The California Labor Commissioner’s office has updated its FAQs regarding 2021 COVID-19 Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL) to clarify whether an employee’s leave request qualifies for SPSL. Specifically, the update offers clarification around leave for childcare purposes; whether a covered employee qualifies for leave because someone they live with is exposed,…
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Question: One of our employees is experiencing side effects after getting a COVID-19 vaccination. We have fewer than 500 employees and we’re pursuing the voluntary tax credits under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Is this employee eligible for paid leave under FFCRA for the time she can’t work? Answer: Yes, as of…
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Heads up, Washington employers: the maximum weekly benefit for the state’s Paid Family and Medical Leave (PFML) program has increased from $1,000 to $1,206 as of January 1, 2021. Each September, the Employment Security Department (ESD) is required to adjust the maximum weekly benefit amount for the following calendar year to 90…
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On March 19, 2021, California Governor Gavin Newsom signed a new law that requires employers with 26 or more employees to provide up to 80 hours of supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL) if a California employee is unable to work for reasons related to COVID-19 (coronavirus). The 2021 COVID-19 Supplemental…
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The American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 (ARPA), the latest COVID-19 relief bill, offers a 100 percent COBRA subsidy and expands eligibility for paid leave tax credits, among other provisions. The bill was signed by President Biden on March 11, 2021. COBRA subsidy: Employees who lose employer-sponsored group health insurance coverage…
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Question: One of our employees is medically certified for intermittent FMLA leave due to anxiety, which the health care provider said could happen once or twice a month and last for up to two days. The employee normally works five days a week and recently took an entire week off…
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The following California cities and counties can now be added to the list of those that have extended and/or revised their COVID-19 emergency paid sick leave (EPSL) ordinances: Los Angeles (city): The City of Los Angeles supplemental paid sick leave ordinance applies to businesses with 500 or more employees within the…
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The California Labor & Workforce Development Agency (LWDA) has launched a new portal to serve as a “one-stop hub for California employers to quickly find up-to-date state and local county COVID-19 guidance by industry.” The new site uses guidance already available from state and local sources, including information about benefits, paid sick leave,…
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The Santa Rosa City Council has voted to temporarily reinstate and amend its emergency supplemental paid sick leave (SPSL) ordinance related to COVID-19. Read our article on the City’s original ordinance (which expired on December 31, 2020) here. The new amended ordinance took effect on February 2, 2021, and is set to…
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Los Angeles County has passed an ordinance extending its COVID-19 supplemental paid sick leave after its previous ordinance expired on December 31, 2020 (read our original article on the county’s ordinance here). The new ordinance is set to expire two weeks after the local emergency order expires. In addition to extending the…
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