26 Mar

Posted at 00:41h in COVID-19, HR and Operations by . .

Legal Update 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.

26 Mar

Posted at 00:32h in Compliance White Papers, COVID-19, Employee Benefits, HR and Operations by . .

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.

25 Mar

Posted at 22:48h in COVID-19, HR and Operations by . .

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.

25 Mar

Posted at 22:45h in COVID-19, HR and Operations by . .

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.

25 Mar

Posted at 22:30h in COVID-19, HR and Operations by . .

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.

25 Mar

Posted at 17:43h in COVID-19, HR and Operations by . .

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.