The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act) requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. These provisions will apply from April 1, 2020 through December 31, 2020.

If an employee is caring for his or her child whose school or place of care is closed (or childcare provider is unavailable) due to COVID-19 related reasons and they are unable to telework, they may request a Public Health Emergency Sick Leave. 

Employees need to log into Frontline Central and go to My Forms and Forms I Can Start and complete the Request for Public Health Emergency Leave form.

Employees must have been employed at BOCES for at least 30 days prior to their leave request.

This leave can be taken for up to 12 weeks but currently expires December 31, 2020.

Employee on leave will be paid 2/3 their regular pay up to a maximum of $200 per day. Benefits will continue unchanged during the leave.

Employees requesting this leave must attest to the following:

They are unable to work (or telework) due to a need to care for their child when a school or place of care has been closed, or when the regular childcare provider is unavailable due to a public health emergency with respect to COVID-19.

"Child" means a biological, adopted or foster child, a stepchild, a legal ward, or a child of a person standing in loco parentis, who is:

• Under 18 years of age.
• 18 or older and incapable of self-care because of a mental or physical disability.
  
  

"Childcare provider" means a provider who receives compensation for providing childcare services on a regular basis, including:

• A center-based childcare provider.
• A group home childcare provider.
• A family childcare provider (one individual who provides childcare services for fewer than 24 hours per day, as the sole caregiver, and in a private residence).
• Other licensed provider of childcare services for compensation.
• A childcare provider that is 18 years of age or older who provides child care services to children who are either the grandchild, great grandchild, sibling (if such provider lives in a separate residence), niece or nephew of such provider, at the direction of the parent.
  
  

"School" means an elementary or secondary school.