Although new coronavirus cases are declining in some states, other states have seen increases in some cases as they begin to reopen. In response, some governors are demanding that travelers from certain locations be quarantined and potentially foregoing paid sickness benefits.
Leading companies in Connecticut, New Jersey and New York recently announced that travelers arriving from coronavirus hotspots must be quarantined for 14 days when entering the area.
New York Governor Andrew Cuomo noted that travelers are still allowed to enter the state but must be quarantined if they are from a state with a positive test rate greater than 10 per 100,000 residents or a positive test rate greater than than 10 percent comes a moving average of seven days.
Cuomo also signed an executive order that states that New York employees who voluntarily travel to high-risk countries are not eligible for the state’s COVID-19 sickness benefits – though there is an exception if an employer requests the travel.
“If we are to maintain the progress we’ve seen, everyone has to take personal responsibility. That’s why I’m issuing an executive order stating that any New York employee who voluntarily travels to a high-risk state is not eligible for COVID -Protection that we put in place as part of the paid sick leave, “he said.
We’ve rounded up resources and articles from SHRM Online and other trusted places in the news.
Hotspots can change
New York was once the epicenter of new coronavirus cases in the US, but as the number of new cases in the state declined, Cuomo joined the governors of neighboring Connecticut and New Jersey in demanding that travelers from high-risk countries stay under shelter for 14 days Quarantine. Currently, these states include Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, Florida, North Carolina, South Carolina, Washington, Utah, and Texas – although the list is updated daily. Each state is responsible for enforcing its own mandate. In New York, travelers who break the rules could be quarantined by a judge and fined, including $ 2,000 for the first violation and up to $ 10,000 if the person causes harm for failure.
((NPR)
Eligibility for Paid Sick Leave Benefits in New York
As of June 25, New York workers will not be eligible for state COVID-19 paid sick leave benefits unless they are necessarily traveling to high-risk countries. The restriction does not apply when employees travel to work or at the request of their employer. The new restrictions reflect the existing regulation that New York workers are not eligible for paid sick leave when traveling to a country where the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has a Level Two Travel Health Notice three included.
States and cities are mandating paid sick leave as the pandemic continues
In addition to
Federal Act on Paid Emergency LeaveEmployers should be aware of state and local sick leave mandates related to the coronavirus pandemic. In addition to
new York, States like
California and
Colorado have specific requirements for paid sick leave related to coronavirus and allowable uses. Some cities like The angel and San Francisco, also add emergency protection for sick or quarantined workers.
((SHRM Online)
[Looking for state-specific information? See State & Local Updates]
Companies offer extended paid vacation
While the expansion of paid vacation in the C-suite has been widely viewed as a robust tool for talent recruiting, it is also increasingly seen as the right thing to do in the face of the coronavirus pandemic. As the nation grappled with COVID-19 and its impact on the workplace, businesses big and small re-examined and revised their vacation policies in the face of significant labor turmoil. Alight Solutions, a business process outsourcing company in Lincolnshire, Illinois, reported that 47 percent of the 246 employers surveyed have introduced or have started an extended sick leave or leave policy. Another 11 percent were considering such an extension.
((SHRM Online)
Contact tracking for employers
After companies learn that one or more employees have been diagnosed with COVID-19, they should act quickly to identify and notify employees who may have been exposed during the infection period. The on-site investigation, typically carried out by Human Resources, is a closer version of the contact tracing that public health officials are doing on a large scale to contain the spread of the coronavirus as the economy reopens. Employers should be careful to maintain confidentiality and avoid alarming the entire workforce, according to legal and HR experts.
((SHRM Online)
