him.
MAY
May 29, 2020
DC Line//
…As a board member of the Fort Stanton Civic Association, Green helped organize his neighbors in championing a new $12.5 million recreation center. As an advisory neighborhood commissioner, he helped the DC auditor uncover misappropriated funds. He also spent four years as an unemployment compensation adjudicator for the DC Department of Employment Services, where he conducted investigations to verify benefit claims.
May 28, 2020
Wabash Valley// CHRISTOPHER RUGABER, Associated Press
A debate in Congress over whether to extend $600 a week in federally provided benefits to the unemployed looks sure to intensify with the number of people receiving the aid now topping 30 million — one in five workers.
May 28, 2020
Bis Now//
D.C. is beginning its push to move agencies east of the Anacostia River with a major new deal in Ward 7.
May 28, 2020
Washington Business Journal//
D.C.’s Department of General Services will move its headquarters to a development along Minnesota Ave. NE, making it the first agency to commit to Mayor Muriel Bowser’s pledge to push more of the District government east of the Anacostia River.
May 28 2020
The DC Line//
Workers in the Department of Employment Services and the Board of Elections are straining under higher workloads and upended work routines. DC Fire and Emergency Medical Services Department personnel and Department of Public Works trash collectors risk their lives daily, while other workers distribute free meals at DC public schools or provide free COVID-19 testing. Yet these workers are asked to forgo cost-of-living increases in the name of “shared sacrifice,” when the sacrifices are anything but equally distributed.
May 28, 2020
The DC Line// jonetta rose barras
With Mayor Muriel Bowser set to begin reopening DC after the city’s weekslong closure amid a public health emergency, there are legitimate concerns about the future of our arts and culture industry, including artists and other personnel. Much attention has been paid during this pandemic to the plight of hotels, restaurants and small businesses. However, for the uninformed, nonprofit arts organizations are also businesses. They seem to have been treated as superfluous institutions or fillers to the economy.
May 28, 2020
The Washington Informer//James Wright
While some young people will be campers, others will join the workforce as participants in the annual Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (SYEP).
May 28, 2020
The DCist//
May 28, 9:05 a.m.: An additional 2.1 million people across the U.S. filed jobless claims last week, bringing the total since mid-March to more than 40 million, according to new data from the U.S. Department of Labor.
May 26, 2020
DC Policy Center//Yesim Sayin Taylor
On Friday, May 22, the Bureau of Labor Statistics released its monthly data on employment and unemployment for states and metropolitan areas. These data show that unemployment rate in the District of Columbia now stands at 11.1 percent—the highest rate seen in recent history.
May 26, 2020
USA9//Staff
WASHINGTON — A D.C. Circulator operator has died due to COVID-19 complications. The news comes a month after WUSA9 confirmed two operators had tested positive for the coronavirus.
May 22, 2020
The Washington Post//
Julie Zauzmer, Colby Itkowitz and Gregory S. Schneider
The lead coordinator of the White House coronavirus task force said Friday that the District and its suburbs have the highest rate in the country of people testing positive for the infection, despite implementing the same restrictions and stay-at-home orders as other states.
May 22, 2020
The DCist// Debbie Truong
D.C. Public Schools will offer a virtual summer school session in June, but some students could return to classrooms in August if the spread of the coronavirus continues to slow.
May 22, 2020
The Washington Post// Peter Jamison, Dana Hedgpeth
The number of known coronavirus cases in the District, Maryland and Virginia was 87,267 on Friday, with 44,424 cases in Maryland, 34,950 in Virginia and 7,893 in the District. The number of virus-related deaths reached 2,207 in Maryland, 1,136 in Virginia and 418 in the District, for a total of 3,761 fatalities.
May 22, 2020
Washington City Biz//
The U.S. Department of Labor has reached a settlement agreement with the board of trustees of the Food Employers Labor Relations Association (FELRA) and United Food and Commercial Workers (UFCW) Voluntary Employees’ Beneficiary Association (VEBA) Fund, a multi-employer welfare benefit fund. The agreement requires the trustees of the Sparks, Maryland-based fund to pay $431,818 in previously denied severance benefits to 32 former employees of SuperFresh grocery stores.
May 22, 2020
Patch// Michael O'Connell, Patch Staff
As District residents prepare for the upcoming phased reopening of the city, many parents and young people are wondering what that will mean for D.C. Public Schools. In particular, will graduating seniors get to celebrate their commencement?
May 22, 2020
Washington City Paper// Laura Hayes
"Let me sum up D.C.’s reopening plans from the perspective of a restaurateur: we are fucked," Ian Hilton, the man behind El Rey, Chez Billy Sud, and many other restaurants in the city, tweeted Friday. His colorful comments came in response to yesterday's reopening recommendations from Mayor Muriel Bowser's ReOpen DC advisory group.
May 22, 2020
NBC Washington// Andrea Swalec
D.C.’s upcoming school year will start Aug. 31 and there’s no decision yet on whether classes will be taught in person or remotely, officials said in update Friday
May 21, 2020
GW Hatchet// Jarrod Wardwell
The Foggy Bottom and West End Advisory Neighborhood Commission passed a resolution Wednesday to improve the Department of Employment Services’ software that processes the growing number of unemployment claims from laid-off and furloughed workers amid widespread business struggles. Commissioners proposed that a new District Digital Service fixes the technological shortfalls of D.C.’s online portals, preventing problems from occurring during widespread unemployment emergencies in the future.
May 21, 2020
GW Hatchet// Jarrod Wardwell
Brooke Pinto, who has served as the District’s assistant attorney general for policy and legislative affairs, said the budget should include “more direct” relief for small businesses, residents and renters. She said the budget’s hiring freeze weakens government agencies like the Department of Employment Services that will need to increase staffing to process a surge in unemployment insurance claims.
May 21, 2020
The DC Line//
The Department of Employment Services Navigation Call Center will be closed for the holiday. Residents are encouraged to file unemployment insurance claims online at does.dc.gov.
May 19, 2020
WJLA// Anna-Lysa Gayle
Since March 13th, more than 99,000 unemployment claims have been filed in D.C.
“I haven’t paid my rent, health insurance, I haven’t paid my phone bill just yet,” said Mick Perrigo.
May 13, 2020
WUSA9// Nathan Baca
DC’s Department of Employment Services declined an interview, writing in a statement it is working to “bridge the gaps of an aging system,” adding: “The unprecedented demand has confirmed what we know – it is time for the federal government to invest strategically in the technology and innovation of their federal program's aging infrastructure.”
May 13, 2020
Fox 5//
The Unemployment Compensation office, however, may reach out to employers to verify your status. If the government determines that you received a job offer -- but you said you had not on your application -- you could be out of work and may lose your benefits.
May 9, 2020
Patch//Deb Belt
With record unemployment levels reaching new highs every week, but a good number of employers are searching for workers in Washington, D.C., and northern Virginia.
Visit the DC Department of Employment Services website for links to applications forms. You can also call 202-724-7000.
May 8, 2020
WAMU// Ally Schweitzer
The District of Columbia has also struggled to keep up with a surge of applications, though a spokesperson for D.C.’s Department of Employment Services says the city has paid out nearly 4,000 of the 11,000-plus PUA claims it has received thus far.
May 7, 2020
DC Policy Center// Yesim Sayin Taylor
The nonprofit and advocacy sector in the District of Columbia employs over 70,000 employees.[1] While some of these organizations are focused on national policy, local nonprofits play an important role in service delivery—from out-of-school time programs, to community collectives providing services to the most vulnerable residents.
[1] This is the number of persons employed under “Religious, Grantmaking, Civic, Professional, & Similar Organizations” according to data from March 2020, compiled by the D.C. Department of Employment Services, and the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics.
May 5, 2020
Slate// Jordan Weissmann
And that’s just one state. If you run a business with offices in multiple states, you’ll have to apply for a separate work-sharing agreement in each one, at least if you want to cover your entire staff. For Slate, that’s meant trying to make inroads at Washington, D.C.’s Department of Employment Services, which as far I can tell is basically a black hole from which information cannot escape. (This is part of why Slate is still trying to decide whether or not to pursue work share.)
May 3, 2020
JD Supra//
On March 17, 2020, Washington D.C. Council unanimously passed and Mayor Muriel Bowser signed the Covid-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act of 2020. The emergency legislation temporarily revises D.C.’s Unemployment Compensation Program as follows:
APRIL
April 30, 2020
Metro Weekly//John Riley
But the 34-year-old resident of Ward 7’s Deanwood neighborhood and local ANC commissioner, says his atypical resumé — which includes stints as a consultant, a claims examiner for the D.C. Department of Employment Services, and a rideshare driver, primarily for Uber — as well as his experience as a community organizer outside of work hours, are benefits that put him more in touch with the feelings and concerns of working-class Washingtonians.
April 29, 2020
Street Sense//Alexandra Kelley
Still, Tobias advocates for alleviating mass homelessness through more sustainable solutions. He believes in allocating more public resources to provide relevant training for individuals experiencing homelessness through the Department of Human Resources. This would prepare these individuals for “decent government jobs” through the D.C. Department of Employment Services (DOES) and help them find gainful employment in the public and private sectors.
April 29, 2020
Patch//Michael O'Connell, Patch Staff
Thousands of DC residents who lost their jobs due to the coronavirus pandemic filed for unemployment insurance over the last month, according new data shared by Mayor Muriel Bowser Wednesday.
April 29, 2020
The Washington Business Journal//Drew Hansen
More than 3.8 million Americans filed initial unemployment claims for the week ending April 25, bringing the six-week total to more than 30 million as the Covid-19 pandemic has hit the country’s workforce extremely hard.
April 22, 2020
WTOP//Jack Moore
Bowser said the D.C. Department of Employment Services has paid out $90 million to nearly 34,000 people who have filed unemployment claims. Overall, more than 72,000 District residents have filed for unemployment since mid-March.
April 22, 2020
NBC4 Washington// Mark Segraves and Andrea Swalec
“DC unemployment claims reach 72,274. Paid out more than $90 million so far.”
April 20, 2020
Washington City Paper//Amanda Michelle Gomez
Meanwhile, workers—from chefs to bartenders—are dependent on unemployment insurance to cover the cost of groceries and rent, a maximum check of $444 per week. Applying for unemployment has been a nightmare, as the Department of Employment Services’ dated system struggles to keep up with the 70,069 claims residents have filed.
April 17, 2020
The Washington City Paper//Laura Hayes
Wetmore is one of about 68,000 people who have applied for unemployment benefits with the Department of Employment Services (DOES) since COVID-19 prompted mass layoffs in mid-March. The hospitality industry is among the hardest hit sectors.
April 17, 2020
The Washington City Paper//Mitch Rayles
Back to the issues: At the top of Evans' list this election season is coronavirus response and recovery. Evans advocates for suspending rent payments and evictions for middle- and low-income residents (the Council already banned evictions during the public health emergency), providing small businesses with grant funding (also underway), supporting the Department of Employment Services to help manage the surge in claims for benefits, as well as supporting DC Health, "which is expected to be especially challenged during this crisis."
April 17, 2020
The DC Line// Amanda Menas
The council’s bill does expand unemployment benefits to align with the federal CARES Act by including, for example, people such as independent contractors, freelancers and gig workers. At the time of the meeting, DC residents had submitted more than 50,000 claims since March 13, compared to 37,720 in the prior fiscal year, as noted by Ward 8 Council member Trayon White during the discussion; since then, that number has climbed past 66,000. The DC Department of Employment Services projects that its computer system will be ready to process claims from the newly eligible workers by April 28, according to an informational webpage prepared by Silverman’s office.
April 17, 2020
The Kojo Show//
The number of people applying for unemployment insurance has spiked in the District. D.C.’s Department of Employment services has received 66,188 claims from March 13 through April 15. In 2019, D.C. received 37,720 claims.
April 16, 2020
Patch// Mark Hand
A smaller number of Virginia and D.C. residents filed claims for unemployment benefits last week, mirroring a national trend of fewer unemployment claims for the week ending April 11, according to U.S. Department of Labor data. But large numbers of people in the region are still applying for unemployment benefits with the coronavirus crisis keeping much of the region shuttered.
April 14, 2020
WUSA9//Eric Flack
A WUSA9 investigation uncovered major concerns with the way D.C. verifies the identity of some people applying for unemployment. After our story, the District looked into the issues, and now, the city is taking action.
April 14, 2020
The DC Line//Press Release
On Thursday, April 16, 2020, the District Government will observe Emancipation Day. While some services will be affected, many District employees will continue serving to maintain essential District operations.
April 14, 2020
WUSA9// Matt Gregory
As the coronavirus pandemic grows in our area, so do jobless numbers. In D.C., it is estimated, by the end of the week 60,000 people will have applied for unemployment in a month.
April 11, 2020
The Hill//Tim Kane
More than 16 million Americans have lost their jobs so far due to the COVID-19 pandemic, based on new claims for unemployment insurance, known as UI. Known to be one of the best indicators of recession, jobless claims are reported every Thursday morning and are vastly higher than they have ever been. This isn’t because of COVID-19; it’s because of Congress.
April 10, 2020
WUSA9//Eric Flack
More than 50,000 people in the District have filed for unemployment since the coronavirus shutdown began – and if you're one of them, you may want to be careful about how you're giving your information out.
April 10, 2020
WUSA9//Evan Koslof
A viewer reached out to the Verify team asking about an email she received after applying for unemployment. She thought the email was odd, because it had the headline "New ZixCorp Secure email message from the Government of District of Columbia."
April 10, 2020
The Hill//Allister Chang
Beyond repurposing buildings, several library systems have also re-imagined how library staff can meet urgent needs. The Monterey County Library has re-purposed its 3D printers to produce N95 masks. The DC Public Library is deploying 25 of its staff to take calls for the department of employment services, helping to manage the influx of questions regarding unemployment benefits.
April 9, 2020
WAMU 88.5//Ally Schweitzer
Freelancers, independent contractors, gig workers and other self-employed individuals don’t typically qualify for unemployment benefits when they lose their jobs. That is no longer the case, under provisions in the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (CARES) Act enacted in late March.
April 9, 2020
The Washington Post// Dana Hedgpeth
The number of known coronavirus cases in the District, Maryland and Virginia stands at 10,634 on Thursday, with 5,531 cases in Maryland, 3,659 in Virginia and 1,444 in the District. The number of virus-related deaths was 75 in Virginia, 124 in Maryland and 28 in the District, for a total of 227 fatalities.
April 9, 2020
WAMU 88.5//Martin Austermuhle
The wave of unemployment across the Washington region continues, a month into the coronavirus pandemic. The historic number of people applying for benefits is testing local governments’ ability to accept applications and pay new benefits in a timely manner.
April 8, 2020
WUSA9// Jonathan Franklin
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser along with city leaders announced unemployment and small business resources after approving a COVID-19 Relief Bill for residents during the coronavirus pandemic.
More than 53,000 people have filed for unemployment in D.C. since March 6, Department of Employment Resources Director Unique Morris Hughes said.
April 8, 2020
Washington City Paper// Mitch Ryals
In addition to the maximum $444 in weekly unemployment benefits that the District will distribute, out-of-work D.C. employees are eligible to receive an extra $600 per week thanks to the massive federal relief package Congress passed in late March in response to the coronavirus. The federal government also expanded unemployment benefits to those working as independent contractors.
April 8, 2020
Fox 5 DC// Paul Wagner
So many people are trying to file claims in Maryland that call takers are trying to field as many as a thousand every two hours.
April 5, 2020
The DCist//Eliza Berkon, WAMU
On Sunday, the D.C. Department of Employment Services reported an increase of 1,400 applications in a 24-hour period, with 50,181 total applications since March 13. That’s more than the entirety of 2019, during which D.C. saw a total of 37,720 claims.
The Technology 202: Zoom chief Eric Yuan says he was not prepared for flood of security and privacy complaints
April 3, 2020
Washington Post//Cat Zakrzewski
April 3, 2020
Washington Post//Cat Zakrzewski
A more than two-year delay in updating the website of the D.C. Department of Employment Services has added to chaos at the agency as residents flood the agency with unemployment claims, my colleagues Fenit Nirappil and Darran Simon report.
April 2, 2020
The Washington Post// Fenit Nirappil and Darran Simon
Long before the coronavirus began to decimate the local economy, the D.C. Department of Employment Services promised a modern, user-friendly portal for submitting unemployment claims.
April 2, 2020
The Washington Blade// Philip Van Slooten
Bowser also noted hospitality workers were “some of the first distribution of people who signed up early” for unemployment benefits through the D.C. Department of Employment Services. She stated those payment distributions had already begun, but acknowledged longer wait times as more people sign up
April 2, 2020
Patch// Deb Belt, Patch Staff
Visit the DC Department of Employment Services website for links to applications forms. You can also call 202-724-7000.
March 31, 2020
PoPville//Prince of Petworth
“Dear PoPville,
Has anyone, who traditionally unable to apply for Unemployment insurance (insufficient work history/1099 worker), but now eligible through the CARES Act, been able to apply in DC?”
March 30, 2020
The National Law Review//
In response to the global health crisis, Mayor Muriel Bower has signed the D.C. COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (the “Act”). Unless extended, the Act will remain in effect until June 15, 2020, and, among other things, creates a new category of leave available under the D.C. Family and Medical Leave Act (“DCFMLA”) – declaration-of-emergency (“DOE”) leave – and temporarily eases certain eligibility requirements for unemployment insurance compensation (“UI”).
March 28, 2020
WTOP//Valerie Bonk
The Department of Employment Services told NBC Washington that the applications are currently being processed by its staff and that the claims system is run by an outside vendor and will take a few days to update.
March 27, 2020
NBC Washington//Jackie Benson
The District’s Office of Employment Services has been hit with a tidal wave of applications for unemployment benefits, as many of the people employed by D.C.’s restaurants, bars and retail stores are out of work due to restrictions forced by the coronavirus pandemic.
March 26, 2020
Eater DC//Gabe Hiatt
Erik Bruner-Yang does not want to wait on the weighty, lumbering gears of government to start solving the record-breaking unemployment surge the novel coronavirus outbreak has triggered in the United States. The D.C. chef and restaurateur, one of the city’s most prominent tastemakers, has spent the past five days putting together an ambitious crowdfunding system that will put restaurant workers back on the job and feed communities in need at the same time.
March 26, 2020
The DC Line//jonetta rose barras
Even before the U.S. Senate could settle on its nearly $2 trillion stimulus package as a bulwark against the coronavirus’s ravaging of the national economy, the DC Council had offered its own relief that relied on drawing millions of dollars from the city’s hefty savings accounts. While there were cheers at the federal and local levels, the fact remains that in each case the help provided is mostly temporary.
March 26, 2020
The Washington City Paper//Laura Hayes
The city removed both of those provisions to accommodate more people who were laid off due to COVID-19. The Department of Employment Services did not respond to City Paper’s request for comment about whether these changes make it possible for undocumented immigrants to apply safely. Even though Immigration and Customs Enforcement said they would only focus on criminals during the COVID-19 outbreak, any brush with the government is a threat.
March 25, 2020
The DC Policy Center//
On Tuesday, March 17, the D.C. Council unanimously passed the COVID-19 Response Emergency Amendment Act of 2020 (B23-0718 or Act 23-247). The legislation provides a framework for the District of Columbia’s governmental response to the pandemic on many fronts. The text of the bill is available here, and the fiscal impact statement is available here.
March 25, 2020
Route Fifty//
Faced with a deluge of unemployment claims, some states are waiving waiting periods and forgoing work search requirements to speed up laid-off workers’ access to benefits.
March 21, 2020
WTOP//Abigail Constantino and Jack Moore
As of Friday, a total of 11,844 workers in D.C. filed unemployment claims, according to Unique Morris-Hughes, the director of the D.C. Department of Employment Services. The District is waiving a requirement that workers be laid off for at least a week before filing their claims.
March 18, 2020
DC Theatre Scene
Laid-off employees and independent contractors should visit the DC Department of Employment services. Nonprofit theatre companies and venues should visit the DC Department of Small and Local Business Development, according to Eric Salmi, who serves as Communications Director for the DC Council. Salmi expects that the websites will have procedures and be ready to process applications in the next few days.
March 18, 2020
WJLA//Lorraine Treanor
D.C.’s employment services office is accessible only by phone or online. Some people who didn’t know that were arriving to file claims and were turned away. And there was Brian Heath who said he’d just gotten out of prison, and had completed orientation for a job training program last week.
March 16, 2020
The DC Line//
While the District of Columbia Government will begin to modify its operations starting Monday, March 16, in order to mitigate the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), the District government wants residents to know that it will continue to deliver essential services and keep the majority of its systems and services operating.
March 5, 2020
The Washington Business Journal//Katishi Maake
The hotel opened in 2017, but the tax abatement hasn't been applied.
March 5, 2020
The Washington Post//Paul Schwatzman
The developers of a boutique hotel in Adams Morgan failed to meet hiring requirements needed to obtain a multimillion-dollar tax abatement enacted by the D.C. Council, according to an independent audit.
March 5, 2020
The DC Line//Press Release
Earlier this week, the Bowser administration released a second audit of employment at the Line Hotel development project which found the level of D.C. resident hiring did not meet the specified requirements for the project to receive a $46 million tax abatement. The second audit was requested by the hotel’s owner, the Sydell Group, after they disputed data in an initial audit by the Department of Employment Services (DOES) released in April 2019.
March 4, 2020
Lexology// Sheppard Mullin Richter & Hampton LLP
On February 17, 2017, D.C. passed the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016. Beginning July 1, 2020, the law provides the following government-administered paid leave to D.C. employees:
•Up to 8 weeks per year to bond with a new child.
•Up to 6 weeks per year to care for a family member with a serious health condition.
•Up to 2 weeks per year to care for the employee’s own serious health condition.
March 4, 2020
Washington Business Journal//Katishi Maake
The hotel opened in 2017 but the tax abatement hasn't yet been applied.
March 4, 2020
The DC Line//
Research commissioned by the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES) estimates that nearly 40,000 workers per year experience minimum wage violations here in DC. Those of us who work with the low-wage community hear stories of wage theft over and over again. My research, which involves detailed interviews with low-income people, found that wage theft is a persistent and devastating problem in their lives.
February 24, 2020
The Washington City Paper//Jennifer Anne Mitchell
“I don’t usually smile too much,” says Pepco cable splicer mechanic Dervon Kyle. Yet his portrait—with a hint of a smile—is currently on display at the Pepco Edison Place Gallery in downtown D.C. His is one of the most gripping images in Life Beyond the Line, an installation that opened in mid-January and is on view to Feb. 28.
The 10 portraits are of recently hired Pepco employees who were among the first 22 graduates of the D.C. Infrastructure Academy, a joint initiative of Pepco and the D.C. Department of Employment Services. According to the city government’s announcement of the program, the academy helps its residents find long-term employment in the District’s growing infrastructure sector. This inaugural class, which included one woman graduate, learned the technical skills needed to work as transmission lineworkers who install, maintain, and repair the electrical systems that power the metropolitan area.
February 20, 2020
Afro American//Micha Green
The opening reception for “Life Beyond the Line,” was held on Feb. 13, at the Edison Place Gallery, 702 8th Street N.W. Despite drama happening outside of the gallery’s doors, after a shooting that involved both residents and police, the atmosphere at the opening reception was celebratory. Many speakers remarking on the outstanding results of the DCIA program and its participants beating the challenging odds many District residents face.
“Programs like this actually work and have the ability to change lives,” said Arlen Herrell, associate director of the D.C. Department of Employment Services (DOES).
February 19, 2020
The Washington Informer//Sam P. K. Collins
Throughout the month of February, Pepco’s Edison Place Gallery in northwest D.C. will showcase a multimedia exhibit that celebrates and highlights the stories of the nearly two dozen people who graduated last spring from Pepco’s newly launched utility training program.
February 19, 2020
Lexology// Hunton Employment & Labor Law Perspectives
The Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016 (the “Act”), which implements the District of Columbia’s new Paid Family Leave (“PFL”) program, kicks-in for employees on July 1, 2020. However, employers must post a PFL notice in the workplace no later than February 1, 2020.
February 11, 2020
The Washington Post//Marissa J. Lang
Unemployment in the District is 5.4 percent, according to the D.C. Department of Employment Services. But 11.3 percent of black workers were unemployed as of late last year, according to the EPI, while only 1.9 percent of white workers were unable to find work.
JANUARY
January 31, 2020
WPGC//The Joe Clair Morning Show
Applications for the Marion Berry Summer Employment Program are officially open.
D.C. youth ages 14 through 24 can apply for positions spanning federal agencies, DC government, non-profits and more.
January 31, 2020
The Washington Times//Sophie Kaplan
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser opened the application process for this summer’s youth employment program on Friday.
D.C. youths ages 14 to 24 will be able to apply for summer internships until Feb. 29 in a variety of industries including the D.C. government, financial sector and community nonprofits.
January 31, 2020
The DC Line//
(WASHINGTON, DC) – Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser officially launched the application period for the 2020 Mayor Marion S. Barry Summer Youth Employment Program (MBSYEP). The application for MBSYEP opened at noon, allowing District youth between the ages of 14 and 24 and host site employers to apply online at summerjobs.dc.gov. Applications will be accepted until Saturday, February 29, 2020.
January 30, 2020
WUSA9//Delia Goncalves
Unique Morris-Hughes, the Director of the Department of Employment Services, said they're extending a pilot program launched last year through the Marion Barry Summer Employment Program.
January 24, 2020
Mondaq//Christine Mary Costantino and Raymond C. Baldwin
Effective February 1, 2020, the DC Paid Family Leave employee notice and poster (published here) must be posted at all worksites in DC alongside other required labor law posters. A copy of the poster must also be sent to all covered employees who work remotely or predominantly telework so that they may hang the poster at their worksites. Failure to comply with the posting obligation may result in a penalty of $100.00 for each day that a covered employer failed to post the notice in a conspicuous place at each worksite.
January 24, 2020
Lexology//Seyfarth Shaw
Seyfarth Synopsis: The next round of employer obligations - primarily posting and notice requirements - for DC Paid Family Leave (“PFL”) takes effect…
January 21, 2020
The DC Line//Press Release
Today, Mayor Muriel Bowser announced the appointment of Karima Woods as the Acting Commissioner of the Department of Insurance, Securities and Banking (DISB).
January 18, 2019
Lexology//
The District of Columbia Department of Employment Services has released a mandatory Paid Family Leave Employee Notice ("PFL Notice"). All employers…
January 16, 2020
Dcist//Martin Austermuhle, WAMU
Final regulations written by the city on how the law will be implemented specify that anyone seeking paid time off has to be employed at the time they apply for and then receive the benefits, which include wage replacement of up to $1,000 a week. In a written explanation to the D.C. Council, the Department of Employment Services—which will oversee and run the leave program—says it’s a reasonable interpretation of the law’s intent.
January 15, 2020
WAMU 88.5// Martin Austermuhle
Final regulations written by the city on how the law will be implemented specify that anyone seeking paid time off has to be employed at the time they apply for and then receive the benefits, which include wage replacement of up to $1,000 a week. In a written explanation to the D.C. Council, the Department of Employment Services — which will oversee and run the leave program — says it’s a reasonable interpretation of the law’s intent.
January 14, 2020
Lexology//George W. Ingham, Amy F. Kett and Jim Conlin
As sophisticated employers know, an employer must track and comply with developments not only in federal law, but also state and local law. This blog…
January 13, 2020
Workers Compensation//Bryon Bass
As previously communicated, starting on July 1, 2020, the District of Columbia will offer paid family leave benefits to workers. The District of Columbia Paid Family Leave (DC PFL) program will be funded entirely by employers, and the program and benefits paid will be administered by the DC Department of Employment Services (DOES).
January 9, 2019
Lexology//
The District of Columbia Department of Employment Services (“DOES”) recently released a Paid Family Leave Employee Notice (“PFL Notice”) that D.C. employers must provide to employees by February 1, 2020. The PFL Notice, which is available here, contains information about the paid leave benefits that will be available under D.C.’s Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016 (“ULPA”) starting July 1, 2020
January 2, 2020
The DC Line//Press Release
Attorney General Karl A. Racine today announced that the Office of the Attorney General (OAG) resolved two wage theft enforcement actions against two District employers that require them to pay nearly $500,000 in relief to harmed workers and penalties to the District.