{"identifier":"/us/usc/t29/s2620","title":29,"num":"\u00a7\u202f2620.","heading":"Public health emergency leave","text":"\u00a7\u202f2620.\nPublic health emergency leave\n(a)\nDefinitions\nThe following shall apply with respect to leave under\n(1)\nApplication of certain terms\nThe definitions in\n(A)\nEligible employee\n(i)\nIn general\nIn lieu of the definition in sections 2611(2)(A) and 2611(2)(B)(ii) of this title, the term \u201celigible employee\u201d means an employee who has been employed for at least 30 calendar days by the employer with respect to whom leave is requested under\nsection 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title\n(ii)\n11\u202fSo in original. Two cls. (ii) have been enacted. Rule regarding rehired employees\nFor purposes of clause (i), the term \u201cemployed for at least 30 calendar days\u201d, used with respect to an employee and an employer described in clause (i), includes an employee who was laid off by that employer not earlier than\nMarch 1, 2020\n(ii)\n1 Special rule\nFor purposes of applying\nsection 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title\n2 U.S.C. 1301\n2 U.S.C. 1312(a)(2)(B)\n2 U.S.C. 1301\nsection 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title\n(B)\nEmployer threshold\nSection 2611(4)(A)(i) of this title\n(2)\nAdditional definitions\nIn addition to the definitions described in paragraph (1), the following definitions shall apply with respect to leave under\n(A)\nQualifying need related to a public health emergency\nThe term \u201cqualifying need related to a public health emergency\u201d, with respect to leave, means the employee is unable to work (or telework) due to a need for leave to care for the son or daughter under 18 years of age of such employee if the school or place of care has been closed, or the child care provider of such son or daughter is unavailable, due to a public health emergency.\n(B)\nPublic health emergency\nThe term \u201cpublic health emergency\u201d means an emergency with respect to COVID\u201319 declared by a Federal, State, or local authority.\n(C)\nChild care provider\nThe term \u201cchild care provider\u201d means a provider who receives compensation for providing child care services on a regular basis, including an \u201celigible child care provider\u201d (as defined in\nsection 9858n of title 42\n(D)\nSchool\nThe term \u201cschool\u201d means an \u201celementary school\u201d or \u201csecondary school\u201d as such terms are defined in\nsection 7801 of title 20\n(3)\nRegulatory authorities\nThe Secretary of Labor shall have the authority to issue regulations for good cause under sections 553(b)(B) and 553(d)(3) of title 5\u2014\n(A) to exclude certain health care providers and emergency responders from the definition of eligible employee under subsection (a)(1)(A);\n(B) to exempt small businesses with fewer than 50 employees from the requirements of\nsection 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title\n(C) as necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act, including to ensure consistency between this Act and Division E and Division G of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.\n(4) The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall have the authority to exclude for good cause from the requirements under subsection (b) certain employers of the United States Government with respect to certain categories of Executive Branch employees.\n(b)\nRelationship to paid leave\n(1)\nUnpaid leave for initial 10 days\n(A)\nIn general\nThe first 10 days for which an employee takes leave under\nsection 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title\n(B)\nEmployee election\nAn employee may elect to substitute any accrued vacation leave, personal leave, or medical or sick leave for unpaid leave under\nsection 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title\nsection 2612(d)(2)(B) of this title\n(2)\nPaid leave for subsequent days\n(A)\nIn general\nAn employer shall provide paid leave for each day of leave under\nsection 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title\n(B)\nCalculation\n(i)\nIn general\nSubject to clause (ii), paid leave under subparagraph (A) for an employee shall be calculated based on\u2014\n(I) an amount that is not less than two-thirds of an employee\u2019s regular rate of pay (as determined under\nsection 207(e) of this title\n(II) the number of hours the employee would otherwise be normally scheduled to work (or the number of hours calculated under subparagraph (C)).\n(ii)\nLimitation\nAn employer shall not be required to pay more than $200 per day and $10,000 in the aggregate for each employee for paid leave under this section.\n(C)\nVarying schedule hours calculation\nIn the case of an employee whose schedule varies from week to week to such an extent that an employer is unable to determine with certainty the number of hours the employee would have worked if such employee had not taken leave under\n(i) Subject to clause (ii), a number equal to the average number of hours that the employee was scheduled per day over the 6-month period ending on the date on which the employee takes such leave, including hours for which the employee took leave of any type.\n(ii) If the employee did not work over such period, the reasonable expectation of the employee at the time of hiring of the average number of hours per day that the employee would normally be scheduled to work.\n(c)\nNotice\nIn any case where the necessity for leave under\nsection 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title\n(d)\nRestoration to position\n(1)\nIn general\nSection 2614(a)(1) of this title\n(2)\nConditions\nThe conditions described in this paragraph are the following:\n(A) The employee takes leave under\nsection 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title\n(B) The position held by the employee when the leave commenced does not exist due to economic conditions or other changes in operating conditions of the employer\u2014\n(i) that affect employment; and\n(ii) are caused by a public health emergency during the period of leave.\n(C) The employer makes reasonable efforts to restore the employee to a position equivalent to the position the employee held when the leave commenced, with equivalent employment benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment.\n(D) If the reasonable efforts of the employer under subparagraph (C) fail, the employer makes reasonable efforts during the period described in paragraph (3) to contact the employee if an equivalent position described in subparagraph (C) becomes available.\n(3)\nContact period\nThe period described under this paragraph is the 1-year period beginning on the earlier of\u2014\n(A) the date on which the qualifying need related to a public health emergency concludes; or\n(B) the date that is 12 weeks after the date on which the employee\u2019s leave under\nsection 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","url":"https://projectusc.org/usc/t29/s2620.html","content":[{"t":"sec","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620","children":[{"t":"num","text":"\u00a7\u202f2620."},{"t":"heading","text":"Public health emergency leave"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(a)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Definitions"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"The following shall apply with respect to leave under ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":":"}]},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Application of certain terms"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"The definitions in ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2611 of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2611","tail":" shall apply, except as follows:"}]},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/1/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Eligible employee"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/1/A/i","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(i)"},{"t":"heading","text":"In general"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"In lieu of the definition in sections 2611(2)(A) and 2611(2)(B)(ii) of this title, the term \u201celigible employee\u201d means an employee who has been employed for at least 30 calendar days by the employer with respect to whom leave is requested under ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":"."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/1/A/ii","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(ii)"},{"t":"heading","text":"11\u202fSo in original. Two cls. (ii) have been enacted. Rule regarding rehired employees"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"For purposes of clause (i), the term \u201cemployed for at least 30 calendar days\u201d, used with respect to an employee and an employer described in clause (i), includes an employee who was laid off by that employer not earlier than ","children":[{"t":"text","text":"March 1, 2020","tail":", had worked for the employer for not less than 30 of the last 60 calendar days prior to the employee\u2019s layoff, and was rehired by the employer."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/1/A/ii","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(ii)"},{"t":"heading","text":"1 Special rule"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"For purposes of applying ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":" and this section under the Congressional Accountability Act of 1995 ["},{"t":"ref","text":"2 U.S.C. 1301","href":"/us/usc/t2/s1301","tail":" et seq.], in lieu of the definition in section 202(a)(2)(B) of that Act ("},{"t":"ref","text":"2 U.S.C. 1312(a)(2)(B)","href":"/us/usc/t2/s1312/a/2/B","tail":"), the term \u201celigible employee\u201d means a covered employee (as defined in section 101 of that Act ("},{"t":"ref","text":"2 U.S.C. 1301","href":"/us/usc/t2/s1301","tail":")) who has been employed for at least 30 calendar days by the employing office (as so defined) with respect to whom leave is requested under "},{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":"."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/1/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Employer threshold"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"Section 2611(4)(A)(i) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2611/4/A/i","tail":" shall be applied by substituting \u201cfewer than 500 employees\u201d for \u201c50 or more employees for each working day during each of 20 or more calendar workweeks in the current or preceding calendar year\u201d."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Additional definitions"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"In addition to the definitions described in paragraph (1), the following definitions shall apply with respect to leave under ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":":"}]},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/2/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Qualifying need related to a public health emergency"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"The term \u201cqualifying need related to a public health emergency\u201d, with respect to leave, means the employee is unable to work (or telework) due to a need for leave to care for the son or daughter under 18 years of age of such employee if the school or place of care has been closed, or the child care provider of such son or daughter is unavailable, due to a public health emergency.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/2/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Public health emergency"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"The term \u201cpublic health emergency\u201d means an emergency with respect to COVID\u201319 declared by a Federal, State, or local authority.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/2/C","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(C)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Child care provider"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"The term \u201cchild care provider\u201d means a provider who receives compensation for providing child care services on a regular basis, including an \u201celigible child care provider\u201d (as defined in ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 9858n of title 42","href":"/us/usc/t42/s9858n","tail":")."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/2/D","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(D)"},{"t":"heading","text":"School"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"The term \u201cschool\u201d means an \u201celementary school\u201d or \u201csecondary school\u201d as such terms are defined in ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 7801 of title 20","href":"/us/usc/t20/s7801","tail":"."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/3","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(3)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Regulatory authorities"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"The Secretary of Labor shall have the authority to issue regulations for good cause under sections 553(b)(B) and 553(d)(3) of title 5\u2014"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/3/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"content","text":" to exclude certain health care providers and emergency responders from the definition of eligible employee under subsection (a)(1)(A);","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/3/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"content","text":" to exempt small businesses with fewer than 50 employees from the requirements of ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":" when the imposition of such requirements would jeopardize the viability of the business as a going concern; and"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/3/C","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(C)"},{"t":"content","text":" as necessary to carry out the purposes of this Act, including to ensure consistency between this Act and Division E and Division G of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/a/4","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(4)"},{"t":"content","text":" The Director of the Office of Management and Budget shall have the authority to exclude for good cause from the requirements under subsection (b) certain employers of the United States Government with respect to certain categories of Executive Branch employees.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(b)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Relationship to paid leave"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Unpaid leave for initial 10 days"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/1/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"heading","text":"In general"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"The first 10 days for which an employee takes leave under ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":" may consist of unpaid leave."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/1/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Employee election"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"An employee may elect to substitute any accrued vacation leave, personal leave, or medical or sick leave for unpaid leave under ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":" in accordance with "},{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(d)(2)(B) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/d/2/B","tail":"."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Paid leave for subsequent days"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/2/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"heading","text":"In general"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"An employer shall provide paid leave for each day of leave under ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":" that an employee takes after taking leave under such section for 10 days."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/2/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Calculation"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/2/B/i","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(i)"},{"t":"heading","text":"In general"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"Subject to clause (ii), paid leave under subparagraph (A) for an employee shall be calculated based on\u2014"},{"t":"subclause","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/2/B/i/I","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(I)"},{"t":"content","text":" an amount that is not less than two-thirds of an employee\u2019s regular rate of pay (as determined under ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 207(e) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s207/e","tail":"); and"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subclause","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/2/B/i/II","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(II)"},{"t":"content","text":" the number of hours the employee would otherwise be normally scheduled to work (or the number of hours calculated under subparagraph (C)).","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/2/B/ii","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(ii)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Limitation"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"An employer shall not be required to pay more than $200 per day and $10,000 in the aggregate for each employee for paid leave under this section.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/2/C","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(C)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Varying schedule hours calculation"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"In the case of an employee whose schedule varies from week to week to such an extent that an employer is unable to determine with certainty the number of hours the employee would have worked if such employee had not taken leave under ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":", the employer shall use the following in place of such number:"}]},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/2/C/i","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(i)"},{"t":"content","text":" Subject to clause (ii), a number equal to the average number of hours that the employee was scheduled per day over the 6-month period ending on the date on which the employee takes such leave, including hours for which the employee took leave of any type.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/b/2/C/ii","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(ii)"},{"t":"content","text":" If the employee did not work over such period, the reasonable expectation of the employee at the time of hiring of the average number of hours per day that the employee would normally be scheduled to work.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/c","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(c)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Notice"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","text":"In any case where the necessity for leave under ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":" for the purpose described in subsection (a)(2)(A) is foreseeable, an employee shall provide the employer with such notice of leave as is practicable."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subsec","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(d)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Restoration to position"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d/1","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(1)"},{"t":"heading","text":"In general"},{"t":"content","children":[{"t":"p","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"Section 2614(a)(1) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2614/a/1","tail":" shall not apply with respect to an employee of an employer who employs fewer than 25 employees if the conditions described in paragraph (2) are met."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d/2","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(2)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Conditions"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"The conditions described in this paragraph are the following:"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d/2/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"content","text":" The employee takes leave under ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":"."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d/2/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"chapeau","text":" The position held by the employee when the leave commenced does not exist due to economic conditions or other changes in operating conditions of the employer\u2014"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d/2/B/i","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(i)"},{"t":"content","text":" that affect employment; and","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"clause","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d/2/B/ii","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(ii)"},{"t":"content","text":" are caused by a public health emergency during the period of leave.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d/2/C","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(C)"},{"t":"content","text":" The employer makes reasonable efforts to restore the employee to a position equivalent to the position the employee held when the leave commenced, with equivalent employment benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of employment.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d/2/D","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(D)"},{"t":"content","text":" If the reasonable efforts of the employer under subparagraph (C) fail, the employer makes reasonable efforts during the period described in paragraph (3) to contact the employee if an equivalent position described in subparagraph (C) becomes available.","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"para","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d/3","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(3)"},{"t":"heading","text":"Contact period"},{"t":"chapeau","text":"The period described under this paragraph is the 1-year period beginning on the earlier of\u2014"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d/3/A","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(A)"},{"t":"content","text":" the date on which the qualifying need related to a public health emergency concludes; or","tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"subpara","id":"/us/usc/t29/s2620/d/3/B","children":[{"t":"num","text":"(B)"},{"t":"content","text":" the date that is 12 weeks after the date on which the employee\u2019s leave under ","children":[{"t":"ref","text":"section 2612(a)(1)(F) of this title","href":"/us/usc/t29/s2612/a/1/F","tail":" commences."}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"}],"tail":"\n"},{"t":"text","text":"\n"},{"t":"text","text":"\n"}]}]}