In the face of the health crisis that has now lasted a year or more in various parts of the world, caused by the Covid-19 pandemic, questions seem to have no end, especially regarding the relationship between the pandemic and unemployment insurance, among other employment situations of millions of people in the United States.
Currently the federal Government is allowing states to change their laws to provide unemployment insurance benefits for reasons related to the coronavirus (COVID-19).
In case you need support from a workers' compensation attorney, please contact Conexión Legal by writing us on WhatsApp or calling us at 1800 201 1220 to receive the best free consultation and, subsequently, have your case handled and request the compensation that corresponds to you.
This Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security Act, approved in December 2020, authorizes that: all people who are eligible for unemployment benefits receive an automatic additional income of $300 dollars per week until March 14, 2021. Self-employed employees and temporary job workers receive an additional income of $100 dollars per week, and unemployed workers receive 11 additional weeks of unemployment benefits regardless of the number of weeks currently provided by a state. This is in addition to the 13 weeks that were authorized by the CARES law. Furthermore, you should know that your employer cannot terminate you without cause if you test positive for COVID-19. No negative actions can be taken against you if you have been medically diagnosed with COVID-19 or if a medical professional advises you to quarantine. There are several federal and state laws that protect you as an employee.
An employer cannot treat you differently because of your race, ethnicity or national origin since they would be committing employment discrimination. Examples of this may include reducing your work hours and/or terminating them, making comments about you or your background and even freezing your activities completely.
Under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), you are entitled to 2 weeks of paid sick days if your employer has fewer than 500 employees.
In some California cities, your employer must provide you with 2 additional weeks of paid sick leave for any illness or injury related to the coronavirus if they have more than 500 employees.
Additionally, through the Federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) you may qualify to take 12 additional weeks of unpaid leave. To qualify, you must have worked at your current place of employment for at least one year, and also have worked a minimum of 1250 hours throughout the year prior to your leave. Finally, you must be working for an employer with at least 50 employees within a 75-mile radius of your workplace.
Your employer is required to provide a safe and healthy work environment for all its employees, and take appropriate precautions to protect you from COVID-19, which includes providing and paying for Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), such as face masks or masks, safety glasses or face shields, gloves and other items that serve the function of caring for your employees.
If you purchase your own PPE because none is provided to you at your workplace, your employer must ensure that the equipment is adequate to protect you from the risks in the workplace and must reimburse the expenses.
You have the legal right to file a complaint with your supervisor about the fact that adequate PPE and a safe work environment were not provided. California law prohibits employers from taking retaliation against employees for reporting or complaining about safety and health standards that the employer must comply with.
Furthermore, whether you work from your home or on-site, your employer must pay you for the hours worked. An employer must notify their employees if a coworker or visitor has tested positive for coronavirus without revealing the identity of the person or persons.
In this sense, and assuming you are an hourly employee, your employer must pay you overtime whenever you work more than 8 hours a day. Despite working from home, you must still continue to take your meal breaks.
If you believe that any of these guarantees have been broken by your employer, you should immediately contact Conexión Legal 1800 201 1220 to receive the best free consultation from a workers' compensation attorney, and if applicable, receive the highest possible compensation.
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