Today, July 20th, the U.S. Department of Labor issued three new guidance documents on COVID-19 issues important to employers.
The first guidance is a Q&A on COVID-19 and wage and hour issues under the Fair Labor Standards Act (the FLSA). This one poses and answers 19 questions, such as what are an employer’s obligations to an employee under a government-imposed quarantine, does OSHA apply to a home office, does an employer have to pay hazard pay under the FLSA, and much more.
The second is a Q&A on COVID-19 and the Family Medical Leave Act, which poses and answers 13 questions. This one answers such questions as whether an employee may take FMLA leave to avoid getting COVID-19 at work.
The second guidance does not address paid sick leave or family leave under the FFCRA, a coronavirus relief act passed by Congress in late March, but the Labor Department does have a Q&A for the FFCRA, which can be found at: https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-questions.
The third guidance does address the FFCRA, and consists of an online tool for determining someone’s eligibility for sick leave or family leave under the FFCRA. Although it is designed for employees, employers may find it useful too, and one specifically for employers is promised.
You can find links to today’s three guidance documents in the Department of Labor’s announcement at: https://www.dol.gov/newsroom/releases/whd/whd20200720-0. You’re almost sure to learn something new!