Back to School… But How?

While this may not have been your typical “Fun in the Sun” summer due to the pandemic, for most parents it was a welcome break from the homeschooling challenges faced in the spring. As many schools plan to start next month, there are still a lot of uncertainties with what returning to school will look like this fall.

Many schools are offering either in-person or virtual instruction for the upcoming school year. Deciding which option is right for you is certainly a personal decision every parent must make in the best interest of their families. Some schools are opting to delay in-person instruction for the first few weeks or more while offering virtual instruction in the meantime. Employers will need to remain flexible with parents as they manage these new work and home priorities.

 

 

Companies may want to consider providing flexible working hours or the ability to work from home for employees, provided it does not increase staffing costs or decrease departmental efficiency. Allowing flexible work arrangements can help increase morale and retention amongst working parents.

Additionally, employers with fewer than 500 employees must offer paid leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) which provides:

• Up to two weeks—80 hours—of paid sick leave at the employee’s regular rate of pay when the employee is unable to work because he or she is quarantined under a government order or the advice of a health care provider, and/or is experiencing COVID-19-related symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis.
• Up to two weeks—80 hours—of paid sick leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay when the employee is unable to work because of a need to care for an individual who is quarantined under a government order or the advice of a health care provider, or to care for a child whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for COVID-19-related reasons.
• Up to an additional 10 weeks of expanded family and medical leave at two-thirds the employee’s regular rate of pay when an employee is unable to work due to a need to care for a child whose school or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19.

Small businesses with fewer than 50 employees may seek an exemption from the requirement to provide leave due to school closings or child care unavailability if compliance with the FFCRA would create a hardship.

It has become increasingly clear the pandemic will not be going away any time soon. As such, the guidance from employers must be flexible as we continue to find ways to support employees during these challenging times.