The Department of Labor has published FAQs on the application of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act.  According to the DOL, the Act will apply to  leave taken between April 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020.  In addition to providing the effective date, the FAQs answer questions about how an employer knows if it is under the 500 -employee threshold and, therefore, subject to the Act and how to calculate hours for part-time employees. The DOL tells small employers who wish to fall under the small business exemption that they will need to document why their business meets the criteria that will be set forth by the Department in forthcoming regulations.  The law in this arena is changing almost as quickly as the infection spreads – stay tuned.  We are expecting the required notice to be published by the Department this week, and it has promised future regulations as early as next week.  Meanwhile, Congress continues to debate additional changes.  Please visit our COVID-19 resource webpage often to stay abreast of the developments or contact your JL attorney directly with any questions.

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Photo of Patricia Anderson Pryor Patricia Anderson Pryor

Patricia Anderson Pryor is the office managing principal of the Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio offices, as well as the Louisville, Kentucky, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Patty remains purposefully poised on the precipice of the changing legal landscape, advising clients on everything from…

Patricia Anderson Pryor is the office managing principal of the Cincinnati and Dayton, Ohio offices, as well as the Louisville, Kentucky, office of Jackson Lewis P.C. Patty remains purposefully poised on the precipice of the changing legal landscape, advising clients on everything from vaccine mandates to the Dobbs response, to ESG and the attacks on DEI, to the impact of Loper Bright. The combination of Patty’s ability and tenacity to understand and apply workplace law to nuanced legal questions and specific situations results in clients perpetually asking this initial question, “What does Patty think?”

Patty is the National Head of the firm’s Emerging and Cross-Disciplinary Issues. She has over 25 years of experience representing and defending employers in nearly every form of employment litigation, including class actions. She represents and advises employers in federal and state administrative proceedings, in all forms of dispute resolution, including mediation and arbitration, and in managing all aspects of the employment relationship. She has represented employers before the EEOC, the DOL, the DOJ, OSHA, the OFCCP, and the NLRB, in addition to various state agencies.

Focusing on the best possible outcome for the client Patty takes a 360-degree view, working with employers to avoid litigation by developing effective policies and practices, including harassment policies, FMLA practices, attendance programs, affirmative action programs and wellness plans. She conducts proactive wage and hour audits, harassment investigations and compensation/pay equity reviews.

Patty is a core team member of the firm’s Disability, Leave & Health Management practice group and a leader of the Religious Accommodation Team. She provides practical advice to help companies respond to remote work challenges, paid and unpaid leave situations and the most challenging accommodation requests, all of which have been exacerbated by the pandemic, hybrid work and changes in the law.