COVID-19 Laws and Extensions

• Fair Labor Standards Act
  • COVID-19 and the Fair Labor Standards Act
  • COVID-19 and the Family and Medical Leave Act
• Department of Commerce

Families First Coronavirus Response Act Becomes Law

The U.S. House of Representatives passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201), which, among many other things, provides paid leave for employees who must stay home to care for themselves or their families during the COVID-19 pandemic. The Senate passed the Act, and President Trump signed it into law. The Act makes sweeping changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and has immediate consequences for employers.
The Act creates two types of paid leave: (1) up to two weeks of sick leave for an employee who is subject to quarantine or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, is caring for someone who is quarantined or ill, or is caring for a child who cannot go to school; (2) and up to 12 weeks of FMLA leave for an employee to care for a child who cannot go to school or daycare because of COVID-19. Employers will be subsidized for the paid leave through tax credits. Learn more here and at the links below.

• Employee paid leave rights
• Employee paid leave requirements

Unemployment benefits extension

Governor Laura Kelly recently signed this extension, extending unemployment benefits from 16 to 26 weeks. We appreciate the leadership of the Wichita Regional Chamber of Commerce for championing this effort as part of the Air Capital Commitment.