1 Group Term Policy Modification Paper 2 H.R. 6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act Group Term Policy Modification Paper:H.R. 6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act H.R. 6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act Introduction The outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Wuhan, China, in December 2020 and its spread to other parts of the world has led to significant changes not only in the United States but throughout the world. Globally, the public sector and policymakers have faced the biggest test in generations. New policies have been necessitated by livelihoods and lives hanging in a delicate and terrible balance. Some of the policies put in place are meant to leverage collapsing economies, health cruses, political and social disruption (Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, 2020). The world economy has taken a nosedive. Some international bodies such as WHO and WTO have been working to mitigate the pandemic's adverse effects on a global scale. The script is not different in the national, state, and local effects of coronavirus disease. Both Federal and State Governments have been struggling to contain the spread and impact of the disease on the economy. The pandemic has scaled down economic activities. The U.S. economy has slowed down significantly. Unemployment is growing rapidly. The adverse effects have led to the enactment of several policies to mitigate the impacts (Washington State Department of Social and Health Services, 2020). One of the laws that have been enacted to mitigate the adverse effects of coronavirus disease on the Americans is The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201). This paper evaluates The H.R. 6201 and how it mitigates coronavirus disease's adverse effects on the Americans. That provides funding for Americans to be able to meet their basic financial needs. It increases funding for food stamps, paid leave (14 days) for those employees experiencing effects of coronavirus disease outbreak, and provides funding for free coronavirus testing areas. Additionally, the bill provides funding to mitigate the ongoing economic consequences of the pandemic, protect front-line health workers, expand food assistance to the vulnerable families and children, and support strong unemployment benefits, among other provisions. For our term policy modification paper we have proposed the following change: Propose Change A change in our opinion is for the second stimulus to have been passed to all Americans because as of today people are still without a job and seeking. Those workers who have stayed with their jobs have been reduced in their benefits. Companies with employees less than 500 should be exempted from paying leave to their employees while big companies having more than 500 employees should provide pay leaf otherwise the bill is unfair to small business (Hamilton, 2020) The Act requires that the employers should provide Emergency Pa.

1. 1
Group Term Policy Modification Paper
2
H.R. 6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Group Term Policy Modification Paper:H.R. 6201 Families First
Coronavirus Response Act
H.R. 6201 Families First Coronavirus Response Act
Introduction

2. The outbreak of the coronavirus disease in Wuhan, China, in
December 2020 and its spread to other parts of the world has
led to significant changes not only in the United States but
throughout the world. Globally, the public sector and
policymakers have faced the biggest test in generations. New
policies have been necessitated by livelihoods and lives hanging
in a delicate and terrible balance. Some of the policies put in
place are meant to leverage collapsing economies, health cruses,
political and social disruption (Washington State Department of
Social and Health Services, 2020). The world economy has
taken a nosedive. Some international bodies such as WHO and
WTO have been working to mitigate the pandemic's adverse
effects on a global scale. The script is not different in the
national, state, and local effects of coronavirus disease. Both
Federal and State Governments have been struggling to contain
the spread and impact of the disease on the economy. The
pandemic has scaled down economic activities. The U.S.
economy has slowed down significantly. Unemployment is
growing rapidly. The adverse effects have led to the enactment
of several policies to mitigate the impacts (Washington State
Department of Social and Health Services, 2020). One of the
laws that have been enacted to mitigate the adverse effects of
coronavirus disease on the Americans is The Families First
Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201). This paper evaluates
The H.R. 6201 and how it mitigates coronavirus disease's
adverse effects on the Americans. That provides funding for
Americans to be able to meet their basic financial needs. It
increases funding for food stamps, paid leave (14 days) for
those employees experiencing effects of coronavirus disease
outbreak, and provides funding for free coronavirus testing
areas. Additionally, the bill provides funding to mitigate the
ongoing economic consequences of the pandemic, protect front-
line health workers, expand food assistance to the vulnerable
families and children, and support strong unemployment
benefits, among other provisions. For our term policy
modification paper we have proposed the following

3. change: Propose Change
A change in our opinion is for the second stimulus to have been
passed to all Americans because as of today people are still
without a job and seeking. Those workers who have stayed with
their jobs have been reduced in their benefits.
Companies with employees less than 500 should be
exempted from paying leave to their employees while big
companies having more than 500 employees should provide pay
leaf otherwise the bill is unfair to small business (Hamilton,
2020)
The Act requires that the employers should provide Emergency
Paid Medical and Sick Leave for the employees. Employers are
required to put conspicuous notices of the rights of the
employees in the strategic locations in the company websites
and work sites. They can send posters to employees via email,
noticing them of their rights. All employers or organizations
with less than five hundred staff members are required under
The Act to grant employees Emergency Paid Sick Leave
(Lowey, 2020). The employer has the liberty to request that the
employee self-quarantine and use it as an Emergency Paid Sick
Leave. The Act requires that the employer not replace an
employee who has taken an Emergency Paid Sick Leave to
cover their shift.
The Act directs that an employee caring for their child whose
school has been affected by COVID-19, an individual under
self-quarantine or quarantine, should use Emergency Paid Sick
leave. The employers receive refundable tax credits to offset the
cost incurred for granting their employee medical leaves (U.S.
Department of Labor, n.d.).
Furthermore, the Act covers the COVID-19 testing and other
health provisions to the Americans. The Children’s Health
Insurance Program, Medicaid, Medicare, Employer-sponsored
group health plans, Indian Health Services, Federal Worker
Health Plans, Veteran’s Affairs, and TRICARE should provide
coverage for coronavirus disease testing. They do not need to

4. cover the treatment. The Act also expands the unemployment
benefits (Lowey, 2020). The United States Department of Labor
has provided $1 billion as the unemployment trust fund. These
funds increase access to unemployment benefits. The Act
requires program modification and supplemental appropriation,
such as the U.S. Department of Defense and the U.S.
Department of Agriculture.Discussion – Comparable bill to the
Family First Coronavirus Response Act
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R
6201) is a bill signed into law by the United States president on
March 19. It is significant bipartisan legislation that targets to
address the economic effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. The
bill incorporates a multifaceted set of temporary paid leave
mandates and employer reimbursement provisions (Dawson &
Long, 2020). Besides, it includes free coronavirus testing,
unemployment extension, and food nutrition security. It is a bill
among other anticipated bills to be enacted to respond to the
economic crisis to guarantee appropriate nutrition and medical
treatment to the Coronavirus people. The bill is a temporary
medical bill that is expected to expire in December 2020.
The bill appeals to employees working for employers
having fewer than 500 employees, instituting paid sick leaves,
and also provides new employee leave benefits. The act offers
businesses the approved tax credits to counterbalance new costs
attributed to sick leave and paid emergency benefits executed
under the bill (Dawson & Long, 2020). Also, it provides credit
towards health plan expenditures associated with sick leave and
emergency wages. While this bill is unique regarding covering
the COVID-19 related cases on business organizations and
employees within the United States, it can be compared with
other existing health Acts already signed into law.
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is one
notable comparable bill to the H.R 6201 Families First
Coronavirus Response Act. The FMLA falls under labor law
that directs larger employers to approve employees' unpaid
leave in serious family issues attributed to health (Ruhm, 1997).

5. Compared to the FFCRA, the provisions under this law are that
for one to qualify for leave, reasons might entail pregnancy,
adoption matters, family or personal illness, foster care
placement, or military leave. Generally, the FMLA is
envisioned to issue families with resources and time to take care
of family-related emergencies.
Notable similarities between FFCRA and FMLA are
that they are health acts that focus on employer and employee
relationships on health matters. The First Coronavirus Response
Act (FFCRA) amends the FMLA requirements of the covered
employers and employees. The amendment contracts the two
Bills since the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) specifies
guarantees as employees working for an organization with 5o or
more employees while the FFCRA stipulates that employees
have to be working for an employer with less than 500
employees. Another slight difference between the two Bills
emerges on the validity of the law. The FMLA was passed into
law in 1993 by Bill Clinton, and it has no expiry provided an
employee still works for an organization (Ruhm, 1997).
Conversely, the FFCRA is a temporary bill signed into law that
remains effective only till December 2020.
While the House passed the Family First Coronavirus
Response Act into law, small businesses were prompt to express
their dissatisfaction with the move. The law saw an attack from
the small-business groups that regarded the paid leave
requirement as exceedingly burdensome and likely damaging to
specific businesses. Also, a section of other employers points
out that the law does not give specifics on how the
determination is to be made and the time that the regulation will
be materialized (Dawson & Long, 2020). Besides, the
Department of Labor's uncertainty of a suggested regulation,
especially for employers having fewer than 50 employees,
eventually leaves other industry allies worried.
Results
On March 18, 2020, President Donald Trump signed into law

6. the H.R. 6201. The Act became effective on April 1, 2020, and
it is expected to expire on December 1, 2020 (U.S. Department
of Labor, n.d.). The Families First Coronavirus Response Act
was first introduced on March 11,2020. Which contain four
main stimulus, Phase 1 (Coronavirus Preparedness and
Response Supplemental Appropriations Act), Phase 2 (Families
First Coronavirus Response Act), Phase 3 (Coronavirus Aid,
Relief, and Economic Security ((CARES)) Act), and (Paycheck
Protection Program and Health Care Enhancement Act). Which
was passed and signed on March 18, 2020.
For phase 1, it refers to the enactment of $83 million dollars on
March 6, 2020. For measures such as vaccine development and
public health funding. The money will be directed to agencies
within the department of health and human services (Lowey,
2020). Phase 2, Families First Coronavirus Response Act that
was enacted a week and a half later on March 18,2020. This law
cost $104 billion, which was about a dozen more the prior law.
This phase has focuses on the following:
· Requiring private health insurance plans and Medicare cover
covid-19 testing (Lowey, 2020).
· Expanding unemployment insurance by $1 billion, a number
immediately seen as far too low as the unemployment rates
swelled, and loosened eligibility requirements (Lowey, 2020).
· Providing for paid sick leave at an employee’s full salary, up
to $511 per day, and paid family leave at ⅔ of a parent’s usual
salary (Lowey, 2020).
In Phase 3, enable an act posted another week and a half later
on March 27, 2020, the most expensive bill that cost $2.2
trillion in history for the American people. These included the
following: Sending most Americans either a
$1,200 or $2,400 check for single and married people,
respectively. There were a few issues that were faced, such as
Americans married to non-citizens not getting checks and
checks accidentally getting sent to dead people. There was also
an establishment of the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for
small businesses to receive forgivable government loans during

7. the shutdown, if they keep their employees on the payroll for
eight weeks. It’s a $669-billion business loan program that’s
application started April 3,2020 and the deadline is extended
until August 8, 2020. Lastly phase 3.5, reflected for giving
money to replenish the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) for
small businesses, while counting with public health measures
such as virus testing and hospital funding.
Conclusion & Recommendations
The H.R. 6201 has contributed significantly to mitigate the
adverse effects of COVID-19. The Act increases funding for
food stamps, paid leave for affected by coronavirus employees,
and provides funding for free coronavirus testing. Also, the Act
has been proactive in providing funding to mitigate the
pandemic's ongoing economic consequences, protect front-line
health workers, expand food assistance to the vulnerable
families and children, and support strong unemployment
benefits, among other provisions.
Local Area Unemployment Statistics 50 States by Percentage
StateJune 2020(P)rateRankKentucky
4.3
1Utah
5.1
2Idaho
5.6
3North Dakota
6.1
4Maine
6.6
5Oklahoma
6.6
5Nebraska
6.7
7Montana
7.1

8. 8South Dakota
7.2
9Alabama
7.5
10Kansas
7.5
10Georgia
7.6
12North Carolina
7.6
12Wyoming
7.6
12Missouri
7.9
15Arkansas
8.0
16Iowa
8.0
16Maryland
8.0
16New Mexico
8.3
19Virginia
8.4
20Wisconsin
8.5
21District of Columbia
8.6
22Minnesota
8.6
22Texas
8.6
22Mississippi
8.7
25South Carolina
8.7

9. 25Vermont
9.4
27Louisiana
9.7
28Tennessee
9.7
28Connecticut
9.8
30Washington
9.8
30Arizona
10.0
32Florida
10.4
33West Virginia
10.4
33Colorado
10.5
35Ohio
10.9
36Indiana
11.2
37Oregon
11.2
37New Hampshire
11.8
39Alaska
12.4
40Rhode Island
12.4
40Delaware
12.5
42Pennsylvania
13.0
43Hawaii
13.9

10. 44Illinois
14.6
45Michigan
14.8
46California
14.9
47Nevada
15.0
48New York
15.7
49New Jersey
16.6
50Massachusetts
17.4
51
Footnotes
(p) Preliminary
Note: Rates shown are a percentage of the labor force. Data
refer to place of residence. Estimates for the current month are
subject to revision the following month.
References
Dawson, L., & Long, M. (2020). The families’ first coronavirus
response act: Summary of key provisions.
The Henry J Kaiser Family Foundation
Lowey, N. (2020, March 18). H.R.6201 - 116th Congress (2019-
2020): Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Retrieved July
18, 2020, from

11. https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-
bill/6201
Lowey, N. (2020). Summary of H.R. 6074: Coronavirus
Preparedness and Response Supplemental Appropriations Act,
2020 - GovTrack.us. Retrieved 21 June 2020, from
https://www.govtrack.us/congress/bills/116/hr6074/summary
Ruhm, C. J. (1997). Policy watch: the family and medical leave
act.
Journal of Economic Perspectives,
11(3), 175-186.
U.S. Department of Labor. (n.d.). Families First Coronavirus
Response Act: Employer Paid Leave Requirements. Retrieved
July 18, 2020, from
https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-
employer-paid-leave
Unemployment Rates for States. (2020). Retrieved 20 July
2020, from
https://www.bls.gov/web/laus/laumstrk.htm
Washington State Department of Social and Health Services
(2020, April 17). How may we help you? Search form. Policy
changes in response to COVID-19. Retrieved July 18, 2020,
from https://www.dshs.wa.gov/esa/policy-changes-response-
covid-19
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