myCSUSM
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)
**This program officially expired December 31, 2020. Should the program be offered in 2021, information below will be updated.**
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) has enacted the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family Medical Leave Expansion Act. FFCRA provides paid sick leave to employees unable to work (or unable to work remotely) for specified reasons relating to COVID-19. The Act is effective April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.
The federal FFCRA and the CSU's Coronavirus Paid Administrative Leave (CPAL) are two distinct paid leave programs and are mutually exclusive. The qualifying reasons for leave are very similar however, some provisions differ.
Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act (EPSLA)
- Two weeks (up to 80 hours) of paid sick leave when an employee:
- Is unable to work (or telework) because the employee is quarantined or has a bona fide need to care for an individual subject to quarantine
- Is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and are seeking a medical diagnosis
- Must care for a child whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19
Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act (EFMLEA)
- Up to an additional 12 weeks of expanded family and medical leave by adding a new reason to qualify for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), of which 10 weeks are paid and when an employee, who has been employed for at least 30 calendar days, is unable to work (or telework) due to a bona fide need for leave to care for a child whose school or childcare provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19.
- Eligibility
All employees are eligible for two weeks of paid sick time for specified reasons related to COVID-19. All employees who have been employed for at least 30 days are eligible for up to 10 weeks of paid family leave under FMLA to care for a child under certain circumstances related to COVID-19.
The number of hours available for employees who work less than full-time shall be prorated according to their full-time equivalency, or the percent of the appointment or timebase (hours normally scheduled to work for non-exemt employees).
Exception: Emergency responders and health care workers are excluded from paid leave for Qualifying Reasons #4 and #5 as noted in section below.
- Qualifying Reasons for Leave
An employee qualifies for paid sick time if the employee is unable to work (or unable to work remotely) due to a need for leave because the employee:
- is subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19;
- has been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19;
- is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis;
- is caring for an individual subject to an order described in (1) or self-quarantine as described in (2);
- is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed (or childcare provider is unavailable) for reasons related to COVID-19;
- and/or the employee is experiencing a substantially similar condition as specified by the Secretary of Health and Human Services. If HHS does identify any such condition, the Department of Labor will issue guidance explaining what qualifies such that an employee may take paid sick leave on the basis of a "substantially similar condition." (No similar conditions have been specified by the publication date of this guidance. Campuses will be informed if this occurs.)
Under the FFCRA, an employee qualifies for expanded family and medical leave ONLY if the employee is caring for a child whose school or place of care is closed (or childcare provider is unavailable) for reasons related to COVID-19.
- Required Documentation
Employees requesting paid leave under FFCRA must submit a FFCRA Leave Request Form to the Office of Human Resources.
- To take paid sick leave for the qualifying COVID-19 reason # 1, an employee must additionally provide HR with the name of the government entity that issued the Quarantine or Isolation order.
- To take paid sick leave for the qualifying COVID-19 reason # 2, an employee must additionally provide HR with the name of the health care provider who advised the employee to self-quarantine.
- To take paid sick leave for the qualifying COVID-19 reason # 4, an employee must additionally provide HR with either: (a) the name of the government entity that issued the Quarantine or Isolation Order to which the individual being cared for is subject; or (b) the name of the health care provider who advised the individual being cared for to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID-19.
- To take paid sick leave for the qualifying COVID-19 reason # 5 and/or expanded family and medical leave, an employee must provide HR with: (a) the name of the child being cared for; (b) the name of the school, place of care, or childcare provider that has closed or become unavailable; and (c) a representation that no other suitable person will be caring for the child during the period for which the employee takes paid sick leave or expanded family medical leave.
Requesting Leave Under FFCRA
FFCRA Leave Request Form Frequently Asked Questions FFCRA Poster COVID Leave Comparison Chart
To request leave under this policy, complete the FFCRA Leave Request Form. Your supervisor/Dean will review and submit the completed request to Melanie Hobbs in the Office of Human Resources. Please contact Melanie Hobbs via email at mhobbs@csusm.edu with any questions you may have regarding this new policy or form.
As a reminder, temporary paid administrative leave is also available through the CSU's Coronavirus Paid Administrative Leave (CPAL).
Employee Assistance Program and Other Resources
As a reminder, if you are feeling overwhelmed or anxious due to the current COVID-19 situation, please contact our Employee Assistance Program LifeMatters at 800-367-7474 or www.mylifematters.com (password: cougars).