Meeting Type: BCC Regular Meeting
Meeting Date: 12/1/2020
Item Status: New
From: Deidra Hanak, Personnel Director
Submitted by: Deidra Hanak, Personnel Director
______________________________________________________________________
ITEM TITLE
Title
Discussion of Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) Sick Leave due to COVID-19
Body
STAFF RECOMMENDATION
Recommendation
FOR DISCUSSION ONLY: Discuss the extension of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) 80 hours of paid sick leave past the mandated December 31, 2020 date.
End
BACKGROUND INFORMATION
Previous Commission action/date: N/A
Background: The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires certain employers to provide employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19 through December 31, 2020.
At this time, there is no indication that Congress will act to extend the FFCRA at this time. In the case that Congress does not extend the requirement of paid sick leave, the Commission can decide to still provide the 80 hours of sick leave past December 31,2020 end date. Currently, the sick leave is provided to employees that have been employed with the County at least 30 days. Approving an extension of sick leave will allow employees hired after December 1, 2020, to still receive this benefit. Pending any extensions from Congress, the Commission will also need to also determine an end date of said benefit.
Generally, the Act provides that employees of covered employers are eligible for:
•Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave at the employee’s regular rate of pay where the employee is unable to work because the employee is quarantined (pursuant to Federal, State, or local government order or advice of a health care provider), and/or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis; or
•Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay because the employee is unable to work because of a bona fide need to care for an individual subject to quarantine (pursuant to Federal, State, or local government order or advice of a health care provider), or to care for a child (under 18 years of age) whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19, and/or the employee is experiencing a substantially similar condition as specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services, in consultation with the Secretaries of the Treasury and Labor; and
•Up to an additional 10 weeks of paid expanded family and medical leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay where an employee, who has been employed for at least 30 calendar days, is unable to work due to a bona fide need for leave to care for a child whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19.
FINANCIAL IMPACT
Total cost of recommendation: N/A
Budget line item(s) to be used: N/A
If this is not a budgeted expenditure, does the recommendation create a need for funding? N/A
LEGAL IMPACT
Is legal review necessary for this staff recommendation and related documents?
N/A
Reviewed/approved by: N/A
Additional comments: N/A
ADVERTISING REQUIREMENTS
Is advertising required for this recommendation? N/A
If the proof of publication affidavit is not attached, list the reason: N/A
FOLLOW UP IMPLEMENTATION
For time-sensitive follow up, select deadline date for follow up: N/A
Individual(s) responsible for follow up: N/A
Action required (list contact persons/addresses if documents are to be mailed or emailed): N/A
Additional instructions/notes: N/A