If you have been affected or know somebody who has, you should be following a few key economic support items in the various relief bills. For example:
For claims related to COVID-19 the Feds will add an additional $600/wk to the maximum unemployment benefit for all states, and cover an extra 13 weeks of benefits. These changes are retroactive to March 29. While some of this process is still being sorted out, you should make an unemployment insurance claim right away.
A stimulus check for Americans is expected to be delivered in the next couple weeks. You may have read about the “$1,200” checks, and for most of us, you are likely to receive that amount. The actual amount may be adjusted based on your income, and if you have direct deposit info with the IRS you will receive a payment sooner than those who have a check mailed. The IRS website will soon have a means to check your status relative to a payment as well as the amount you have coming. In any event, the stimulus amount will help all recipients.
The Families First Coronavirus Relief Act went into effect April 1, 2020. As you recall, an email was sent to all employees with the announcement and a copy of the entitlements are mentioned in the Act. Most notably, it includes an expansive paid sick leave provision for full and part time employees directly affected by COVID-19. It allows for up to two consecutive weeks of sick leave at 100% of your usual pay, and up to 12 weeks of expanded leave at 80% of your pay, both reimbursed by the federal government but employees will receive applicable benefits as part of their pay. The leave provisions previously distributed outline these provisions, and you can find a copy of the official notice at https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/posters/FFCRA_Poster_WH1422_Non-Federal.pdf This notice includes the detail you should use to determine if it applies to you.
A form to request employer coverage under the Act’s conditions has been developed and is recreated at the bottom of this post. A fillable form of the request can be downloaded from the Depot under Resources > Documents & Forms > All Agency > #6 titled COVID-19 Leave Request Form. If the act applies to you please complete a copy of the form and forward a completed copy to your supervisor. Your Supervisor will ultimately inform your Coordinator if applicable, and submit the form to your Director. Supervisors will need to indicate leave hours on an employee’s timesheet, but we will cover that with Supervisors when the time comes. If you have questions about the leave please contact Rich or Melissa in HR.
COVID-19 Leave Request
Employee name: _______________________
Anticipated leave requested
☐ I am requesting a complete leave from _________ to __________
☐ At this time, I am unsure of the length of leave I will need. I plan to start my leave
_____________________.
☐I am requesting a reduced schedule and/or anticipate teleworking the following schedule:
___________________________________________________________________________
Reason for leave
☐1. I am subject to a Federal, State or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-
19 due to _______________________________________________________.
☐2. I have been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19. I
was given this direction by__________________ ______________________
due to ________________________________________________________.
☐ 3. I am experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis. The step(s) I
have taken thus far ______________________________________________.
☐4. I am caring for an individual subject to an order described in item 1 above or self-
quarantined as described on item 2 above. The person/relationship of whom I am
caring for is __________________________________________________.
☐ 5. I am caring for my child whose school or place of care is closed (or child care provider
is unavailable) due to COVID-19 related reasons.
The school(s) in question is ____________________________________.
The day care facility/provider is ___________________________________.
☐ 6. I am experiencing any other substantially-similar condition specified by the US
Department of Health and Human Services.
I certify that the information provided on this form is true and correct. I understand that an employee who submits false information is subject to disciplinary action up to an including separation.
Employee signature and date: ________________________________
Supervisor signature and date: ________________________________
Director signature and date: __________________________________