Today, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) released regulations implementing the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”). The FFCRA creates two new emergency paid leave requirements in response to the COVID-19 global pandemic: 1) the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (“EPSLA”), which entitles certain employees to take up to two weeks of paid sick leave; and 2) the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (“EFMLEA”), which permits certain employees to take up to twelve weeks of expanded family and medical leave, ten of which are paid, for specified reasons related to COVID-19.

The DOL’s regulations provide 125 pages of direction to employers as they implement and administer the new EPSLA and EFMLEA requirements. They are effective from April 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020.

The regulatory and legal response to COVID-19 is rapidly developing. Churchwell White will provide additional updates as we continue to assess the full text of the regulations.

A copy of the DOL’s regulations is available here.

If you have any questions or concerns, you are welcome to contact the offices of Churchwell White at (916) 468-0950 or email Doug White at Doug@whitebrennerllp.com, Debra Hinshaw Vierra at Debra@whitebrennerllp.com, or Barbara Brenner at Barbara@whitebrennerllp.com.