Satcher & McGovern supports employers in complying with changes in the law from COVID-19

Satcher & McGovern is available to assist your business in complying with new legal requirements brought about by COVID-19. Ensuring your organization is aware of the rapidly changing requirements is essential to prevent ramifications down the road. Just a few of the major changes are described below:

Georgia Department of Labor Emergency Rule Unemployment: The Georgia Department of Labor issued a new Emergency Rule. This new Rule shifts the burden of filing claims for unemployment compensation from employees to employers. Specifically, starting after the week of March 15, 2020, employers must file partial unemployment claims online for any week during which an employee works less than full time due to a partial or total company shutdown resulting from COVID-19. Under this Emergency Rule, if an employer fails to file a claim, the employer will be required to reimburse the DOL the full amount of unemployment insurance benefits paid to the employee.

Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA): The FFCRA requires certain employers to provide their employees with up to 12 weeks of paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. 

• Two weeks of paid sick leave at employee’s regular rate of pay where the employee is unable to work because the employee is quarantined (pursuant to Federal, State, or local government order or advice of a health care provider), and/or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis; or,

• Two weeks of paid sick leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay because the employee is unable to work because of a bona fide need to care for an individual subject to quarantine or care for a child whose school or childcare provider is closed or 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.

• Up to an additional 10 weeks of paid expanded family and medical leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay where an employee is unable to work 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.

• The first 10 days of the emergency FMLA/FFCRA leave may consist of unpaid leave. Employees may choose to substitute any accrued leave for use during those 10 days. The remainder of the 12 weeks of leave is paid by the employer, calculated as described in the above section.

Please contact us by email at amcgovern@satchermcgovernlaw.com or by phone at (770) 847-7280 to assist your organization with compliance.