The Department of Human Resources (CalHR) has issued a policy implementing the federal government’s Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The policy reflects an employee’s right to up to 80 hours of additional emergency sick leave related to COVID-19 and up to 12 weeks of leave to provide care for a child whose school or daycare is closed because of COVID-19.
The Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act is effective April 1, 2020 and provides up to two weeks of emergency paid sick leave to be used under certain criteria including being subject to a quarantine or isolation order, advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine, having symptoms and seeking a COVID-19 diagnosis, caring for another who is quarantined, or caring for a child whose school or daycare is closed. CalHR has confirmed to ACSS that this emergency sick leave is in addition to an employee’s regular sick leave or annual leave balance.
Also effective April 1, 2020, the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act allows up to 12 workweeks of leave to provide care for a child whose school or daycare is closed because of COVID-19. The first two weeks are unpaid (although the sick leave mentioned above may be used for this time). Weeks 3 through 12 are paid at 2/3 of salary, up to $200 per day, which may be supplemented with leave credits.
Agencies and Departments are expected to release this information and specific instructions on requesting and using these new leave provisions.
Click here to download the new Families First Coronavirus Response Act (2127) Section on the CalHR website.
Click here to download CalHR’s April 6, 2020 FAQs – Families First Coronavirus Act.