T’was the Night before Christmas
And all through the House (and Senate)
All the creatures were stirring
Our hopes they won’t douse
They wrote and they wrote
The bill was quite long
All finally agreed
What more could go wrong?
Trump said: “I hate it!”
“It’s not big enough.”
And further he said:
“And it’s all filled with fluff.”
He said to rewrite it
And come back with more.
But we’ve no way to know
What’s really in store
Sick of the fighting
And the killing of trees
Employers all wondered
“What’s in it for me?”
What happens to sick leave?
And E-FMLA?
Will folks get time off
Of work with some pay?
The answer is hidden
Amongst 5000 pages
One sentence it says
“People get more sick wages”
The rule will extend
‘Till March thirty-first
No more after that
Or our pockets will burst!
Employers want to know
“What should we do?”
“Will it pass? Will it Fail?”
“I’m oh so confused”
Calm now my child
You’ll just have to wait
Make no changes now
‘Till we know our fate
If you’re frustrated
From your head to your sock
Remember your lessons
From old School House Rock!
In a nutshell, Congress passed the new COVID stimulus bill. It’s 5000+ pages long. Hidden among the pages is a short sentence or two extending FFCRA leave (Paid Sick Leave & Emergency FMLA) until March 31, 2021. This does not appear to be a “start over” of the time – i.e., employees do not get a new bank of COVID leave. If they’ve used it, it’s gone. Employees who have not needed COVID leave up to this point may take it through March 31, 2021 if needed. Otherwise, the rules remain the same.
PLEASE NOTE: This bill is not yet a law. President Trump has threatened to veto the bill. If that happens, the current FFCRA leave (Paid Sick Leave and Emergency FMLA) will expire on 12/31 unless a new bill is passed. At this point, employers should continue their current policies in place through 12/31 and wait further direction. We will update you when we know more.
From the Graydon family to yours, we hope you enjoy the holiday season. 2020 has been a bad year on many fronts but we all have much to be grateful for. Thank you for your friendship and your business. We are fortunate to work with great people – clients and teammates. We wish you the best and look forward to partnering in 2021. Happy New Year!
