As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to transform the health care landscape, two new paid sick leave laws — one federal and one in California — directly and immediately impact health care employers.

The first is the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), which stipulates that employers with less than 500 employees nationwide must provide COVID-19 paid leave to their employees. The law does, though, offer an optional exclusion for so-called “health care provider” employees.

The US Department of Labor (DOL) initially put forth a broad definition of “health care provider” that was struck down by a New York court. The DOL now defines “health care provider” as referring only to employees who provide services that involve and are essential to patient care.

To cover the gap left by the FFCRA, California has passed its own paid leave law, which requires employers of more than 500 employees nationwide as well as employers of FFCRA-excluded “health care provider” employees to provide supplemental COVID-19 paid sick leave to those employees within the state.

Employers must take swift action to comply with these new regulations.

You can explore the federal and California laws in greater depth here.

WorkSync offers leading workforce management solutions that help ensure compliance for your organization. Visit us at WorkSync.com to learn more and request a demo.