Employees can use a new online tool to help them determine if they qualify for paid sick leave for reasons related to COVID-19.
Developed by the U.S. Department of Labor, the tool guides employees through a series of questions to determine if their employer is required to provide paid leave benefits under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Once they’ve answered the questions, they should understand whether they qualify for either paid sick leave or extended family and medical leave under that law.
The FFCRA requires certain employers to provide up to two weeks of paid sick leave if:
- An employee is unable to work or telework due to a federal, state or local quarantine or stay-at-home order.
- A health care provider has advised an employee to self-quarantine for reasons related to the coronavirus or are seeking diagnosis for coronavirus symptoms.
- An employee is caring for someone subject to a quarantine order or self-quarantining based on a health care provider’s advice or is caring for a child whose school, place of care or childcare provider is closed or unavailable due to the coronavirus.
Up to 10 additional weeks of expanded family and medical leave is available for employees forced to miss work to care for their children because the pandemic has closed or made unavailable their school, place of care or childcare provider.
DOL plans to launch a similar tool for employers soon.
Visit the COVID-19 Resource Center for updated information on this topic.