The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide their workforce with paid sick leave and paid family leave for certain reasons related to COVID-19.
Under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act provisions of FFCRA, covered employers must give eligible employees up to two weeks (80 hours) of paid sick leave if the employee is unable to work for reasons related to COVID-19. The reasons include:
- the employee or someone the employee is caring for is subject to a government quarantine order or has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine;
- the employee is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking medical attention; or,
- the employee is caring for his or her son or daughter whose school or place of care is closed or whose child care provider is unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19.
Under the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act provisions of FFCRA, an employer subject to the Family and Medical Leave Act must make paid leave available to eligible employees who are unable to work (or telework) due to a need for leave to care for a son or daughter under 18 years old if the school or place of care is closed or the child care provider is unavailable due to a public health emergency. An employee is eligible for up to 10 weeks of leave at a reduced rate of pay.
The Department of Labor has been issuing regulations and updates to the regulations to give employers guidance on how to administer the EFMLEA and EPSLA provisions of FFCRA. As many employers across the country will encounter employees with COVID-19 issues, employers may wish to become familiar with the DOL’s guidance which may be accessed by clicking here.
