You can hear the parents wailing across the country (almost like kindergartners on their first day of school), as states begin to announce their plans to keep physical schools closed or alternate between in-school and virtual classes for the upcoming year. The collective parent wail is outmatched only by that of their employers, who are
Summer Break Does Not Necessarily Mean A Break From FFCRA Leave Requirements
Its July. A time when in normal years, schools are closed and families are planning vacations. But in 2020, paid vacation is being replaced with paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”), leaving employers asking, can they still do that?!
For public employers and employers with less than 500 employees, the FFCRA…
D.C.’s Highly Anticipated Paid Family Leave Program To Launch On Wednesday
After three years of preparation, the District of Columbia’s Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2016 goes live this Wednesday, July 1. The law enables eligible employees who work in D.C. to take paid leave for certain family and medical purposes. Earlier this year, the D.C. Department of Employment Services, which will administer the program,…
Seattle Enacts Gig Worker Paid Sick and Safe Time Ordinance During COVID-19 Crisis
The Seattle City Council has enacted the Paid Sick and Safe Time for Gig Workers Ordinance, which temporarily provides paid sick and safe time (PSST) to “gig workers” for online-based food delivery network companies and drivers of transportation network companies with 250 or more gig workers worldwide. The ordinance takes effect July 13, 2020, and…
Chicago City Council Passes COVID-19 Anti-Retaliation Ordinance
Chicago’s City Council has passed an ordinance to protect employees from retaliation by their employers if they obey public health orders or orders of a healthcare provider to stay at home because of the COVID-19 pandemic. The ordinance was passed by the City Council on May 20, 2020. Read more.
Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave Proposals Affecting Private Plan Exemptions
The Massachusetts Department of Family and Medical Leave’s (DFML) proposed amendments to existing regulations for the Massachusetts Paid Family and Medical Leave Act (PFMLA) include significant changes relating to the private or self-funded plan exemption. Employers offering approved private plans may be exempt from making PFMLA contributions. The start date for benefit availability under the…
New York State Enacts State-Wide Paid Sick Leave Law
New York State has joined the growing list of states and localities (including New York City and Westchester County) mandating that employers provide paid sick leave to employees.
The new obligation is separate and distinct from the New York State Quarantine Leave Law enacted in response to COVID-19.
The statewide sick leave law applies to…
Expanded Wage Replacement Entitlements for California Employees Caring for Children During COVID-19 School Closures
Before the COVID-19 crisis, there were limited paid leave entitlements in California for employees requiring time off to deal with childcare and school closures. California Labor Code 230.8 required that employers of 25 or more employees working at the same location were required to provide employees with up to 40 hours of unpaid leave within…
DOL Publishes Additional FAQs, Making Clear That Employees on Furlough or Layoff Are Not Eligible for FFCRA Paid Sick Leave or Expanded FMLA
The Department of Labor issued additional FAQs on Thursday March 26. They now offer 37 FAQs on how the paid sick leave and expanded FMLA leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act will apply. The leave obligations begin April 1, 2020.
As more and more employers are required to shutdown due to state orders…
DOL Publishes FAQs on Families First Coronavirus Response Act
The Department of Labor has published FAQs on the application of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. According to the DOL, the Act will apply to leave taken between April 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. In addition to providing the effective date, the FAQs answer questions about how an employer knows if it is …