The Department of Labor (DOL) on March 24, 2020, released its first guidance explaining aspects of paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The DOL released fact sheets aimed at both employees and employers as well as a Q&A document and promised more guidance to come. The guidance discusses how employers and employees can “take advantage of the protections and relief” offered by the FFCRA’s Paid Sick Leave Act and Emergency Family and Medical Expanded Leave Act.
Continue Reading DOL announces first guidance on paid leave under Families First Coronavirus
Response Act

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the “Act”) recently signed into law includes, among other things, provisions for required paid sick and paid family and medical leave (see our previous blog post here). The Act is intended to alleviate some of the economic burden the coronavirus has imposed on workers by mandating certain paid leave. The Act additionally alleviates the economic burdens being imposed on employers by providing certain tax benefits to employers making payments required under the Act. 
Continue Reading Tax credits and other tax relief as part of the Families First Coronavirus
Response Act

President Trump has signed legislation extending to certain employees paid sick time related to the coronavirus and paid leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”).  As covered in a previous post, the U.S. House of Representatives last weekend passed a previous version of the bill. In the days since, the House revised the legislation to update several of the provisions. The Senate passed the legislation on March 18 with a 90-8 vote. The President has now signed the legislation.
Continue Reading President Trump signs legislation extending paid sick leave and
emergency Family and Medical Leave

Congress has passed legislation on extending employees’ paid leave related to the coronavirus and expanding the FMLA, sending the bill to President Trump for his signature.  As covered in a previous post, the U.S. House of Representatives last weekend passed a previous version of the bill. In the days since, the House had revised the legislation to update several of the provisions. The Senate passed the legislation on March 18 on a 90-8 vote.
Continue Reading Congress passes legislation on expanding paid sick leave, FMLA

OSHA requires that covered employers record certain work-related illnesses on their OSHA 300 log. On March 10, 2020, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) provided guidance on the recording of COVID-19. However, this guidance did not consider three key issues:
Continue Reading Employers: Do you know your responsibilities for recording cases of
COVID-19?

Over the Weekend: The U.S. House of Representatives (with President Trump’s “full support”) passed legislation that would:  (1) Extend paid leave related to the coronavirus, (2) Expand the FMLA to provide paid leave to employees for coronavirus-related reasons, and (3) Expand the availability of unemployment funds. This legislation still requires U.S. Senate approval.
Continue Reading How the Families First Coronavirus Response Act would impact employers