This content was published prior to the combination of Dentons Davis Brown. Learn more about Dentons Davis Brown.
Update: On March 24, the DOL issued guidance and published the required notice posters.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act was signed by the President Wednesday, March 18, and will be effective in 15 days (April 2). It has multiple provisions relating to items such as family food aid, PPE and other matters. Of immediate interest for employers are the extended FMLA and paid leave requirements set forth in the statute.
These provisions are effective immediately and extend to December 31, 2020. They will apply to a qualifying need related to the public health emergency and include:
This applies to all employees who are unable to work or telework, which would include an employee who is:
Employees who meet the criteria above have the right to:
The law also increases federal funding for job service programs administered by each state and provides certain employer tax credits.
All employers are required to post on their premises a DOL notice about this leave. The notice is to be prepared and made available by the DOL within 7 days. The DOL is also tasked with crafting other rules for the administration of this law. We recommend checking the DOL website on a regular basis as well as the Davis Brown Coronavirus/COVID-19 Legal Resource Center for updates on this matter.