Federal Emergency Paid Sick Leave Legislation Introduced

With the number of confirmed cases of coronavirus increasing across the United States and abroad, Senator Patty Murry (D-WA) and Congresswoman Rosa DeLauro (CT-03) introduced new, emergency paid sick leave legislation that would provide paid sick days immediately to workers in light of the current spread, as well as prepare for future public health emergencies. This bill builds on, and would be incorporated into, another piece of pending legislation called the Health Families Act.

This emergency paid sick leave legislation would require all employers to allow workers to accrue seven days of paid sick leave and to provide an additional 14 days, available immediately, in the event of a public health emergency. Specifically, according to this U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions press release, the introduced bill would:

• Require all employers to allow workers to gradually earn seven days of paid sick leave.

• Require all employers to provide an additional 14 days of paid sick leave, available immediately at the beginning of a public health emergency, including the current coronavirus crisis.

• Ensure paid sick leave covers days when your child’s school is closed due to a public health emergency, when your employer is closed due to public health emergency, or if you or a family member is quarantined or isolated due to a public health emergency.

For additional information on the coronavirus, see our previous blog posts here and here.

This blog article is intended for general informational purposes only and should not be construed as legal advice or opinion. Contact myHRcounsel with questions concerning specific facts and circumstances.