ARTICLE
When the latest COVID bill was signed by the President, there were questions regarding the federal paid leave provisions. Please note that the bill allows covered employers to voluntarily provide emergency paid sick leave or emergency paid Family and Medical Act Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) as adopted early last year, which expired on December 31, 2020, and to take the tax credit associated with this leave through March 31, 2021. In other words, FFCRA leave is no longer required, but if covered employers voluntarily provide these leave benefits, they are eligible to take the tax credit for the leave. While employers with fewer than 500 employers will no longer be required to provide paid leave under federal law as of January 1, 2021, you should be mindful of other paid leave requirements under NYS laws, as well as their own paid leave and PTO policies. There remains an on-going requirement to provide leave for employees in NYS. State guidance can be found here. --FCA