Coronavirus Update 7-23-2020: The FFCRA implications of schools reopening

With schools set to reopen over the next four to six weeks, your employees will be asking for time off from work if their children will be distancing learning for any part of the upcoming school year. The FFCRA provides for up to 80 hours of paid sick leave and 12 weeks of expanded FMLA Leave (the latter 10 of which are paid) for employees who are caring for their child(ren) whose school has been closed because of COVID-19 precautions.

The question of whether employees are entitled to take leave under the FFCRA for children who are distance learning this school year will depend on why they are distancing learning this year.

Coronavirus Update 7-22-2020: Telemedicine and the FMLA

Earlier this week, the Department of Labor published a three new sets of FAQs—COVID-19 and the FLSA, COVID-19 and the FMLA, and updated FAQs on the FFCRA.

By and large the FAQs don't break new ground. But one of the FMLA questions caught my attention.

Non-Coronavirus Update 7-21-2020: Employment law issues I missed covering during the pandemic

Today, I thought I put COVID-19 on a virtual pause and take a look at some employment law issues I missed covering over the past couple of months. Here are 10 stories that jumped to mind.

Coronavirus Update 7-20-2020: How do you reopen schools without teachers?

We want to reopen the schools. Everybody wants it. The moms want it, the dads want it, the kids want it. It’s time to do it.

– President Trump, July 7, 2020

It's sort of true that everyone wants schools to reopen. President Trump's message omits one key word—safely. Everybody wants the schools safely to reopen. And one of the current coronavirus topic du jour is what safely reopening schools looks like. No matter where you fall on the debate between the CDC and President Trump, there remains one issue that isn't getting nearly enough attention—the teachers.

Coronavirus Update 7-17-2020: It’s a scary world at there, and I’m not just talking about the virus

I thought it was an innocent enough tweet.

I would have lost my friggin’ mind if I was in that room and then that happened.

— Jon Hyman 😷 (@jonhyman) July 16, 2020

And then came the replies.

Coronavirus Update 7-16-2020: A letter to Ohio — we’re all in this together; let’s all start acting like it

To my fellow Ohioans,

Last evening, Governor DeWine scolded many of you for not doing your part in helping to stop the spread of coronavirus. I took it as a warning; if we don't start acting responsibly, he will have no choice but to mandate masks and even shut down parts of the state. If that happens, we will have no one else to blame but ourselves (or at least some of us).

For anyone who has refused to wear a mask in public, this is your fault.

Coronavirus Update 7-15-2020: OSHA updates its mealy-mouthed facial covering FAQs (again)

OSHA has, yet again, updated its Frequently Asked Questions to advise employers about the use of face masks in the workplace during the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.

What does OSHA now recommend?