Yes, the decision to approve or deny the use of accrued vacation time is up to you, assuming you do so in a consistent and non-discriminatory manner. It would be acceptable, for example, to deny a vacation request because approving it would leave you without adequate coverage or because the employee asked with less notice […]
Category: COVID-19
Q&A: What should I do if my employee discloses that their family member or roommate has COVID-19?
Answer from Megan, SPHR, JD: Employees who have come within six feet of someone who is infected should self-quarantine for 14 days after their last exposure per the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). During this time, they should take their temperature twice a day and watch for symptoms of COVID-19. Currently, the known […]
Q&A: Employees & the Return to Work
Some of our employees have said they don’t feel safe returning to work. Can we just permanently replace them? What other options do we have? We recommend caution when deciding to replace an employee who refuses to work because of concerns about COVID-19. Here are few things to keep in mind: • Recalled employees may […]
Q&A: We are reopening after business closure due to COVID-19. Can we bring some employees back, but not others?
Yes. If you are recalling some positions, but not others, you should document the business reasons why only those positions were recalled. If you are recalling some employees in a certain position, but not everyone in that position, you should document the objective, job-related criteria you used to decide which employees to bring back. Seniority […]
Q&A: How do EFMLA and EPSL relate to each other, especially in regard to caring for children?
The emergency FMLA (EFMLA) and emergency paid sick leave (EPSL) both cover caring for children whose school or place of care is closed due to COVID-19 precautions. The leaves can run concurrently with the first 10 days of EFMLA being unpaid, which will, in many cases, coincide with the 80 hours of pay (at ⅔ […]
Affirmation: I remain peaceful amidst the financial crisis in my country.
There is so much news out there that can turn our heads, confuse us and even cause us stress. We all know that most countries are experiencing a negative financial impact because of the COVID19 crisis. At times, it may possibly take our breath away to not know what the future holds for us. However, […]
Q&A: Does the FFCRA apply to me if I have more than 500 employees? How do I count them?
No, if you employ more than 500 employees, the FFCRA does not apply to your organization. It applies only to organizations that employ fewer than 500 full-time and part-time employees within the United States. When counting your employees, be sure to include employees on leave, temporary employees who are jointly employed by you and another […]
Affirmation: I am vibrant and will overcome loneliness
Loneliness can creep up on the best of us from time to time. During this COVID19 imposed isolation, suddenly all of us are forced to withdraw in to ourselves. Is loneliness a challenge in your life? If so, it’s good to know that, with the right mindset and the drive to change, you can combat […]
Affirmation: The Real Dangers of Stress and What You Can Do About It
Many of us are approaching more than twenty days of self-isolation because of COVID-19. It is likely that we have more days ahead. While we know that what we are doing is for our own well-being as well as the greater good of the world community, it doesn’t take away the fact that it is […]
Career Monday: Work at Home Tips that Bring Success
One of the many sudden changes that the COVID-19 virus has brought on to the world is the sudden need for most employers to send their employees home to work. While this is a welcome change for some, others may be struggling with their productivity and efforts to find a new life balance may be […]