FFCRA BENEFITS SET TO EXPIRE ON DECEMBER 31, 2020
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires covered employers with less than 500 employees to provide eligible employees with up to twelve weeks of paid leave. As 2020 comes to a close, employers should keep the following in mind:
FFCRA leave benefits—including Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and Expanded Family and Medical Leave (EFMLA)—were created by a time-limited statutory authority and are set to expire on December 31, 2020. This means that, currently, employees are not entitled to receive EPSL or EFMLA past December 31, 2020, and employers will not receive reimbursement from the federal government under the FFCRA for leave taken after December 31, 2020.
In its current form, the FFCRA does not require employers to “pay out” unused EPSL and EFMLA to employees. Any balance of unused EPSL or EFMLA will expire on January 1, 2021, unless the FFCRA is extended or otherwise amended.
It is possible that Congress may extend FFCRA leave benefits past December 31st, but it has not yet done so. While President-elect Biden has expressed support for legislation that both extends and expands COVID-19-related leave, it is uncertain whether Congress will enact these proposals.
FFCRA LEAVE AND SCHOOL WINTER BREAK
As schools begin to close for winter break, employers should be mindful of the employee eligibility requirements for FFCRA leave. An employee may take EPSL or EFMLA if he or she is unable to work (or telework) because of the need to care for a child whose school or place of care is closed, but only if that school or place of care is closed “due to COVID-19 related reasons.” As such, an employee is not eligible for FFCRA leave if the leave request is based solely on a school closure due to winter vacation or the end of an academic semester, as these are not “COVID-19 related reasons.” Employers should ensure that they understand the FFCRA’s eligibility requirements and the bases for their employees’ leave requests.
For additional information, contact Thrive PEO - Oklahoma's best Professional Employer Organization at: thrive@thrivepeo.com or (918) 794-2200.
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