As you know, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) provides eligible employees of covered employers with certain rights to protected leave related to the COVID-19 pandemic. We have addressed the FFCRA in multiple articles previously.

Of course, the first question to be asked is: must a specific employer provide these benefits? To answer this question, you can read the law, the regulations, and the FAQs. That’s a lot to read.

Today, the Department of Labor is launching an interactive tool to help employers and employees cut through all that reading. It guides you through a series of questions to help you determine if you are a covered employer (or help your employee determine if they are employed by a covered employer). [Disclaimer: We do not believe this is a substitution for sound legal advice, but is a helpful tool for employers with simple situations. And, it will certainly be used by your employees to guide them.]

By Kristen L. Brightmire, kbrightmire@dsda.com