The Press-Dispatch

April 8, 2020

The Press-Dispatch

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A-4 Local Wednesday, April 8, 2020 The Press-Dispatch A view on living in Pike County during the COVID-19 lockdown Photos contributed by local readers. If you would like to submit photos for an upcom- ing edition, email lookout@pressdispatch.net. Expert explains new Families First Coronavirus Response Act By Janice Barniak HR Consultant Kathleen Lapekas helped local em- ployers answer questions about how they would be af- fected by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which passed nationally March 18 and took effect April 1 of this week. The bill, she said, ad- dresses employer respon- sibilities as far as paid sick leave and emergency fami- ly leave, which has been ex- panded federally in the wake of the COVID-19 epidemic. PAID SICK LEAVE The act applies to all pri- vate employers with less than 500 employees, whose employees are not health care providers or emergen- cy responders. The act re- quires employers to pay their employees certain amounts: if the employee cannot work or telework be- cause of either a quarantine or isolation order given by officials or a healthcare pro- vider; if they're experienc- ing COVID-19 symptoms and are seeking a medical diagnosis; they're caring for someone in quarantine; they have a substantially similar illness to COVID; or if their place of childcare is closed and childcare is unavailable because of COVID. Employers are required to pay 100 percent of pay, up to $511 per day for 10 days, for employees who are experi- encing symptoms or put in isolation seeking medical diagnosis for COVID-19, re- gardless of how long they have worked at the business. For the caregiving and substantially similar con- ditions, the employer is re- quired to provide two-thirds of the employees' pay up to $200 per day, for a maxi- mum of 10 days, for those who are caregiving or tak- ing care of children. The mandatory stay-at- home order is not the same as a quarantine, however, Lapekas said. EXPANDED FMLA Expanded FML A (family medical leave), on the other hand, is only available to em- ployees who have been with the employer for at least 30 days, but also only applies to businesses of less than 500 people. It allows employees to take FML A for COVID-19 reasons, including a child being off school, and states that after the first 10 days of leave, the employee will re- ceive two-thirds of their pay. The leave still counts to- wards the existing feder- al maximum of 12 weeks, however, so employees that have used leave, for exam- ple, for the birth of a child, still have only 12 weeks to- tal for the year. The act provides protec- tions for reinstatement of an employee that takes leave because of COVID-19. The only FML A exception for businesses of fewer than 500 employees is if a busi- ness has both less than 50 employees and if the leave would "jeopardize the via- bility of the business." If a business intends to re- fuse leave, it should docu- ment why the business meets that exemption, including showing that an insufficient number of workers is avail- able if leave is given for the business to operate, that em- ployees refused have special- ized skills and knowledge, and that the amount of reve- nue coming into the business would not exceed expenses with the employee(s) gone, causing the business not to operate. RECEIVING CREDITS BACK Employers are required to post the new act in a con- spicuous place to inform em- ployees of their rights, La- pekas said. Even if a busi- ness is currently closed or has all employees working from home, she suggested employers print out and post the information so that they could say they had met the mandate. "Wherever you put your labor law posters," she said. The good news is the money paid due to COV- ID-19 expanded FML A and sick leave will be able to be credited back to the employ- er when they submit their payrolls. HEALTH INSURANCE Employers' health insur- ance will be required to cov- er the testing for COVID-19, but not the treatment, and employees cannot lose their insurance while taking the sick leave or expanded FM- L A. QUESTIONS ANSWERED •Does this act apply to my business of 10 or less peo- ple? Yes •If employees are already furloughed or laid off does this apply? No •Can employees who are laid off apply for unemploy- ment? Yes •Do employees need to take their P TO or vacation before being laid off? No, that will delay their eligibil- ity for unemployment. •Can the company re- quire employees to take their paid sick leave be- fore using the emergency sick leave mandated in the act? No, and it doesn't mat- ter how much paid sick time the employee has accrued. "It doesn't matter if they have a bank of sick time, you can't require them to use it," Lapekas said. "Accrued paid time off is considered a ben- efit." •Can an employee refuse to come to work because they are scared? No, employ- ees can only refuse to work if the danger is imminent. If the employer has taken pre- cautions to minimize expo- sure, including handwash- ing, 6 -foot workspace dis- tances and personal protec- tive equipment, an employee cannot receive benefits for refusing to work. "We are in an unprece- dented situation, people are very emotional, so of course, we're going to try to be com- passionate," she said. For those who want more details on the act, she sug- gested a page by Ice Miller, of Indianapolis, at https:// bit.ly/2wXu4ag. She acknowledged, throughout the struggles, small businesses were like- ly to have trouble meeting the mandates during an al- ready difficult time. "Read it and weep if you will." Birmingham, Alabama attorney Robert Norris helps injured claimants, nationwide, collect cash benefits from Asbestos Trusts. "No representa- tion is made that the quality of legal services to be performed is greater than the quality of legal services performed by other lawyers." Insulators, pipefitters, electricians, welders & other laborers who built or maintained the Special trusts have been set up by vendors and suppliers of the Petersburg Generating Station to pay asbestos victims. If you built or helped maintain the Petersburg Generating Station before 1982 you may have been exposed to asbestos - and not even know it. You could be entitled to multiple cash settlements without going to court, filing a lawsuit, or even leaving your house. If you built or helped maintain the Petersburg Generating Station, and have been diagnosed with Lung Cancer (even if you are a smoker) - or Esophageal, Laryngeal, Pharyngeal, Stomach, Colon, or Rectal Cancer or know someone who died from one of these cancers, call 1-800-478-9578 Free Claims Analysis www.getnorris.com/asb Nationwide Service PETERSBURG GENERATING STATION Lung Cancer • Other Cancers REDUCED TEMPERATURE SWINGS ENHANCED PERFORMANCE IMPROVED DEHUMIDIFICATION Variable-speed technology means invariable comfort. The Infinity ® 20 air conditioner combines the energy efficiency of Greenspeed ® intelligence with the convenience and precision of the Infinity System Control. With reduced temperature swings, improved dehumidification and ultra-quiet operation, the Infinity 20 air conditioner will have you more comfortable than ever before. Energy Efficiency That's Right in Your Comfort Zone. ©Carrier Corporation 4/2018. carrier.com PH: 812-743-2382 HEATING & AIR-CONDITIONING Perry ' s LLC Serving the area since 1950. Perry ' s Perry ' s 303 Breckinridge Rd, Monroe City Email: perryshvac@gmail.com Craig Perry Vance Perry Chase Perry Brycen Stillwell fishing with his dad, Chad. Avery Hunt practices her roundhouse kicks with her brother, Jaron Hunt. She's missing classes at Kickin' it with G. Second grade student Tate Pauw was able to see his teacher, Mrs. LeMond, at the eLearning pick-up at Winslow Elementary.

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