This new federal law requires the University to provide paid sick leave and expanded family and medical leave to employees who cannot work or telework as scheduled due to specified reasons related to COVID-19.  The provisions of the law only apply to employees who are scheduled to work or telework.  If you are not scheduled to work or telework due to a reduction of hours, closure of a unit, etc, then you are not eligible for the emergency paid sick leave or the expanded FML described below. 

HR Power Hour - FFCRA Overview

Basic Provisions of the Law

Emergency Paid Sick Leave

General Information

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires UMD to provide employees with Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) for specific reasons related to COVID-19. 

I have heard that the university has extended the deadline for the use of EPSL.  What does this mean for me?

As a result of the continued impact of COVID-19 in Maryland, the university has decided to extend the deadline to utilize any unused FFCRA leave benefits to June 30, 2021. This extension will allow employees who have not used these leave benefits or who have not used the maximum allowable amount of EPSL to apply for and use the leave should they need it through June 30, 2021.  Please note that this extension does not provide additional paid leave benefits over and above what is currently offered under the FFCRA. In addition, if Congress amends the provisions of the FFCRA prior to June 30, 2021, the university’s extension of the benefit will cease to be effective to the extent that it conflicts with the federal amendment.

I used 4 days of EPSL in 2020.  If I get sick with COVID in 2021, can I use EPSL?

If you are an eligible employee (see “Who is Eligible?”) you would be able to use up to 6 days of EPSL until June 30, 2021.  The total EPSL that you use in 2020 and 2021 cannot exceed 10 days.

Who is Eligible?

All employees, regardless of employment category, FTE, and amount of service, who are scheduled to work (on-site or remotely) can apply for EPSL.

If you are NOT scheduled to work — be it due to a reduction of hours, closure of a unit, furlough, or layoff— then the provisions of EPSL do not apply to you.

What is Covered?

EPSL can be used for COVID-19 absences when you are unable to work/telework because you: 

  1. are subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID-19;
  2. have been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine related to COVID-19;
  3. are experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and is seeking a medical diagnosis;
  4. are caring for an individual subject to an order described in (1) or self-quarantine as described in (2);
  5. are caring for their child whose school or place of care is closed (or child care provider is unavailable) due to COVID-19 related reasons; or
  6. are experiencing any other substantially similar condition specified by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.

How Much Will I Be Paid? 

For reasons #1 – #3 above: Up to two weeks (80 hours or pro-rated for part-time employees) of EPSL is paid at your regular, full rate of pay (up to $511 daily and $5,110 total) if you are unable to work or telework.  

For reasons #4 – #6 above: – Up to two weeks (80 hours or pro-rated for part-time employees) of EPSL is paid at two-thirds your regular rate of pay (up to $200 daily and $2,000 total) if you are unable to work or telework. When you are being paid at ⅔ pay, you have the choice to “top up” your pay to receive full pay by using your own accrued leave (annual, personal, sick, compensatory), advanced sick leave, and/or additional sick leave (hourly employees) to supplement your pay.

For reason #5 above, EPSL and EFML will run concurrently.  This means that all of the leave that you take to care for your child whose school/place of care is closed will count towards the 12-week total amount of EFML.

When Does It Expire?

As a result of the continued impact of COVID-19 in Maryland, the university has decided to extend the deadline to utilize any unused FFCRA leave benefits to June 30, 2021.

Expanded Paid Family and Medical Leave (EFML)

General Information

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) requires UMD to provide employees with Expanded Paid Family and Medical Leave (EFML) for specific reasons related to COVID-19. 

I have heard that the university has extended the deadline for the use of EFML.  What does this mean for me?

As a result of the continued impact of COVID-19 in Maryland, the university has decided to extend the deadline to utilize any unused FFCRA leave benefits to June 30, 2021. This extension will allow employees who have not used these leave benefits or who have not used the maximum allowable amount of EFML to apply for and use the leave should they need it through June 30, 2021.  Please note that this extension does not provide additional paid leave benefits over and above what is currently offered under the FFCRA. In addition, if Congress amends the provisions of the FFCRA prior to June 30, 2021, the university’s extension of the benefit will cease to be effective to the extent that it conflicts with the federal amendment.

I used 2 weeks of EFML in 2020.  If I need to use EFML again in 2021 for a covered reason, how much can I use?

If you are an eligible employee (see “Who is Eligible?”) you would be able to use up to 10 weeks of EFML until June 30, 2021.  The total EFML that you can use in 2020 and 2021 cannot exceed 12 weeks.

Who is Eligible?

Any employee with 30 calendar days of service, regardless of employment category or FTE, who is scheduled to work (on-site or remotely) can apply for EFML. If you are NOT scheduled to work — be it due to a reduction of hours, closure of a unit, furlough, or layoff— then the provisions of EFML do not apply to you.

A part-time employee is eligible for the leave for the number of hours that the employee is normally scheduled to work over that period.

What is Covered?

EFML time can be used for COVID-19 absences related only to reason #5 above (caring for your child whose school or place of care is closed, or child care provider is unavailable, due to COVID-19 related reasons).

The expanded FML is not an additional 12 weeks of FML; the law simply adds an additional reason for which you can qualify for FML.  For example, if you took 2 weeks of FML in January 2020 to undergo and recover from a surgical procedure, you would have 10 weeks of FML remaining, and therefore have 10 weeks available under EFML. If you have not used any FML leave during the 12-month period, then you are eligible for 12 weeks under EFML.  

How Much Leave Can I Request?

If you are unable to work or telework due to a need for leave to care for a minor child whose school, place of care, or child care provider is closed or unavailable for reasons related to COVID-19, you may request up to but no more than 12 weeks of EFML. Keep in mind that EPSL and EFML will run concurrently.  This means that all of the leave that you take to care for your child whose school/place of care is closed will count towards the 12-week total amount of EFML.

Part-time employees are eligible for leave for the number of hours on average that they are normally scheduled to work during that period.

How Much Will I Be Paid? 

The first 2 weeks of EFML are unpaid.  You may choose to use any EPSL for which you are eligible, your own accrued paid annual, personal, sick, or compensatory leave, advanced sick leave, and/or additional sick leave (hourly employees) during the initial 2-week period. 

For the remaining 10 weeks of EFML, you must exhaust all of your accrued paid annual, personal, sick, or compensatory leave first.  Any accrued paid leave is paid at 100%. After exhausting accrued leave, you will be paid at two-thirds pay (up to $200 daily and $10,000 total).  During this period, you can choose to request advanced sick leave or additional sick leave (hourly employees), if eligible, in order to “top up” the law-provided ⅔ pay, thus maintaining your full pay rate.

When Does It Expire?

As a result of the continued impact of COVID-19 in Maryland, the university has decided to extend the deadline to utilize any unused FFCRA leave benefits to June 30, 2021.