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A Potential Childcare Disruption for Rehired Employees

Client Alert

As businesses reopen, employers with fewer than 500 employees need to brush up on the FFCRA Paid Leave rules, including a potential disruption to your return to operations. 

Under the FFCRA, employees may be eligible for up to 80 hours of Emergency Paid Sick Leave, and up to 12 weeks of paid Emergency Childcare Leave. The eligibility and use of Childcare Leave have presented the most questions. Check out Bryan Meek’s article about summer vacations

Under the FFCRA and the Department of Labor guidance, employees would be eligible for Childcare Leave only if the employer had them on its payroll for at least 30 calendar days immediately prior to the day leave would begin. 

Many of the reinstated employees have been on unemployment, rather than the employer’s payroll for the past month or so.  

Does this mean the rehired employees are not eligible for Childcare Leave until they work for at least a month? Not necessarily

Why? Under the CARES Act, Congress added a loophole for rehired employees. If an employee was laid off on or after March 1, 2020 and is then rehired, the employee is immediately eligible for Childcare Leave if the employee worked 30 of the last 60 calendar days prior to layoff. 

What is the concern? An employee can return to work as part of a rehire program for one day, and then go on 12 weeks of a combination of Emergency Sick Leave and Emergency Childcare Leave paid at a 2/3 rate up to $200 per day. 

What should employers do? The Childcare Leave process is designed to be interactive. Engage in an interactive process with your employees about their scheduling and childcare needs. You can remind employees that the childcare disruptions will likely extend into the next school year, so it’s wise to conserve the leave for when it is absolutely necessary. 

For additional questions, please contact Jeffrey Miller 216.658.2323 or any member of the Labor + Employment Team of BMD.  


New Ohio Recovery Housing Rules Take Effect January 1, 2025

Ohio’s new recovery housing rules, effective January 1, 2025, require certified community behavioral health providers to refer clients only to accredited recovery housing residences listed on the statewide registry.

SCOTUS to Weigh In on Medicaid Beneficiaries’ Right to Choose their Provider

The U.S. Supreme Court will hear arguments this spring on whether Medicaid beneficiaries have an enforceable right to choose their healthcare providers without state interference, as outlined in Section 1902(a)(23) of the Social Security Act. This case stems from a South Carolina petition challenging a Fourth Circuit ruling that blocked the state from terminating Planned Parenthood’s Medicaid provider agreement.

I Went to Bed and the Rules Changed: the Corporate Transparency Act is Back on Hold

The United States Court of Appeals for the Fifth Circuit ordered on December 26, 2024 that in an effort to “preserve the constitutional status quo” while it considered the Federal Government’s appeal, it vacated the prior order for a stay of the nationwide injunction pending appeal entered on December 23, 2024, and reinstated the preliminary injunction enjoining enforcement of the CTA and its corresponding Reporting Rule.

Telemedicine Flexibilities Extended to March 31, 2025

The American Relief Act of 2025 extends key telehealth flexibilities through March 31, 2025, originally enacted during the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency (PHE). These flexibilities remove geographic and originating site restrictions for Medicare patients, expand the list of qualified practitioners, and allow for audio-only services and telehealth mental health care without in-person requirements. Although this extension is temporary, it provides continued access to essential healthcare services. Congress will need to pass permanent legislation to solidify these changes beyond March 2025.

Corporate Transparency Act Is Back in Effect: Are You Ready?

On December 23, 2024, the Fifth Circuit Court of Appeals reinstated the filing requirements under the Corporate Transparency Act (CTA), overturning a prior injunction. Businesses now have updated deadlines to file initial beneficial ownership information reports with the Financial Crimes Enforcement Network (FinCEN), based on their registration date. Affected companies must comply with these new deadlines, which vary depending on when the company was created or registered.