As business closures increase due to the COVID-19 pandemic, employers are faced with questions about compensation and health benefit coverage for their employees. Government relief measures may provide compensation for businesses and individuals in certain situations. In other cases, existing rules on employee rights will apply.

Paid leave may be required for some employees by federal or state law. Also, some state insurance regulators are requiring insurance carriers to provide policyholders with additional flexibility regarding premiums and coverage, and some carriers are making similar changes independent of state requirements. This Compliance Overview provides a summary of the issues that employers may encounter when terminating or suspending employment due to COVID-19.

Legal Update HeaderThe paid leave provisions of the recently enacted Families First Coronavirus Response Act will go into effect April 1, 2020, according to Q&As released by the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL).

Specifically, the guidance states these provisions apply to 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 child care purposes.
  • Up to 80 hours of paid sick leave for specific reasons caused by COVID-19, including the employee’s own COVID-19 illness.

HR Compliance Bulletin headerAs part of sweeping legislation—the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)—signed into law by President Trump on March 18, 2020, two laws were enacted that provide workers with paid leave for reasons related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic.

  • The “Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act” allows 12 weeks of partially compensated FMLA leave to care for a child whose school or child care facility has been closed due to COVID-19.
  • The “Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act” requires employers to provide 80 hours of paid sick time to employees in specified circumstances related to COVID-19 exposure and prevention.

HR Compliance Bulletin headerThe Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)—signed into law by President Trump on March 18, 2020—requires certain employers to provide employees with expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.

The Department of Labor (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers and enforces the new law’s paid leave requirements. These provisions will apply from the effective date through Dec. 31, 2020. The DOL is providing compliance assistance to employers and employees on their responsibilities and rights under the FFCRA. The following guidance was issued by the DOL regarding employee expanded family and medical leave rights under the law.

As public health officials work to slow the spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), many have recommended social distancing and self-quarantining.

Some states across the country have issued orders for people to stay at home unless it’s essential they leave, and some employers have had to send employees home or ask them to work remotely. While these actions can help slow the spread, they can have negative effects on your mental health.

HR Insights Blog HeaderThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused unprecedented changes for many industries. As social distancing is encouraged, gatherings with over 10 people are banned and stay-at-home or shelter-in-place orders for all nonessential employees are issued, many employers are asking their employees to work from home.

For some employees, working from home is business as usual. For others, this may be the first time they’ve telecommuted. This working arrangement may seem exciting at first, but it can lose its luster over time, resulting in disengaged employees. And, when employees aren’t engaged, their productivity and motivation can suffer.

HR Insights Blog HeaderThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has caused employers to make significant changes to their business practices, including onboarding.

Managers and new hires across the country are navigating the unchartered waters of remote onboarding. The onboarding process—which is designed to cultivate a long-term relationship between the employer and the employee while fostering a feeling of belonging and an affirmation of making the right choice—is one that is extremely important for both employers and employees. As such, employers should still prioritize onboarding new hires, even though their training will be conducted virtually instead of in-person due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Legal Update HeaderOn March 24, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued guidance explaining the paid leave requirements under the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

The FFCRA expanded the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to allow partially compensated employee leave for child care purposes related to COVID-19. The FFCRA also provided for employee paid sick leave for specific COVID-19-related reasons, including an employee’s own illness or quarantine. The Act included other measures to address the effect of the coronavirus pandemic on workers.

Small and midsize employers may begin using two new refundable payroll tax credits to obtain reimbursement for the costs of providing coronavirus- related leave to their employees, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) and Internal Revenue Service (IRS) announced on March 20, 2020.

This relief is provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the Act), which was enacted on March 18, 2020. The Act provides funds for employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide paid leave, either for their employees’ own health needs or to care for their family members. The Act aims to help employers keep workers on their payrolls while ensuring that workers are not forced to choose between their paychecks and the public health measures needed to combat the coronavirus (COVID-19). This Compliance Bulletin provides the DOL and IRS’ guidance.