DOL Publishes More Q&As on Employment Laws and Coronavirus
Additional Guidance Applies FLSA, FMLA and FFCRA to COVID-19 Workplace Situations
On July 20, 2020, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) announced the agency’s publication of additional questions and answers about the operation of the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) in workplace situations involving COVID-19.
The DOL’s new guidance on COVID-19 and the FLSA addresses topics such as teleworking and compensable time, maintaining employees’ exempt and nonexempt status, and hazard pay. The new guidance on COVID-19 and the FMLA adds questions on whether a telemedicine appointment can establish a serious medical condition under the statute, and whether the FMLA prohibits employers from requiring a COVID-19 test of employees returning from FMLA leave.
Issues addressed by the DOL’s additional Q&As on the FFCRA include requiring employees returning from FFCRA leave to be tested for COVID-19 and the availability of FFCRA leave after a furlough.
For more information and resources, please see the DOL’s COVID-19 and the American Workplace website.
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Melissa Marsh, SPHR, SHRM-SCP, is a human resources consultant and founder of HRinDemand, a human resources company in Reno, NV, offering expert guidance and easy-to-use tools to help small businesses with employment regulations, compliance, employee relations, and company growth.
Source:
“DOL Publishes More Q&As on Employment Laws and Coronavirus.” HR360, July 2020, www.hr360.com/blogs/HrNewsAlerts.aspx?blogid=839967&id=14999.