Please note that the content below was posted on March 19, 2020. We have since provided updated guidance on the topics discussed in this post here.
On Wednesday, March 18, 2020, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act into law. The final version of the law contains significant revisions to the bill that was passed by the U.S. House of Representatives on Saturday, March 14, 2020.
Employers’ obligations will become effective no later than April 2, 2020. A summary of the employment-related provisions and answers to some frequently asked questions regarding the Act are provided below.
On March 23 from 12 p.m. – 1 p.m. CT, we will host a webinar titled “Employer Obligations Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act”.
Please register here and join us as we discuss the latest guidance for employers and answer your frequently asked questions.
Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act
Employers must provide paid sick time to employees who are unable to work (or telework) for the following purposes through December 31, 2020:
- The employee is subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine order related to COVID-19.
- The employee has been advised by a healthcare provider to self-quarantine due to COVID-19 concerns.
- The employee is experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and seeking a medical diagnosis.
- The employee is caring for an individual who is subject to an order described in (1) above or has been advised as described in (2) above.
- The employee is caring for a child if the school or place of care has been closed or the child care provider of such child is unavailable due to COVID-19 precautions.
- The employee is experiencing any other substantially similar condition specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services in consultation with the Secretary of the Treasury and the Secretary of Labor.