The U.S. Department of Labor launched an interactive online tool to help workers determine if they qualify for paid sick leave or extended family and medical leave to cover time off for reasons related to the coronavirus. The tool walks workers through a series of questions to help determine if the provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act apply to their employer. If the provisions apply, the tool helps workers learn whether they qualify for paid sick leave or extended family and medical leave.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act requires certain employers to provide employees with up to two weeks of paid sick leave if they are unable to work due to a federal, state, or local quarantine or stay-at-home order. Paid sick leave is also available to workers caring for someone subject to a quarantine order or self-quarantining based on a healthcare provider’s advice, or caring for a child whose school or child care provider is closed and unavailable. Up to 10 additional weeks of expanded family and medical leave is available for employees forced to miss work to care for their children because of COVID-19-enforced closures of schools or child care providers.
“This new tool makes it simple for workers to find out if they may be eligible for paid sick leave or extended family and medical leave under the critical protections of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act,” Wage and Hour Division administrator Cheryl Stanton said in a news release. “As America reopens, this leave provides a crucial lifeline for millions of workers who need time off to care for themselves or their families. We want to ensure that everyone who is eligible knows about these protections and how to use them.
