Learn how the United States government is trying to protect the wages of the employees during Covid-19 Pandemic:-

The United States Department of Labor on April 1, 2020 set forth new policies and procedures to protect American workers and employees by bestowing upon them the reliefs granted under Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act, both part of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

Under the FFCRA, an American private employer who is employing less than 500 employees and providing paid leaves to employees specifically due to COVID – 19 Pandemic, will be reimbursed by allowing such employers tax credit equivalent to their costs. It is a revolutionary initiative and helps tackle the workplace impact of the pandemic. The initiative fulfils two objectives, firstly it allows the employer to retain the employees by shifting the burden of pay without work and secondly it impedes the employee from taking unnecessary risk by working during the pandemic. The Department of Labor’s (Department) Wage and Hour Division (WHD) administers and enforces the new law’s paid leave requirements. These provisions will apply from the effective date (04-01-2020) through December 31, 2020.  

The employees are eligible for the following benefits -:

1.     Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave at the employee’s regular rate of pay where the employee is unable to work because the employee is quarantined (pursuant to Federal, State, or local government order or advice of a health care provider), and/or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis; or (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave, 2020)

2.     Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay because the employee is unable to work because of a bona fide need to care for an individual subject to quarantine (pursuant to Federal, State, or local government order or advice of a health care provider), or to care for a child (under 18 years of age) whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19, and/or the employee is experiencing a substantially similar condition as specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretaries of the Treasury and Labor; and (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave, 2020)

3.     Up to an additional 10 weeks of paid expanded family and medical leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay where an employee, who has been employed for at least 30 calendar days, is unable to work due to a bona fide need for leave to care for a child whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19. (https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave, 2020)

Under these regulations, the employee will be eligible for paid leaves in the following circumstances:-

1.     Employee is subject to quarantine or isolation.

2.     Employee is advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine.

3.     Employee has COVID-19 symptoms and is under diagnosis.

4.     Employee is caring for someone under quarantine and isolation.

5.     Employee is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed.

6.     Such other conditions as may be prescribed.