As staff and faculty engage in the complex planning necessary to return to their regular worksite, knowledge of the expanded family and medical leave provision of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) may become increasingly relevant.
FFCRA went into effect on April 1, 2020, and remains effective through Dec. 31, 2020. This act includes two leave provisions for eligible faculty and staff. As an employer covered under the FFCRA, Clemson University must provide eligible employees emergency paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave benefits for specified reasons related to COVID-19.
Family and Medical leave for working parents during COVID-19
The expanded family and medical leave provisioned under the FFCRA can aid a working parent who is “caring for his or her child whose school or place of care is closed (or child care provider is unavailable) due to COVID-19 related reasons.” While certain conditions apply, eligible employees may use this emergency expansion of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) to request up to 12 weeks of leave while they are unable to work due to the unavailability of childcare during COVID-19. This leave may be taken on an intermittent basis.
Emergency paid sick leave
The emergency paid sick leave provision of the FFCRA is available for eligible faculty and staff who are unable to work due to one of five qualifying reasons related to COVID-19.
For more information on the FFCRA, including FAQs and instructions for requesting leave, visit the Office of Human Resources FFCRA webpage.
Additional Resources
U.S. Department of Labor: COVID-19 and the American Workplace
U.S. Department of Labor FFCRA Poster (PDF)
Clemson University COVID-19 website
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