Dear ECU Employees,
A new federal law regarding leave during the COVID-19 pandemic is now in effect as of April 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020. The law is called the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). Included in this law are the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act and the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act , which provides leave to employees affected by COVID-19 in specific ways.
Generally, the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act allows two weeks (up to 80 hours, or the number of hours regularly scheduled over two weeks for part-time employees) of fully or partially paid leave due to six (6) qualifying events, for full-time and part-time employees who are unable to work (including telework) due to specific Covid-19 defined reasons.
To understand the six (6) qualifying events, please view the Employee Rights Poster at https://www.dol.gov/sites/dolgov/files/WHD/posters/FFCRA_Poster_WH1422_Non-Federal.pdf. For additional guidance please email or contact Employment Services.
In the event, an employee is unable to work (or telework) because his or her childcare provider (including school) is unavailable due to COVID-19, that partially-paid, job-protected leave may be extended an additional (10) weeks under the Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act. Employees must have been employed at least 30 days to be eligible for the extended child care family medical leave.
Employees who believe they qualify for the Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act or Expanded FMLA, should submit a request to Employment Services at the following link: ES Request for COVID-19 Leave . The leave request will be reviewed, and the employee notified if leave is approved or denied. Leave may not be taken until approved.
A detailed emailed response will follow an approved Leave Request regarding “Recording Families First Coronavirus Response Act Leave (COVID-19)” under “COVID-19. Correctly recording your time used under these provisions is vital to ensure that you receive the pay and job-protections you are entitled to under this law.
Keep in mind that, except for the childcare reason described above, this law only provides for two (2) weeks of leave from April 1, 2020, through December 31, 2020, even if an employee experiences more than one qualifying condition or event. Additional leave needed beyond the two (2) weeks provided, may be charged to an employee’s regular ECU accrued compensatory time, Sick Leave, and then Annual leave in that order.
Please visit the COVID Employee Response Page for additional information and helpful resources. If you have any questions, please contact the Office of Employment Service at 580-559-5260 or via email at es@ecok.edu .
Finally, we encourage all employees to remain diligent in their practices recommended by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. For more information, please visit CDC, How to Protect Yourself
Ty Anderson
Employment Services Director
East Central University
Employment Services Office
1100 E. 14th Street
Ada, OK 74820
580-559-5217
FAX 580-559-5484
Email: tanderson@ecok.edu