5 ways to adapt your paid leave program for COVID-19 challenges

Published September 9, 2020 2:08 PM EDT 2 Min Read

Cracks are starting to show in paid leave programs due to the challenges posed by a global pandemic. But employers can take steps to modernize their policies for a post-COVID world.

“The pandemic will likely have a lasting impact on the future of work,” says Rich Fuerstenberg, senior partner at Mercer. “Now is the time for employers to consider changes that will not only get their organization through the pandemic, but leave them with a modernized and sustainable PTO program.”

Many employers will need to make changes in order to incorporate the Families First Coronavirus Response Act and any state or local leave policies. This is especially important for large companies with employees in multiple states. New York, for example, requires employers to provide 5 to 14 days of paid leave, depending on the size of their workforce and annual revenue. San Francisco also passed the Public Health Emergency Leave Ordinance, which guarantees employees up to 80 hours of paid sick leave for coronavirus-related absences, if they work for a company with more than 500 employees.

An employee may get sick once, but they’ll be entitled leave from multiple policies, including their workplace benefits, federal mandates and state or local laws. To make the leave filing process easier, some states allow employers to participate more directly with state provided benefit delivery; check your state laws for the application process.

Kayla Webster

Freelance writer

Kayla Webster is a freelance writer based in New York City.

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