An Overview of Families First Coronavirus Response Act
1. An Overview of Families First Coronavirus Response
Act
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act or FFCRA was put into place on the
18th of March, 2020. This came as a second major legislative initiative that was
designed to take into account the impact of covid-19. This act was effective from
1st April 2020 through 31st December 2020. The salient features of this act
included extensive nutritional assistance, better unemployment insurance
policies, paid sick leaves, zero-charge coronavirus testing, and increased federal
Medicaid. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requirements can be
checked from the official page.
Two provisions of the act exist that can provide up to two weeks or 80 hours of
paid sick leave. In addition to that, there is also the provision for a 12 weeks leave
that can be availed for expanded family and medical leave with regards to covid-
19.
Side note: Employees can replace EPSLA leave or standard accrued leave for the
10 days of unpaid leave.
The Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act or EPSLA mandates employers who have less
than 500 employees to grant workers leaves up to two weeks or 80 hours:
At the standard rate of pay (which can be up to $511 per day, having a capping at
$5,110) if the worker is not able to work for quarantine or while experiencing
symptoms of the virus.
At two-thirds of their standard pay (which can be up to $200 for each day, having
a capping placed at $2,000) should the employee be unable to because they are
caregivers of a family member(s) put under quarantine or for a child aged under
18.
The individuals who come under the category of self-employed individuals were
eligible for a sick leave tax credit which is equal to the amounts stated above for
up to a total of 10 days.
2. Full-time employees could ask for up to 80 hours of paid leave. As for the part-
time workers, they were eligible for paid leave which is equal to the average
hours worked in a two-week time frame. The good thing here was that there was
no waiting period to avail of the paid sick leave. Benefits such as these cannot be
carried forward.
The first two weeks of the 12 weeks under EFMLEA may be unpaid. That said,
workers can make use of other paid leaves should that be available (which also
takes into account EPSLA leave). To become fully eligible for EFMLEA, the worker
needs to be covered under Title I of the FMLA (Family and Medical Leave Act).
Along with that, they also must work under the same employer for at least 30
days. This leave also guarantees job protection under FMLA.
Consider all these facts and carefully understand the Families First Coronavirus
Response Act requirements before making your final decision.
Source URL: https://justpaste.it/families-first-coronavirus