Regulatory Roundup: March 2020

During the month of March, the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic began to impact American families and businesses broadly and significantly, including numerous state-wide shelter-in-place orders that forced businesses to limit operations and transition workforces to working fully remote. 

As workers face the possibility of 14-day quarantines including a few days of waiting for test results, employers are trying to support these employees while also preventing the spread of the virus to colleagues with Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) coverage. Many individual states have emergency paid sick leave bills pending, but bills in Colorado and New York passed in March.  

On a broader scale, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), passed into law on March 18, 2020, provides paid sick leave, tax credits, and free COVID-19 testing; expanding food assistance and unemployment benefits; and increasing Medicaid funding. The provisions benefit healthcare and education with some impacting employers, particularly in those industries most heavily impacted by the pandemic.  On March 30, the Department of Labor updated its guidance on the small business exemption where the provisions of this law would jeopardize the viability of the business. 

On Friday, March 27, the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, which aims to stabilize the economic impact of the pandemic by providing emergency relief to assistance and health care response for individuals, families, and businesses affected by the 2020 coronavirus pandemic. The bill includes direct payments to taxpayers, an extended unemployment insurance program, small business relief, and provisions for other organizations to fight the pandemic. 

Check out this month’s compliance and tax alerts below:  

• Legislative Updates Related to Coronavirus (COVID-19) 
• Families First Coronavirus Response Act 
• The CARES Act 
• Colorado Emergency Paid Sick Leave Bill 

For the latest information and resources related to the coronavirus, check our COVID-19 Resources page often. 

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This information is provided as a courtesy, may change and is not intended as legal or tax guidance. Employers with questions or concerns outside the scope of a Payroll Service Provider are encouraged to seek the advice of a qualified CPA, Tax Attorney or Advisor.