• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
Brunini Law
Menu
  • About Us
      • Firm Overview
      • Diversity Matters
      • In the Community
      • Pro Bono
      • Legal Networks
      • Brunini, Grantham, Grower & Hewes, PLLC, founded over one century ago, today is one of Mississippi’s largest and most respected law firms. Our Firm’s practice is organized into three major areas of concentration: Commercial, Litigation and Regulatory law. Whether in a courtroom or the boardroom, we treat our client's business as we would our own.
    Close
  • About Us
  • People
      • Attorney Directory
      • Attorney Search
      • As one of Mississippi's oldest law firms, many of our attorneys have unmatched experience in industry sectors ranging from Energy to Telecommunications - from Litigation to Cyber Security.
    Close
  • People
  • Practices
      • Commercial
      • Litigation
      • Regulatory
      • The practice of law at Brunini is diverse, comprehensive and sophisticated. The scope of our services is coordinated across clients, industries and issues. The Brunini Firm is organized into three major areas of concentration that function optimally within the context of the law itself: Commercial, Litigation and Regulatory.
    Close
  • Practices
  • Careers
      • Recruiting
      • Summer Associates
      • Diversity
      • The Brunini Firm recruits new quality attorneys to meet its clients' increasing demands. The Firm interviews at a number of law schools and has an active summer clerkship program which is an integral part of its overall recruiting effort. We also recruit experienced attorneys with proven abilities and particular expertise to help us meet our clients' specific needs.
    Close
  • Careers
  • News
      • News
      • Coronavirus Updates
      • Blog
      • Recent Experience
      • Rankings & Awards
      • Newsletters
      • Newsletter Signup
      • Check here often for firm news, blogs, rankings and awards, and other recent developments involving Brunini and its lawyers. You can also review recent firm newsletters here and sign up to receive the newsletters by email.
    Close
  • News
  • Office
      • Jackson
      • P: 601-948-3101
        190 East Capitol Street
        The Pinnacle Building, Suite 100
        Jackson, MS 39201
    Close
  • Office
    • Jackson
    • Close

New Stimulus Package and the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

December 28, 2020 by Christopher R. Fontan

On Sunday, December 27, 2020, President Donald Trump officially signed into law Congress’ most-recent major stimulus package, aimed at blunting the continuing economic effects of on-going COVID-19 pandemic.  Earlier this year, Congress passed a larger series of similar measures, including the $2.2 trillion Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act (“CARES Act”), as well as $104 billion Families First Coronavirus Response Act (“FFCRA”).  This most recent stimulus package totals $900 billion, and was signed in conjunction with a separate $1.4 trillion government funding bill.

The December 2020 stimulus package provides continued funding for a wide range of governmental assistance programs initiated earlier this year—including the Paycheck Protection Program and expanded unemployment assistance.  One question most HR and employment professionals had concerning the December 2020 stimulus package was what, if any, impact it would have on the fate of the FFCRA.

 

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA)

Signed into law on March 18, 2020, the FFCRA contained two principal mandates: (1) the establishment of new, paid sick leave rights for workers impacted by COVID-19 and those serving as caregivers for others with COVID-19; and (2) the establishment of new, enhanced leave entitlements under the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), including limited paid leave rights.  Over the past nine months, human resources professionals have worked hard to interpret and implement these new leave provisions.

 

The December 2020 Stimulus Package’s Impact on the FFCRA

One key feature of the FFCRA was the fact that it was set to automatically expire on Thursday, December 31, 2020.  Many experts felt that Congress would use the December 2020 stimulus package as an opportunity to extend the obligations/benefits of the FFCRA.  However, the final text of the December 2020 stimulus package does not extend the paid sick leave and paid family and medical leave requirements of the FFCRA. Therefore, an employer’s obligation to provide paid leave under the FFCRA will cease at the end of the year.  (Note: It is possible that the employee could be entitled to normal unpaid leave under the FMLA even after the FFCRA expires, if they still have weeks available under the FMLA.)

Congress did take the opportunity to extend the tax credit contained for both the Emergency Paid Sick Leave and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave contained within the FFCRA.  So, while employers are not required to provide paid leave under the FFCRA after December 31st, if they voluntarily elect to do so (and assuming covered employees have eligible leave remaining), these employers can continue to claim the payroll tax credit for those payments through March 31, 2021.

Despite Congress’ decision not to extend the FFCRA with the December 2020 stimulus package, we strongly encourage employers to continue to monitor this issue into early 2021, as President-elect Biden has already discussed plans to pass an even larger stimulus package once both he and the “new” Congress take office.  It is possible that this legislation could expand/enhance the FFCRA.

Back to Labor and Employment

sidebar

News

  • News
  • Coronavirus Updates
  • Blog
  • Recent Experience
  • Rankings & Awards
  • Newsletters
    • Banking
    • Brunini Update
    • Environmental Law
    • Labor and Employment
    • Health Care
  • Newsletter Signup
  • Jackson
©2023 Brunini. All rights reserved. Web Site by Fishman Marketing.
  • Firm Access
  • Disclaimer
  •