On June 25, 2020, the New York agencies issued new guidance, titled New York State Department of Health and New York State Department of Labor Guidance on Use of COVID-19 Sick Leave for Health Care Employers.
On June 26, 2020, the U.S. DOL provided guidance for investigators about employee eligibility for FFCRA paid family leave, when employees are unable to work because they are caring for a child whose summer camp or other summertime place of care is closed.
The Colorado legislature recently passed the Healthy Families and Workplaces Act, which will require all employers to provide three types of paid sick leave, including: COVID-19 emergency leave, paid sick and safe time, and public health emergency leave.
While actual enforcement was delayed at first, lately the U.S. Department of Labor has become quite active in prosecuting claims against businesses for alleged FFCRA violations.
On June 10, 2020, the Minnesota Supreme Court held state law does not preempt the Minneapolis Sick and Safe Time Ordinance, and the ordinance can apply to employers located outside Minneapolis.
On June 5, 2020, the Texas Supreme Court refused to review a case that could have decided whether municipal paid sick leave ordinances in Texas were lawful.
In Notice 2020-46, the IRS explains how employees can forgo their paid time off balances to allow their employers to make donations to charities that are assisting individuals impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
Each year, Littler’s Workplace Policy Institute provides its “July is the New January” report on labor and employment laws that become effective in the middle of the year.
On June 1, 2020, the Seattle City Council unanimously passed an ordinance temporarily requiring certain companies that rely on “gig economy” workers to provide paid sick and safe time to those workers for the duration of the COVID-19 emergency.
