ICYMI: U.S. Department of Labor Acts to Help American Workers and Employers During the Coronavirus Pandemic

WASHINGTON, DC – Last week, the U.S. Department of Labor took a range of actions to aid American workers and employers as our nation combats the coronavirus pandemic.

Reopening America’s Economy:

• U.S. Department of Labor Kicks off National Childcare Reopening Tour in Denver, Colorado – Director Laurie Todd-Smith of the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau traveled to Denver, Colorado, with Senator Cory Gardner and Advisor to the President Ivanka Trump underscoring the importance of childcare as the nation’s economy safely reopens.

Keeping America’s Workplaces Safe and Healthy:

• U.S. Department of Labor Cites Ohio Nursing Facilities for Failing to Fully Implement Respiratory Programs to Protect Employees from Coronavirus – The Occupational Safety and Health Administration has cited a healthcare company for violating respiratory protection standards following an inspection initiated after the company reported the coronavirus-related hospitalization of seven employees. 

Defending Workers’ Rights to Paid Leave and Wages Earned:

• U.S. Department Of Labor Publishes Additional Guidance on Wage And Hour Rules, Family and Medical Leave As Workplaces Reopen – The U.S. Department of Labor published additional guidance for workers and employers on how the protections and requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) affect the workplace as workplaces reopen amid the coronavirus pandemic. The guidance from the Department’s Wage and Hour Division includes commonly asked questions and answers that address critical issues in all three laws.

• West Palm Beach Organization Pays Back Wages to Employee Wrongly Denied Paid Sick Leave After Doctor Directed Quarantine – The Wage and Hour Division determined the employer violated paid sick leave requirements of the FFCRA. The Department found that the organization wrongfully denied an employee’s request for emergency paid sick leave after the worker’s doctor directed the employee to remain at home due to coronavirus-related concerns. After the Department contacted the employer, they agreed to pay the employee for the sick leave and committed to future FFCRA compliance.

• U.S. Department of Labor Offers Webinars in Tagalog for Employers And Employees about Families First Coronavirus Response Act – The Wage and Hour Division hosted a webinar on July 21, 2020, to help employers and employees in Southern California’s Filipino communities understand the benefits and protections provided by the FFCRA. The webinar was offered in Tagalog.

• South Florida Truss Manufacturer Pays Back Wages to Employee Denied Paid Sick Leave Under Families First Coronavirus Response Act – After an investigation by the Wage and Hour Division, a manufacturer based in Medley, Florida has paid an employee $4,352 in back wages for wrongly denying paid sick leave to an employee who requested time off to care for their child. The child’s school closed due to the coronavirus pandemic.

• Wireless Service Provider Pays Back Wages to Employee Denied Paid Sick Leave After Doctor Ordered Coronavirus-Related Self-Quarantine – After an investigation by the Wage and Hour Division, a firm in Houston, Texas will pay $900 in back wages after failing to provide an employee with coronavirus symptoms paid sick leave after the employee’s doctor ordered them to self-quarantine for two weeks, in violation of the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act, part of the FFCRA.

During the coronavirus pandemic, the Department of Labor is focused on protecting the safety and health of American workers, assisting our state partners as they deliver traditional unemployment and expanded unemployment benefits under the CARES Act, ensuring Americans know their rights to new paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave, providing guidance and assistance to employers, and carrying out the mission of the Department.

The mission of the Department of Labor is to foster, promote and develop the welfare of the wage earners, job seekers and retirees of the United States; improve working conditions; advance opportunities for profitable employment; and assure work-related benefits and rights.