New Benefits Starting 4/1/2020

Up until now, if you are out of work for being a high risk for COVD19, been exposed to COVID19, you don’t have child care or you are self-quarantined or quarantined, CSI has continued to pay you without using your earned leave.  There are a number of new federal benefits available, that will help you to get paid during this crisis, but also can relieve some of the expense from CSI. If CSI pays you according to the FFCRA programs, we can get reimbursed for the cost of your salary.  As we are paying you now, there is no method for CSI to recoup the funds paid for these “extra” salaries.

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.

These provisions will apply from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020 and are separate from your earned leave and CT and MA state mandated sick leave.

PAID LEAVE ENTITLEMENTS

Generally, employers covered under the Act must provide employees:

Up to two weeks (80 hours, or a part-time employee’s two-week equivalent) of paid sick leave based on the higher of their regular rate of pay, or the applicable state or Federal minimum wage, paid at:

  • 100% for qualifying reasons #1-3 below, up to $511 daily and $5,110 total;
  • 2/3 for qualifying reasons #4 and 6 below, up to $200 daily and $2,000 total; and
  • Up to 12 weeks of paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave paid at 2/3 for qualifying reason #5 below for up to $200 daily and $12,000 total.

A part-time employee is eligible for the leave for the number of hours that the employee is normally scheduled to work over that period or the number of hours committed in a pay period.

ELIGIBLE EMPLOYEES

CSI employees are eligible for up to two weeks of fully or partially paid sick leave for COVID-19 related reasons. Also, employees who have been employed for at least 30 days prior to their leave request may be eligible for up to an additional 10 weeks of partially paid expanded family and medical leave for reason #5 below.

QUALIFYING REASONS FOR LEAVE RELATED TO COVID-19

An employee is entitled to take leave related to COVID-19 if the employee is unable to work, including unable to telework, because  the employee:

  1. is subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19; (full pay for two weeks)
  2. has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19; (full pay for up to  two weeks)
  3. is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis; (full pay for up to two weeks)
  4. is caring for an individual subject to an order described in (1) or self-quarantine as described in (2) (2/3 pay for up to two weeks)
  5. 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; or
  6. is experiencing any other substantially-similar condition  specified by the US Department of Health and Human Services related to CoviD19. (2/3 pay for up to two weeks.)

FFRCA Sick Leave

Each CSI employee will be awarded two weeks of paid FFRCA sick leave.  This leave can be used for COVID19 related absences.  (1-6 above). If your hours were reduced because of a change in schedules, this leave policy does not apply.

You can use the FFCRA sick leave if you are absent for self-quarantine, mandatory quarantine or isolation, quarantine because of symptoms, or out because your child has lost their school or daycare.

After the two weeks, the person should be able to return to work.  If you are unable to return to work, please contact your supervisor to make arrangements on a case by case basis

CSI is committed to help all of their staff remain financially stable and  will pay the additional 1/3 of your salary to bring you to 100% pay if you fall in a leave category that is classified as 2/3 payment.

FFRCA Family Leave

An employee is entitled to up to 12 weeks of leave if they are caring for their child whose school or place of care is unavailable because of COVID-19.  The first two weeks is unpaid but you can use your FFRCA Sick Leave or your earned leave.  Up to 10 weeks after the two week waiting period is available at 2/3 your salary.

CSI is committed to help all of their staff remain financially stable and  will pay the additional 1/3 of your salary to bring you to 100% pay if you fall in a leave category that is classified as 2/3 payment.

If you are out of work because your hours were reduced because of scheduling changes, you do not qualify for this leave and will continue to use pay code CSI-COVID-19 on your timesheet.

You will receive an additional email in the next few days to help guide you through the new process.

Janet Butler
President/CEO
Community Systems, Inc.