In an attempt to address aspects of the workplace upheaval caused by the COVID-19 pandemic, Congress passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. That act included major temporary changes to the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and created a new paid leave entitlement. The Act itself raised many questions, some of which are being answered in an ongoing series of Department of Labor (DOL) guidance.
Perhaps the single most important aspect of the Act is what it does not cover. The Act does not provide any paid or protected leave time in the event of a company shut down for any COVID-19-related reason.
