Please note. COVID-19 legislation is rapidly evolving and things are constantly changing. CTR will do its best to provide the most current information possible. 

Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Expanded Family and Medical Leave Rights

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide employees with expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The Department of Labor’s (Department) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers and enforces the new law’s paid leave requirements. These provisions will apply from the effective date through December 31, 2020. Read More. 

FMLA Expansion

Coverage includes the following:

• All employers with fewer than 500 employees, Yes, even those under 50.
• All employees employed for at least 30 days
• Employees who are health care providers or emergency responders may not need to be provided with this leave.  
• The Secretary of Labor may issue regulations to exempt certain employers with fewer than 50 employees if it would jeopardize viability as a going concern.
• Adds leaves for care for a child under 18 if their school or place of care is closed for a public health emergency.

Duration and Pay

• Up to 12 weeks of leave for childcare if unable to work from home.
• No pay for first 10 days of leave (employee may use any other leave they have available to them-including new emergency sick leave.)
• After 10 days, pay at 2/3 regular rate of pay for number of hours they would normally be scheduled to work up to cap of $200/day and $10,000 total

Job Restoration

Required, except for employers with fewer than 25 employees if:

• Job no longer exists because of changes affecting employment caused by public health emergency; AND
• Reasonable efforts to find equivalent positions were made (and failed) and employees are contacted if anything comes up within a year of when they would have come back.

For more information: DOL Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Questions and Answers

Emergency Paid Sick Leave

Coverage

• All private employers with fewer than 500 employees
• All employees, no matter how long employed
• Employer can exclude employees who are health care providers or emergency responders
• The Secretary of Labor may issue regulations to exempt employers under 50 from the only child care provision if it would jeopardize viability as a going concern.

Emergency Paid Sick Leave Uses

• If subject to a federal, state or local quarantine or isolation order
• When advised by health care provider to self-quarantine
• For seeking medical diagnosis for symptoms of COVID-19
• To care for an individual who qualifies under #1 or #2 (2/3 pay)
• To care for child if school or place of care is closed (2/3 pay)
• When experiencing other substantially similar condition (2/3 pay)

Duration and Pay

• Full time employees get 80 hours (2/3 pay for uses #4, 5, 6)
• Part time employees get the number of hours worked on average over a 2-week period (2/3 pay for uses #4, 5, 6)
• Cap of $511/day and $5,110 total for uses #1, 2, 3
• Cap of $200/day and $2,000 total for uses #4, 5, 6

CARES Act

The CARES Act provides $2.2T in COVID-19 stimulus funds for small businesses, health care, distressed industries, and individual workers.

Click here for more details. 

Pittsburgh Paid Sick Leave Act

The Paid Sick Leave Act mandates that employees acquire 1 hour of sick time for every 30 hours worked, capping annually at 56 hours of paid sick leave. Accrual of paid sick leave begins on the hire date and can be used after the 60th calendar day of employment. However, in the event of a Public Health Emergency, employees may begin using their paid sick leave immediately. Read More. 

Stay in the Know with CTR’s COVID-19 Information Center

Legislation is consistently evovlving. Make sure to check in with the CTR Payroll Services COVID-19 Information Center for ongoing updates.