When:  This Tuesday, March 24, 2020 (11:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. central time)

Online registration: Click here

On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which aims to provide initial relief to American workers of certain covered employers in the wake of the coronavirus pandemic.  This new law requires covered employers to provide emergency paid leave in the form of a new mandatory paid sick leave benefit, and expanded, paid leave under the FMLA.

Targeted for an effective date of April 2, 2020, this new law raises just as many questions as answers.  In a 90-minute, complimentary webinar, I will analyze the new paid sick leave and FMLA provisions with two of my Littler colleagues Alexis Knapp and Jim Paretti.  Together, we will provide as much practical counsel as we can to employers navigating the requirements of this law.

Editorial comment: These two colleagues of mine are fabulous — Alexis eats, sleeps and breathes FMLA, and Jim has deep insight into the politics behind why this law ended up the way it did and the additional legislative changes we might expect in the future.  [And me, I’m just along for the ride . . . ]

Alexis, Jim and I will address questions such as:

  • The new law covers private employers fewer than 500 employees.  How is that number calculated and how are multiple, related companies treated when determining employer coverage?
  • How are the exclusion and opt-out provisions for certain types of employers and certain size employers going to work?
  • If an employee is terminated before the effective date of the law, is the employer still required to provide paid sick or FMLA leave?
  • How do the new FMLA and sick leave requirements combine with existing leave under Company policy or state/local law, and/or the amount of FMLA leave already taken?
  • What are the reasons for leave and how does an employer manage the overlap between paid sick leave and paid FMLA leave?
  • If employers provide paid leave before the April 2 effective date, is this time credited against any entitlement once the law is effective?
  • Is the paid leave an employer provides an employees reimbursed by the federal government?  How is an employer reimbursed and what is the anticipated time line for payment?
  • Can paid sick and paid FMLA leave be used intermittently or must it taken in a continuous period of time?

Email me at jnowak@littler.com with any questions you want us to cover during the webinar.