On March 18, 2020, President Trump signed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act into law. We uncover what this means for employers.  

1. Families First Coronavirus Response Act Signed Into Law:
The Employer Guide to Inclusions,
Changes & Actionable Next Steps

2. On March 18, 2020, President Trump
signed the Families First Coronavirus
Response Act (“the Act”) into law.
We uncover what this means for
employers.
Government Response

3. Testing for COVID-19 and related
healthcare visits are now covered
by private health plans, Medicare,
Medicaid, Medicare Advantage
and other public insurance
plans. Applying to both insured
and self-funded plans, testing is
free of charge for consumers and
requires no prior authorization.
Coronavirus Testing: Now Free of Charge for Employees

4. Companies with less than 500 employees are required to provide more
extensive paid family leave and sick benefits related to COVID-19. These
comprehensive benefits will be funded by the federal government with
refundable tax credits within three months. Details include:
• Sick Leave: two weeks of fully paid leave to self-quarantine or seek treatment
and/or testing for COVID-19 and two weeks at two-thirds pay to care for a
child in the event schools or childcare facilities are closed.
Updates to Family and Sick Leave Benefits
• Family Leave: employees are allowed a minimum of 10 weeks leave with at least
two-thirds original compensation after a two-week unpaid period.
• Exceptions: The Department of Labor may exempt employers with less than 50
employees or healthcare workers and first responders from the Act. Employers
may also decide independently to exempt healthcare workers and emergency
responders.

5. Unemployment, Medicaid & Nutritional Services
The Act will appropriate $1 billion
to states for unemployment
insurance expansion, as well as
increased Medicaid funding and
nutritional services for low-income
households, especially children
and students who usually receive
meals at school.

6. Getting Started
To properly administer these new leave
requirements, it’s crucial that employers
connect with any internal or external
teams and legal professionals who assist
with leave administration and/or
employment laws. In the meantime,
please visit www.cdc.gov for updates on
COVID-19 and additional information, or
join our webinar on March 31, 2020 to
learn more.