On the evening of March 18, 2020, President Trump signed into law a significant legislative response affecting employers and workers coping with the COVID-19 (“coronavirus”) pandemic. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (the “Act”) contains two separate but related provisions. First, the Act provides for Emergency Paid Sick Leave (“EPSL”) to be provided to employees and paid for by employers in certain situations. Second, it provides for an Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion (“EFMLE”), which expands coverage of the existing FMLA to specific situations related to the pandemic. Both provisions are subsidized through certain reimbursements available to employers (including …

The outbreak of COVID-19 has reached pandemic levels, prompting public and private action. Governments at all levels nationwide have issued emergency orders and resolutions establishing public health strategies and guidance for employers, communities and individuals to abide by during this time. Businesses are designing and implementing plans to prevent or minimize the spread of COVID-19 in the workplace with the hope that business operations can continue with minimal disruption. Even in the face of a pandemic, employers must pay attention to and comply with federal and state employment laws while making decisions that impact the health and wellbeing of their …