Q: We have an employee whose child's school is starting out 50% virtual, so one week she'll have to stay home 3 days per week, and the next she'll have to stay home 2 days per week. How can we accommodate this?
A: This is a common challenge as we enter the school year. The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) provides a Paid Emergency Sick Leave (10 days at 2/3 pay up to $200/day) and a Paid Emergency Family Leave (10 weeks at 2/3 pay up to $200/day) to cover the salaries of employees who are home because their children are out from school. This leave can be taken intermittently so you'll need to keep track of the time used in order to seek reimbursement for the pay from the federal government. You should also be having your employee complete a COVID FFCRA leave form. If she has used all of this leave already, unless the state has some additional provisions, the only leave left would be any vacation/PTO that you offer. Under the FFCRA, an employer must provide job and salary protection for the employee taking leave. We also encourage employers to work creatively with their employees in finding alternative solutions such as tutors and babysitters to help bridge the gap until school returns to normal.
Independent Insurance Agents of Virginia