FMLA Attorney in Washington, DC

Over 15 Years Representing Federal & Private Sector Employees in Leave Disputes

When an employer denies, interferes with, or retaliates against a protected leave request, you need attorneys who know both the federal Family and Medical Leave Act and the District’s own leave statute. At Pitre & Associates, we represent federal agency employees and private sector workers in Washington, DC, Northern Virginia, and Southern Maryland, drawing on over 15 years of federal employment law experience to evaluate each situation and identify the strongest path forward.

Our practice centers on federal employment law, including discrimination, wrongful termination, and whistleblower protection. FMLA violations frequently intersect with those areas, and we approach each leave dispute with that broader context in mind.

If your employer has denied or interfered with leave you’re entitled to, call (202) 759-6544 to schedule a free initial consultation with our attorneys.

Federal FMLA Eligibility & Core Protections

The federal Family and Medical Leave Act applies to private employers with 50 or more employees within 75 miles of the worksite. To be eligible, an employee must have worked for that employer for at least 12 months and logged at least 1,250 hours during the preceding 12-month period. Eligible employees may take up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per year for a serious health condition of their own, to care for a spouse, child, or parent with a serious health condition, for the birth or adoption of a child, or for a qualifying military exigency. Employees caring for a covered service member may take up to 26 weeks.

Two protections apply throughout the leave period. First, the employer must continue group health insurance on the same terms as before leave began. Second, the employee is entitled to return to the same position or an equivalent one. Leave may also be taken intermittently or on a reduced schedule when medically necessary, which matters for employees managing chronic conditions or ongoing treatment.

How the DC Family & Medical Leave Act Differs

The DC Family and Medical Leave Act (codified at D.C. Code § 32-501 et seq.) extends job-protected leave rights beyond what federal law requires. DC employers with 20 or more employees are covered, a notably lower threshold than the federal law’s 50-employee requirement. Eligibility requires 12 months of employment (which need not be consecutive) and 1,000 hours worked, again a lower bar than the federal FMLA’s 1,250-hour requirement.

The leave amounts are also more generous. Eligible employees may take up to 16 weeks of unpaid family leave plus 16 weeks of unpaid medical leave within any 24-month period. When an employee qualifies under both statutes, the leave runs concurrently rather than stacking. DC also has a separate Paid Family Leave program administered by the Department of Employment Services, which provides wage replacement but does not itself provide job protection. The DC FMLA and the federal Family and Medical Leave Act provide the job protection. Paid Family Leave provides the pay. These are distinct programs with different requirements.

Our Record in Employment Disputes

Our attorneys have negotiated over $8 million in compensatory awards and attorney fees for clients. Pitre & Associates and its attorneys have maintained an impeccable record with no complaints to the DC Bar and no negative reports to the Better Business Bureau. Our attorneys bring combined backgrounds in corporate, criminal, and civil law, which adds perspective when an FMLA dispute touches broader employment or agency conduct issues.

We provide support from the initial consultation through hearings and appeals, keeping clients informed at each stage. Each case receives a strategy built around its specific facts.