As 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…
As the COVID-19 outbreak continues to spread, employers may get questions from employees about their health plan’s coverage for COVID-19 testing, including whether they will need to pay a deductible or copayment. This is a rapidly evolving issue, with many health insurance issuers announcing that they will voluntarily waive any cost sharing for COVID-19…
In light of the spread of COVID-19 in the United States, the Department of Labor (DOL) has published answers to frequently asked questions on how employers can stay in compliance with the federal Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), which regulates wage and hour conditions for employees. When responding to pandemics or other public health emergencies,…
The U.S. Department of Labor has issued Q&As on the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and COVID-19 (the disease caused by the new coronavirus) and other health emergencies. The Q&As explain that under the FMLA, covered employers must provide eligible employees with job-protected, unpaid leave for specified family and medical reasons, which may include…
As the number of reported cases of the novel coronavirus (COVID-19) continues to rise, employers are increasingly confronted with the possibility of an outbreak in the workplace. Employers are obligated to maintain a safe and healthy work environment for their employees, but are also subject to a number of legal requirements protecting workers. For example,…