March 24, 2020

President Trump signed a coronavirus relief package into law after tweeting support on March 13.

The provisions include free testing for everyone (including uninsured) and additional support for paid emergency leave. SOCMA provided an overview of the legislation below as well as additional links and FAQs.

Paid Emergency Leave

  • Employers with 500 or fewer employees are required to provide 14 days of paid sick leave at regular rate if
    • an employee has contracted or
    • been ordered to quarantine by a doctor or government official for COVID-19.
    • Pay is capped at $511/day.
  • Employers with 500 or fewer employees are required to provide 14 days of paid sick leave at 2/3 rate if an employee
    • must take care of COVID-19 infected family members
    • muat stay home with a child due to school or childcare facilities closing due to COVID-19 
    • Pay is capped at $200/day

Employers are also required to provide “job protected” medical leave for up to 12 weeks with two-thirds pay.

The cost for the paid sick leave is not being shouldered by businesses it will be reimbursed by the Secretary of the Treasury through dollar for dollar tax credits/refunds 

Additional Resources

Published Resource Link
3/31/2020 FAQ: COVID-19 and the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Website
3/31/2020 FAQ: COVID-19 and the Fair Labor Standards Act  Website
3/31/2020 FAQ: FFCRA  Website
3/27/2020 Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Employee Rights Poster
Each covered employer must post a notice of FFCRA requirements in a conspicuous place on its premises. An employer may satisfy this requirement by emailing or direct mailing this notice to employees, or posting this notice on an employee information internal or external website. FFCRA provisions will apply from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020).

Exclusions

Businesses with fewer than 50 employees can be exempt from providing workers with paid emergency leave “when the imposition of such requirements would jeopardize the viability of the business.” 

Federal Emergency Paid Leave Benefits 

  • Eligible workers will receive pay at two-thirds monthly salary 
  • This takes effect after the worker has used the 14 days provided under the Paid Emergency Leave portion of the legislation  
  • May receive the benefits one month at a time for a maximum of three months 

Enhanced Unemployment Insurance 

  • Provides $1 billion for emergency grants to states to assist with processing and paying unemployment insurance 
  • Half of those funds would be used to provide immediate additional funding to all states for staffing, technology and other administrative costs 
  • The other half would be used for emergency grants to states that experienced at least a 10-percent increase in unemployment 

Additional Food Aid

  • $500 million to the women, infants, and children nutrition program  
  • Eliminates work requirements on the food stamp program 
  • $100 million in food grants to U.S. territories such as Puerto Rico and the Northern Mariana Islands 

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