Employers in the United States should be aware of newly enacted legislation—the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”)—that imposes obligations on many employers to provide temporary paid family and sick leave to employees directly impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. President Trump signed the law on March 18, 2020.
The FFCRA contains two separate laws that impose paid family and sick leave obligations on employers with fewer than 500 employees, even though more than half of all workers in the United States reportedly are employed by employers with more than 500 employees. Nevertheless, all employers, regardless of size, should be mindful of the FFCRA.