As we approach the start of the semester, there is an update from HR regarding leave as it relates to COVID-19 and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. Please read the following (and attachment in yesterday’s email from HR) carefully as some items have changed since the email dated March 24, 2020:

On March 18, 2020, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act was signed into law providing expanded FMLA leave specifically for the care of a child or children in the event of school or daycare closures related to COVID-19 and emergency paid sick leave. Per the Act, these provisions are temporary, ending Dec. 31, 2020. As remote operations, either in a hybrid format or in whole, are currently in place, these provisions would not apply if you continue to be able to work remotely.

Expanded FMLA Leave

This legislation permits eligible employees to use FMLA leave to care for a child or children due to a school or daycare closure due to COVID-19. Eligible employees are entitled to 12 weeks of job-protected leave to care for a child or children if their school or place of care has been closed or the childcare provider is unavailable due to COVID-19. An eligible employee is any employee who has been employed for at least 30 calendar days by LLCC. Leave under expanded FMLA will be as follows:

• The first 10 workdays (80 hours for full-time employees) will be unpaid unless you opt to use your own accrued, available benefit leave time OR paid emergency sick leave (payable at 100%).
• Any leave beyond the first 10 workdays will be paid leave at 2/3 your regular rate of pay for the hours you would be normally scheduled to work. The remaining 1/3 of your leave will either be unpaid or you may opt to use your own accrued, available vacation/personal leave time.
• Maximum amount payable under the 2/3 paid leave is $200/day or $12,000 over the course of 12 weeks. If 2/3 paid leave would exceed $200/day, you may supplement the remainder of the paid leave with your accrued available vacation/personal leave time in addition to the 1/3 leave time remaining.

Please contact Kim Elder for more details, should you be unable to work remotely or become unavailable to work and need this expanded FMLA leave.

Paid Emergency Sick Leave

Please read the attachment in yesterday’s email from HR regarding eligibility for paid emergency sick leave and how leave is handled for various symptom tracker scenarios.

If you have any questions, please contact nicole.ralph@llcc.edu.