On March 18, 2020, the President signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”) into law, after its passage in the U.S. Senate.  The bill was first passed in the U.S. House of Representatives on March 13, 2020 and was then revised on March 16, 2020.  It contains sweeping emergency paid sick leave and paid FMLA requirements for employers with less than 500 employees, as well as government employers, in response to COVID-19.   The FFCRA will come into effect on April 1, 2020 and the DOL has indicated that they will not enforce the law for the first 30 days as long as employers are making a good faith effort to comply with the law on April 1, 2020.

The FFCRA continues to evolve as the US Department of Labor answers frequently asked questions and publishes additional guidance.  The employment attorneys here at Thomas Mamer are continually monitoring the changes to the law and we look forward to answering any concerns you may have.  Please contact Eric Chovanec or Dave Krchak with any FFCRA questions you may have.  The link below is a basic outline of the FFCRA rules as they apply to employers.