The National Association of Surety Bond Producers (NASBP) is sharing insights from Ward and Smith's 2020 Construction Conference with its members.
The organization recently republished an article written by attorney Bill Durr to its blog. "COVID-19 and the Construction Industry: Must Know Information for Executives" summarizes "emerging legal issues — most related to the pandemic—that are important for construction companies." Highlights include the government's response to the COVID-19, employment law, and the Paycheck Protection Program loan forgiveness. From the article:
Ken Gray, who leads the firm's Labor and Employment Practice, noted that the pandemic has disrupted every aspect of our lives—including the workplace.
"COVID-19 has turned our world upside down like no other event that we've ever experienced," he said.
The Families First Coronavirus Response Act, a federal law passed in March, applies to employers with fewer than 500 employees. The law requires employers to give employees up to two weeks of extra paid sick leave (or more), but only for five specific circumstances:
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When an employee is subject to a government-mandated quarantine and isolation order (such as a county health department instructing a worker to quarantine)
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When a health care provider orders an employee to self-isolate or self-isolate
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When an employee is experiencing COVID-19 symptoms and seeking a medical diagnosis for those symptoms
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When a worker has to care for someone else, such as a child, who is subject to government or health care provider-ordered isolation or quarantine
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When an employee has a child whose usual school or child care arrangements are closed or unavailable
