On March 18, 2020, the Senate and House passed, and the President signed into law, one of several pieces of federal legislation in response to the Coronavirus/COVID-19 outbreak. The “Families First Coronavirus Response Act” requires employers with less than 500 employees to provide 12 weeks of paid leave for the reasons and at the rates discussed below. It also provides corresponding tax credits to employers.
Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act
Under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act, the employer must provide 80 hours of paid sick leave to full-time employees (or a pro-rated amount for part-time employees) at the rates below for any of the following reasons related to COVID-19: (1) the employee is subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation order; (2) the employee has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine; (3) the employee is experiencing symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis; (4) the employee is caring for an individual who is quarantined due to exposure or symptoms; (5) the employee is caring for a child whose school has been closed or childcare provider is unavailable; or (6) the employee is experiencing any other substantially similar condition. More>>