Summary
The paid leave provisions of the recently enacted Families First Coronavirus Response Act will go into effect April 1, 2020, according to the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL). Specifically, the guidance states these provisions apply to employers with 500 or fewer employees for leave taken between April 1, 2020, and Dec. 31, 2020.
The Act includes two types of paid employee leave for reasons related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic:
- Expanded federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) leave to provide workers with partially paid leave for childcare purposes.
- Up to 80 hours of paid sick leave for specific reasons caused by COVID-19, including the employee’s own COVID-19 illness.
Distribution/ Requirements
- The notice must be posted in “conspicuous places” at the workplace.
- The model notice needs to be provided to each employee or new hire. It is not necessary to distribute the notice to employees who are laid off.
- Employers with a significant portion of their workforce presently working remotely, the guidance clarifies that employers may satisfy the posting requirement for remote workers by: (1) emailing the notice to employees; (2) directly mailing the notice to employees; or (3) posting the notice on the employer’s internal or external website.
Questions, Answers and More Details
The Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division has released a detailed Q & A, which employers may wish to share with employees.
COMMENTS