UPDATE: The U.S. Department of Labor Issues Important New Guidance Regarding the Small Business Exemption from the Paid Leave Requirements of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) and “Health Care Provider” Exclusion The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which became law on March 18, 2020 and goes into effect on April 1, 2020, requires private employers with fewer than 50 employees to provide employees with paid sick leave for “specified reasons r

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act is a new federal employment law that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Trump on March 18, 2020. The Act provides for two paid leaves that employers across the United States must provide to employees in response to the coronavirus epidemic. The Act goes into effect on April 1, 2020, and applies to U.S. business employers with 500 or fewer employees. It expires on December 31, 2020. The Act provides for two s

As the world faces the possibility of a coronavirus pandemic, employers are looking to lawyers for help in addressing tricky workplace situations. The World Health Organization as of today has confirmed over 170,000 cases worldwide of COVID-19. As more cases have come to light in the United States, the urgency for employers to take measures to avoid infections in the workplace has become significantly greater. Top U.S. companies, such as Microsoft, have urged employees to w