Employment Law Bulletin | March 26, 2020
U.S. Department of Labor Advances Effective Date of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act to April 1, 2020 – Not an April Fool’s Joke
In these unprecedented times, we have unprecedented things happening on Capitol Hill. When President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) into law on March 18, 2020, it was to become effective on April 2, 2020. However, the U.S. Department of Labor recently announced that the FFCRA will take effect on April 1, 2020 and will apply to employee leaves taken between April 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020. For employers trying to decide whether to permanently lay off employees, this means the effective date of the layoffs must be no later than March 31, 2020, or they will need to provide the FFCRA benefits to eligible employees. On the bright side, employers who provide FFCRA benefits to their employees are eligible for immediate tax credits. Please consult your tax advisor for information regarding those credits.
The FFCRA requires employers of fewer than 500 employees to provide up to two weeks of emergency paid sick leave and up to ten weeks of emergency family medical leave to employees who take time off work for reasons outlined in the Act. For more details, see SMT’s March 19, 2020 Employment Law Bulletin.
Lisa Ann Hilario
No Se Habla Español?
SMT’s employment attorneys can provide your company with employment policies, forms and employee disciplinary documentation in Spanish. Providing such important information to employees in the language they understand is critical to employee performance, providing a welcoming diverse work environment, and protecting your company against employment claims. Contact an SMT attorney today to get started.
Spaulding McCullough & Tansil LLP
Employment Law Group
