Been taking a closer look at the #paidsickdays and #familyleave provisions of the #familiesfirst Coronavirus Response Act that the House just passed. Some first impressions.
The bill amends the #FMLA AND has a new Act that requires private employers with fewer than 500 workers and all public employers to offer #paidsickleave.
Mandatory #paidsickleave ONLY applies if you are affected by #coronavirus and need time off because you are sick or exposed or if you have a family member who is affected (either sick or home from school or childcare because of closures).
If you work for a business with 500+ workers you will not be covered by this new law. Many large employers don’t cover paid sick leave for ALL their workers. (nytimes.com/2020/03/14/opi…)
The #paidsickleave portion covers workers for 80 hours at full pay ONLY if they are directly affected by coronavirus (if they are sick/exposed)
Parents who can’t work because of school closures or who need time off to care for a family member affected by #coronavirus are paid 2/3 of their regular rate.
For those needing more than 2 wks off, the Act also amends the #FMLA to include 12 wks job protection & 2/3 of regular wages when an employee or their family member is affected by coronavirus or if their child’s school or day care has been closed due to coronavirus.
The first 14 days could be unpaid depending on whether the worker has existing paid time off such as vacation or sick leave (but many low-wage workers don’t). kff.org/other/issue-br…
This new #paidfamilyleave benefit would be available to employees who have worked for their employer for at least 30 calendar days.
The Secretary of Labor can exclude certain health care workers and emergency responders from eligibility and businesses with fewer than 50 employees (if compliance would jeopardize the viability of the business).
Both of these policies would be effective within 15 days of enactment the #FamiliesFirst Coronavirus Response Act and are not retroactive. They both would expire Dec. 31, 2020.
Some states already have paid leave policies, but the details vary considerably and not all workers are eligible. kff.org/womens-health-…
