On March 14, the House passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA” or “the Act”) (HR 6201). This bill is not yet a law, but probably will be voted on this week or next. If the bill is signed into law by the President (which he has promised to do), the law will take effect 15 days after signing.

The FFCRA contains two main centerpieces: (1) new paid Family and Medical Leave to deal with the COVID-19 “public health emergency”; and (2) emergency paid sick leave. This advisory addresses the most important aspects of the FFCRA. We have injected some initial guidance to employers in italics, but this advisory is not designed to address all of the many details of the Act. Please look for a deeper dive and analysis from us when the law becomes effective.