4 BENEFIT CHANGES YOUR COMPANY SHOULD CONSIDER IN 2021 IN RESPONSE TO COVID-19
2020 was a year filled with change and uncertainty. Most employers were not ready or equipped to deal with the ever-changing leave laws in their state, the complexity of the FFCRA, or the rapid shift in their employee needs. While the FFCRA expired back on December 31, 2020, there have been no known extensions or considerations. That leaves employers in limbo. While employees are still affected by COVID whether through contracting the virus itself, being close to those who have tested positive, or those whose small children have been impacted by school closures, "employers should be prepared to have a plan in place for 2021 that contemplates COVID-19-related leave scenarios and be prepared to comply with applicable state and federal leave laws," - Adam Kemper (2020) There has been guidance from OSHA on what instances of COVID constitute a workplace injury however, without testing it is virtually impossible to determine the exact place of contraction(*excluding CA specific to healthcare workers). In addition to OSHA, there is the question of whether or not a positive COVID diagnosis is covered under the ADA and subject to the rule of reasonable accommodation. Due to this uncertainty, employers should be proactive by creating plans for different situations and relying on their HR team to deliver solid, equitable, and sound guidance.
Adding a provision of paid time off for employees exposed or diagnosed with COVID
In most states, companies can create different buckets of days of paid time off. Consult with legal counsel to see if adding an amount that is equal to the length of the quarantine period in the operational state either front-loaded or accrued is permissible. Depending on how companies classify this time, it may be subjected to payouts or rollovers depending on the laws in that particular state.
Adopt the Paid Family Leave provisions internally and extend eligibility
There's no law(except probably in California, kidding!)that says companies are not allowed to create an internal leave program. Adopting the Paid Family Leave provisions allows employers to stay consistent in regards to the level of pay and expectations but also allows the additional scenarios that aren't necessarily covered under state family leave. One of these additional instances could include extending leave to parents who do blended learning(online & in person) As always, consult with legal counsel before rolling our a new leave program.
Extending Bereavement Leave
With the high death tolls, it's imperative that employees feel supported during this time in more ways than one. If there are no paid bereavement leave offerings, now is probably the time to add this benefit on. For those who have bereavement leave available, there should be considerations to extend the paid amount of days for extra travel time and mourning as well. Companies are allowed to add documentation provisions for this leave, be sure to update any handbooks or PTO time, and to consult with legal before rolling out.
Adding additional free medical services
Money has been tight for everyone this year. Most organizations have to deal with increases in prices through their traditional medical insurance. If money is an issue, a way to be more generous without taking on hundreds of thousands in additional costs is employing a company like One Medical, which provides free rapid COVID testing at several locations. They can provide corporate rates and one-year contracts so that the organization can evaluate the usefulness of the program at the end of its life. In this time of uncertainty, budget constraints are at the top of mind but the lingering results from the lack of employee morale can be expensive. The real cost of losing an employee hits astronomical amounts once hitting the 100k mark. "Up to 213 percent of annual salary for highly-educated executive positions. For example, the cost to replace a $100k CEO is $213,000." Real considerations should be made to make sure the employees that you do have feel valued, covered, and supported by their employer. Articles Coronavirus Relief Package Includes Key Workplace Provisions | Allen J. Smith J.D. Record Workplace Exposures to COVID-19 | OSHA Employee Retention the Real Cost of Losing an Employee | Christina Merhar
