Unemployment and Sick Leave Rules by State

Updated: May 7, 11:30 AM

Alabama

Unemployment Rules

• Temporarily ordered that relief be offered to employers whose employees must file unemployment compensation claims for weeks filed due to COVID-19 related issues. All charges will be waived against those employers who file partial unemployment compensation claims on behalf of their employees.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Law does not require employers to provide employees with sick leave benefits, either paid or unpaid.

Alaska

Unemployment Rules

• On March 17th the Alaska Economic Stabilization Team was created to combat issues related to COVID-19. The 6-point plan included: Emergency unemployment benefits. For more information and to apply for benefits click here.
• Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (PUA) is for small business owners, self-employed individuals, and unemployed or partially unemployed individuals not eligible for other state or federal unemployment insurance (UI) benefit programs and who are currently out of work due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Learn more and apply here (PDF).

Sick Leave Rules

• Law does not require employers to provide employees with sick leave benefits, either paid or unpaid.

Employer Assistance

• Within the 6-point plan: Provide 100% state-guaranteed loans to Alaskan businesses for immediate relief. And Replace lost revenue due to negative economic impacts associated with COVID-19

Arizona

Unemployment Rules

• Apply for unemployment insurance benefits here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Ensure that your sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and that employees are aware of these policies.

Arkansas

Unemployment Rules

• Expedite unemployment benefits to assist Arkansans whose employment status may be impacted by COVID-19, including waiving the waiting period and work-search requirements for 30 days, and allowing the unemployed to apply for benefits online or by telephone.
• Apply here.
• The Shared Work Unemployment Compensation Program provides an alternative for employers faced with a reduction in their work force. It allows an employer to divide available work or hours of work among a specific group(s) of employees in lieu of a layoff, and it allows the employees to receive a portion of their unemployment benefits while working reduced hours.

Sick Leave Rules

• Law does not require employers to provide employees with sick leave benefits, either paid or unpaid.

Employer Assistance

• Act 376 of 1997 prohibits businesses and individuals from price gouging during a state of emergency. The law prohibits businesses and individuals from charging more than 10 percent above the pre-emergency price of goods or services.

California

Unemployment Rules

• Partial wage replacement benefit payments may be available to workers who lose their job, have their hours reduced, or are temporarily unemployed but expect to return to work for the same employer for reasons related to the coronavirus. The EDD may consider unemployment benefits on a case-by-case basis for employees who have to miss work due to the shutdown of a child’s school. Employees who are unable to work because they were exposed to and contracted COVID-19 on the job may be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Covered employers must provide two weeks of paid sick leave at the employee’s regular rate for specified purposes related to Coronavirus
• Covered employers must provide 12 weeks of job-protected FMLA leave to care for a child if the child’s school or place of care has been closed or if the child care provider is unavailable due to Coronavirus. The first 10 days are unpaid unless employee uses their own PTO.
• If an employee has paid sick leave available, the employee must be permitted to use that sick leave for absences due to the coronavirus. Paid sick leave also covers preventative care, which may include self-quarantine as a result of potential exposure.
• However, employers may not require that employees use paid sick leave in the case of a quarantine. The guidance does not reflect if there is a difference for a mandatory or voluntary quarantine.
• Employers must pay exempt employees performing any work during a workweek their full weekly salaries if they do not work the full workweek because the employer failed to make work available. Exempt employees who perform no work in a full workweek generally do not need to be paid their salaries for that week.

Disability Payments

• The EDD advises that if an employee is unable to work due to medical quarantine or illness related to the coronavirus, as certified by a medical professional, short-term State Disability Insurance (“SDI”) benefit payments may be available to the eligible worker who has a full or partial loss of wages.

Employer Assistance

• Employers considering layoffs or work reductions because of the coronavirus may wish to examine the EDD’s Work Sharing Program, which permits employers to reduce hours for employees, while providing wage replacement through Unemployment Insurance, without laying off workers or removing them from the payroll.
• The EDD also offers tax assistance to employers affected by the coronavirus, including 60-day extensions to file state payroll reports or to deposit state payroll taxes without penalty or interest. https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/nuts-and-bolts-of-furloughs-layoffs-and-12839/

Colorado

Unemployment Rules

• For workers who test positive and lack access to paid leave, the Governor is directing CDLE to identify additional supports and wage replacement such as access to unemployment insurance.
• If you are not working or are working fewer hours as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, you may file an unemployment claim.
• Apply here.
• Alternatives to Lay-offs.

Sick Leave Rules

• Colorado Department of Labor and Employment amended its Health Emergency Leave with Pay (HELP) Rules, which require certain employers to provide employees paid sick leave for a covered COVID-19 reason. See Rules here (PDF).
• Workers in certain industries are eligible for up to four days of paid sick leave when experiencing flu-like symptoms AND awaiting test results for COVID-19. The covered industries are leisure and hospitality; food services; child care; education, including transportation, food service, and related work at educational establishments; home health, if working with elderly, disabled, ill, or otherwise high-risk individuals and; nursing homes and community living facilities.
• FAQs
• Guidance on Family First Act (PDF)

Connecticut

Unemployment Rules

• Workers directly impacted by the coronavirus pandemic no longer must be actively searching for work to qualify for unemployment assistance. And employers who are furloughing workers can use the Department of Labor’s shared work program, which allows businesses to reduce working hours and have those wages supplemented with unemployment insurance.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Small and midsize employers can begin taking advantage of two new refundable payroll tax credits, designed to immediately and fully reimburse them, dollar-for-dollar, for the cost of providing Coronavirus-related leave to their employees. This relief to employees and small and midsize businesses is provided under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Act). For COVID-19 related reasons, employees receive up to 80 hours of paid sick leave.

Delaware

Unemployment Rules

• DOL will allow part-time income while collecting unemployment benefits as long as employees can demonstrate their decreased hours and earnings; and DOL will not classify tipped employees as minimum wage earners as long as their tips are reported as wages.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• If an employee is unable to attend work due to sickness, caring for a loved one, Delaware will consider this employee temporarily laid off during the state of emergency. The employee should return to work as soon as they are released. If work is no longer available after the employee is released for work or the employee fails to return to work the agency will make a new determination.

Employer Assistance

• Poster for essential businesses to post at entrance (PDF)
• Guidance for businesses (PDF)

District of Columbia

Florida

Unemployment Rules

• Find information on eligibility and apply for unemployment benefits here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Employers should maintain flexible policies that permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member. Employers should be aware that more employees may need to stay at home to care for sick children or other sick family members than is usual.

Employer Assistance

• Click here for more information.

Georgia

Unemployment Rules

• Employers should submit partial claims for full- and part-time employees who are temporarily laid off or whose hours have been temporarily reduced because of a lack of work due to COVID-19.  Employees, however, must be expected to return to work when the COVID-19 emergency ends.  Employers are under no obligation to file claims for certain categories of employees. File claims here.
• Nursing faculty and students, retired, or unemployed nurses can join the team and help with disaster prevention.
• Employers are required to file partial claims on behalf of their employees whenever it is necessary to temporarily reduce work hours or there is no work available for a short period.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Partial unemployment insurance claims may be filed by employers for full-time employees who work less than full-time during a pay period due to lack of work only. Partial Claims should not be filed when an employee is out of work due to disability, worker’s compensation or medical leave.

Hawaii

Unemployment Rules

• You are eligible for Unemployment Insurance if your employer has closed its doors and you are unable to work, if you were laid off or your hours were reduced by your employer, or if your doctor ordered you to self-quarantine. No exemptions for caring for others.
• Apply for Unemployment benefits here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Law does not require employers to provide employees with sick leave benefits, either paid or unpaid. If an employer chooses to provide employees with sick leave benefits, the employer must provide employees written notice of the terms of the policy.

Idaho

Unemployment Rules

• Unemployment insurance is a program for workers unemployed through no fault of their own and is not a paid sick leave program. An individual whose workplace is temporarily or permanently closed may file a claim for unemployment.
• Apply for Unemployment Benefits here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Idaho employers are not required to provide vacation, holiday, severance or sick pay.

Illinois

Unemployment Rules

• Unemployment benefits may be available to some individuals whose unemployment is attributable to COVID-19. IDES recently adopted emergency rules to try to make the unemployment insurance system as responsive and effective as possible.
• For more information/how to apply click here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Sick-leave policies and telework options for workers who are sick or who need to stay home to care for sick household members is up to the discretion of the employer.

Indiana

Unemployment Rules

• The Indiana Department of Workforce Development is reminding Hoosiers that applying for unemployment insurance benefits can be completed electronically.
• Hoosiers can apply on a computer or smart phone. For more information on unemployment insurance, click here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Ensure sick leave policies allow employees to stay home if they have symptoms of respiratory infection.

Iowa

Unemployment Rules

• Apply for Unemployment Benefits here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Ensure that sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and that employees are aware of and understand these policies.
• Maintain flexible policies that permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member or take care of children due to school and childcare closures. Additional flexibilities might include giving advances on future sick leave and allowing employees to donate sick leave to each other.
• Employers that do not currently offer sick leave to some or all of their employees may want to draft non-punitive “emergency sick leave” policies.
• Employers should not require a positive COVID-19 test result or a healthcare provider’s note for employees who are sick to validate their illness, qualify for sick leave, or to return to work.

Employer Assistance

• Cross-train employees to perform essential functions so the workplace can operate even if key employees are absent. Consider establishing policies and practices for social distancing.

Kansas

Unemployment Rules

• Extends unemployment eligibility for workers who filed after January 1, 2020.
• Apply for Unemployment Benefits here.
• See here for FAQs
• Shared Work Program is designed to help both employers and employees. It is an alternative for employers faced with a reduction in workforce and allows an employer to divide the available work or hours of work among a specified group of affected employees in lieu of a layoff. Shared Work allows the employees to receive a portion of their unemployment insurance benefits while working reduced hours.

Sick Leave Rules

• The law does not require your employer to offer vacation or sick leave.

Kentucky

Unemployment Rules

• Waived the waiting period for unemployment for people that are losing their jobs due to coronavirus and will waive any work search requirements while the state of emergency is in effect.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Adjusted state government sick leave policy to ensure state employees who are sick can stay home – even for new employees who have not accrued leave time.For more information, download this PDF.

Employer Assistance

• See here for more information.

Louisiana

Unemployment Rules

• If your workplace has temporarily closed or you have been told to take unpaid time off, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits through the Louisiana Workforce Commission.
• To file a claim, go to www.louisianaworks.net/hire or call 866-783-5567.

Sick Leave Rules

• Law does not require employers to provide employees with sick leave benefits, either paid or unpaid.

Employer Assistance

• Help Desk for Businesses.

Maine

Unemployment Rules

• The legislation temporarily revises eligibility requirement to provide unemployment coverage in situations not typically covered, such as:
  • An employer temporarily ceases operation due to COVID-19
  • An individual is quarantined with the expectation of returning to work once the quarantine is over •An individual must take a leave of absence to care for a dependent who is affected
  • An individual must take a leave of absence to care for a dependent who is affected
• The legislation is not intended to provide sick leave or short-term disability payments.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• The Maine Department of Labor (MDOL) has published rules for the required rulemaking process for Public Law 2019 Ch. 156, "An Act Authorizing Earned Employee Leave." Governor Mills signed this bill into law last year, which will go into effect January 1, 2021.

Maryland

Unemployment Rules

• Extend unemployment benefits to workers who cannot work because they are quarantined, at risk for exposure, or to care for a family member with COVID-19.
• Learn more here.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• The Maryland Department of Labor’s Division of Labor and Industry enforces the Maryland Health Working Families Act, also known as Safe and Sick Leave, which may be useful for employees who need to take off from work due to COVID-19.
• Learn more about the Maryland Health Working Families Act here, or email ssl.assistance@maryland.gov.
• Expanded the Healthy Working Families Act (PDF)
• Keep in mind the Montgomery County Earned Sick and Safe Leave Law.

Unemployment Insurance

• Passed the COVID-19 Public Health Emergency Protection Act of 2020 (“Act”), which expands unemployment insurance benefits and the options for employees upon termination. 

Massachusetts

Unemployment Rules

• Deadlines missed by employers and claimants due to effects of COVID-19 may be excused under DUA’s good cause provision. Employers whose businesses are severely impacted by COVID-19 can request extensions for filing and paying unemployment contributions.
• Legislation now states that new unemployment claims may be paid more quickly by waiving the 1-week waiting period for unemployment benefits. This means that DUA would be authorized to pay benefits without delay to persons who become unemployed because of lay-offs or business shutdowns taken in response to the virus, because of quarantine orders or directives or illness that prevents them from leaving their homes, or because they must care for a sick or quarantined family member.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Paid Family Medical Leave exemption registration opens on April 29th 2019 through MassTaxConnect. See more information here.

Employer Assistance

• COVID-19 resource page

Michigan

Unemployment Rules

• Federal Stimulus Bill: Currently, there is not an extension of UI benefits or additional weekly payment of UI benefits available.
• Workers who are sick, quarantined, immunocompromised, or must care for a family member and who do not have access to paid family and medical leave or are laid off are eligible for unemployment benefits.
• If you are not receiving payment from your employer, such as paid sick leave or paid time off, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits during this time.
• Apply here.
• If employers are financially distressed, they are encouraged to use the State’s Work Share program that allows employers to maintain operations during declines in regular business activity rather than laying off workers, visit Michigan.gov/WorkShare.

Sick Leave Rules

• Employers are strongly urged to place employees on temporary leave as opposed to termination. There is no additional cost to employers, employees remain eligible for unemployment benefits and they may remain eligible for potential federal assistance.

Minnesota

Unemployment Rules

• If you lose your job or had your hours greatly reduced, you should apply for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• If your employer allows you to take time off for your own illness, your employer must also allow you to take time off to care for a family member.
• Under the federal FMLA, covered employers must provide employees job-protected, unpaid leave for specified family and medical reasons, which may include COVID-19 where complications arise. The FFCRA requires certain employers to provide employees with expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19.

Disability Payments

• Resource page for COVID-19 response for people with Disabilities
• Individuals with disabilities have the right to request “reasonable accommodations” from employers that are subject to the Americans with Disabilities Act and/or the MHRA.
• If you have a disability that affects your risk for contracting COVID-19 or being harmed if you do contract the virus, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation from your employer. For example, employees with disabilities that put them at high-risk for complications related to COVID-19 may request telework or paid/sick/unpaid leave as a reasonable accommodation to reduce their chances of infection during a pandemic

Employer Assistance

• See here (PDF) for more information about all topics discussed.

Mississippi

Unemployment Rules

• To file an Unemployment Claim, visit the MDES website or call the MDES Contact Center at 1-888-844-3577.
• Online filing is encouraged. UI is available to lost job or reduced hours due to COVID-19. Not for those unable to work due to the virus.

Sick Leave Rules

• Law does not require employers to provide employees with sick leave benefits, either paid or unpaid.

Montana

Unemployment Rules

• See this video walking you through how to apply for UI.

Sick Leave Rules

• An employee is eligible for paid sick leave if they are ill with COVID-19 caring for an infected family member, advised to self-quarantine, or the business has been shut down due to public authority Stay at Home orders.

Employer Assistance

• See this Scenario-benefits chart
• FAQ links

Missouri

Unemployment Rules

• Unemployment Benefits (apply here)
• Unemployment Insurance FAQs
• Shared Work Program (aversion to lay-offs)

Sick Leave Rules

• Borrowed leave is available for those who do not have sick leave & for COVID-19 related absences. There is no cap to it. Hourly employees who do not normally accrue paid leave are not eligible. You are encouraged to use your sick/ comp leave before borrowing. Borrowed leave will be paid back with accrued leave later on. You may not come to work if someone in your household has shown symptoms of COVVID-19.
• See more details and FAQs here (PDF).

Nebraska

Unemployment Rules

• File for unemployment benefits here. You are eligible for UI if you are sent home due to COVID-19 related reasons.
• Find more resources here.
• Short Term Compensation (alternative to lay-offs)

Sick Leave Rules

• Your employer is only required to pay you for the time in which you are you working. Being sent home due to COVID-19 is no exception. If you are a salary exempt employee, we recommend contacting the USDOL as the answer may be different for you. Yes, an employer can dictate when you have to use leave. An employer can also deny the use of leave.

Disability Payments

• Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to individuals with disabilities.

Employer Assistance

• FAQs for Employees (PDF)
• FAQs for Employers (PDF)

Nevada

Unemployment Rules

• Claims are filed online using the Claimant Self Service (CSS). The telephone claim center is available only if they are not able to file online.
• Information for eligibility can be found here.

Sick Leave Rules

• An employer is encouraged and can certainly choose to pay an employee for the time they are out on a mandatory government quarantine and offer alternative working arrangements, such as teleworking, or additional paid time off, but is not required to do so.
• Effective January 1, 2020, a private employer who employs 50 or more employees in the state of Nevada must provide 0.01923 hour of paid leave per hour of work performed

New Hampshire

Unemployment Rules

• Unemployment Assistance Hotline at 603-271-7700. File a Claim here.
• Work Share Program (alternative to lay-off & helps employees with reduced hours due to COVID-19)

Sick Leave Rules

• Ensure that sick leave policies are flexible and consistent with public health guidance and that employees are aware of and understand these policies. Providing paid leave is encouraged, but not mandatory.

New Jersey

Unemployment Rules

• If your place of business has been closed by the state, you may be able to use accrued Earned Sick Leave or apply for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits. More information is available here.
• If your company voluntarily closed due to COVID-19 You may be eligible for Unemployment Insurance (UI) benefits.
• If your hours have been reduced due to COVID-19 reasons, you may be eligible for partial unemployment.
• For more information/ different scenarios see here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Assembly Bill A3848 states that employers may not:
  • Terminate or otherwise penalize an employee if the employee requests or takes time off from work based on recommendation of a medical professional that the employee take that time off
  • "Refuse to reinstate" employees to their original positions, and must not alter employees' "seniority, status, employment benefits, pay or other terms and conditions of employment."
  • A3848 does not prohibit employers from terminating their employees' positions based on legitimate business reasons. Employers, however, may not discriminate against employees who receive a doctor's recommendation to not attend work due to COVID-19

Disability Payments

• If you tested positive for COVID-19 or have symptoms and are not able to work, you may be able to use accrued Earned Sick Leave, Family Leave Insurance, or Temporary Disability Insurance.

Employer Assistance

• COVID-19 information Hub

New Mexico

Unemployment Rules

• You may be eligible for Unemployment Benefits if you are: A worker who have had their hours reduced or lost their jobs as a result of COVID-19. A worker who are self-isolated or directed to be isolated or who have immediate family who is isolated.
• Unemployment FAQ
• Apply for benefits here.

Sick Leave Rules

• If a claimant is receiving sick leave, annual leave, personal time off, or administrative leave, they may not be eligible for unemployment benefits. There is no statute that requires an employer to pay sick leave.

New York

Unemployment Rules

• Governor Cuomo signed an Executive Order on March 14, 2020 that waives the 7-day waiting period for workers in shared work programs to claim unemployment insurance for those that have been put out of work by COVID-19.
• Apply for Unemployment Insurance here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Employees that are covered by a government-issued mandatory or precautionary order of quarantine or isolation related to COVID-19 are entitled to the following sick leave benefits:
  • Employers with one to 10 employees and under $1 million in net income: Not required to provide paid sick leave but must comply with FFCRA.
  • Employers with 1-99 employees and over $1 million in net income are required to provide employees with five days of paid sick leave as well as unpaid sick leave until termination of the applicable order
  • Employers with 100 or more employees: Required to provide employees with 14 days of paid sick leave.
  • Employees who are asymptomatic or have not yet been diagnosed with a medical condition and who are still able to work while the applicable order is in place, through remote work arrangements or otherwise, are not entitled to benefits under the new law.
  • More information here.

Disability Payments

• Employees who are eligible for PFL and/or DBL benefits for qualifying COVID-19-related reasons may begin collecting such benefits on their first day of leave (after the expiration of any paid sick leave period) and may collect PFL and DBL benefits concurrently.

North Carolina

Unemployment Rules

• Effective April 14^th, North Carolina employers are required to provide employees with notice of the availability of unemployment compensation at the time of a separation related to COVID-19. See Emergency Rules here (PDF).
• Lifts some restrictions on unemployment benefits to help workers unemployed due to COVID-19 and those who are employed but will not receive a paycheck or have had their hours reduced. It also adds benefit eligibility for those out of work because they have the virus or must care for someone who is sick.
• See the Executive Order
• Apply for Unemployment here.

Sick Leave Rules

• If you are sick & directed to quarantine & your employer is not providing you with paid leave, apply for unemployment. NC employers are not required to provide sick leave.

Disability Payments

• An Executive Order (link in first box) waived the restriction "must be able to work" from Unemployment Benefits

North Dakota

Unemployment Rules

• If your business has closed or your hours were reduced due to COVID-19 or if you are unable to work due to COVID-19 related reasons, you will be generally eligible for unemployment insurance. CARES act is also in affect.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• No state or federal laws require an employer to provide its employees with PTO. Therefore, an employer can allow employees to use PTO for sick time or not. If an employee is laid off with no intention of being hired back, they must be paid out their remaining PTO.

Disability Payments

• The North Dakota Human Rights Act (NDHRA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA), both require an employer to make reasonable accommodations to applicants or employees with disabilities. COVID-19 is not considered a disability-related inquiry.

Ohio

Unemployment Rules

• Unemployment benefits will be available for eligible individuals who are requested by a medical professional, local health authority, or employer to be isolated or quarantined as a consequence of COVID-19, even if they are not actually diagnosed with COVID-19. In addition, the waiting period for eligible Ohioans to receive unemployment benefits will be waived. Apply here.
• For employers, charges during Ohio's emergency declaration period will be mutualized. Reimbursing employers will follow existing charging requirements under Ohio Revised Code Chapter 4141. Give this form to employees to expedite their claim.
• Shared Work Ohio is a voluntary layoff aversion program. It allows workers to remain employed and employers to retain trained staff during times of reduced business activity. Under a Shared Work Ohio plan, the participating employer reduces affected employees' hours in a uniform manner. The participating employee works the reduced hours each week, and the Ohio Department of Job and Family Services (ODJFS) provides eligible individuals an unemployment insurance benefit that is proportionate to their reduced hours.
• More info here.

Sick Leave Rules

• No state or federal laws require an employer to provide its employees with PTO. Therefore, an employer can allow employees to use PTO for sick time or not.

Oklahoma

Unemployment Rules

• One week waiting period has been waived. Apply for unemployment insurance here.
• Rapid Response & Lay-off Aversion

Sick Leave Rules

• WARN requires that employers with 100 or more full-time workers give employees 60 days’ notice in advance of plant closings and mass layoffs.
• No state or federal laws require an employer to provide its employees with PTO. Therefore, an employer can allow employees to use PTO for sick time or not.

Employer Assistance

• See this page for Who's hiring http://oklahomaworks.gov/covid19/

Oregon

Unemployment Rules

• If you have been laid off or your hours have been cut, you may be eligible for unemployment benefits. More information & apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Oregon law requires employers to give you paid sick time. You get at least 1 hour of protected sick time for every 30 hours you work. If your employer has 10+ employees (6+ in Portland), you get paid sick time. You can use sick time for many reasons, including if you or a family member is sick, injured, experiencing mental illness, or need to visit the doctor. You can also use sick time if your child's school is closed by order of a public official for a public health emergency.
• Oregon employees may be absent for up to 12 weeks, on a continuous or intermittent basis, because the employee’s child’s school or place of care has been closed by public authorities, including out of concerns related to the coronavirus (COVID-19) outbreak.
• The Oregon Family Leave Act (OFLA) provides for time off for you to care for a sick child for an illness, injury, or condition that is or is not serious.
• Get more information here.

Employer Assistance

• More detailed info here.

Pennsylvania

Unemployment Rules

• Unemployment benefits are generally only available to those who were laid off or working reduced hours due to no fault of their own- including for COVID-19 related reasons.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Employees who are unable to work due to COVID-19 are strongly encouraged to work with their employers to first exhaust any paid leave that is available. Your employees may be eligible for paid sick leave or expanded Family and Medical Leave (FMLA) as provided by the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act

Rhode Island

Unemployment Rules

• If your place of business closes, or you are directed by your employer to remain home, you may be eligible for unemployment insurance (UI). If you have to stay out of work to care for your children due to quarantine, illness, or school closings, you may also be eligible for UI. Please be sure to indicate that your claim is a result of COVID-19. DLT will waive the seven-day waiting period for UI claims related to COVID-19.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Employers with 18 or more employees must provide paid sick and safe leave. Employers with 17 or fewer employees must provide earned sick and safe leave, but it does not need to be paid.

Disability Payments

• If you are unable to work, but your place of business remains open, you may be eligible for Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI). To apply for TDI, please visit this link for more information.

South Carolina

Unemployment Rules

• Apply for unemployment benefits here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Employers should maintain flexible policies that permit employees to stay home to care for a sick family member. Employers should be aware that more employees may need to stay at home to care for sick children or other sick family members than is usual. Employers should allow high-risk employees to stay home as well.

South Dakota

Unemployment Rules

• Workers who become unemployed because their employer needs to temporarily shut down or isolate workers due to COVID-19 might be eligible to receive benefits.
• See here for more information and to apply.

Sick Leave Rules

• South Dakota has no law requiring paid leave.

Employer Assistance

• Worker's compensation info: For an employee who is infected with COVID-19 to be covered by workers’ compensation, the worker must establish COVID-19 is an “occupational disease” which means that exposure to the disease is something that is an essential part of the job (example: doctor or nurse) and not a result of incidental contact from a job that working with the public is expected (example: cashier or waiter). Further, to be eligible for workers’ compensation benefits, an employee must be unable to work for at least 7 consecutive days.

Tennessee

Unemployment Rules

• Unemployment for employees
• Unemployment for employers

Sick Leave Rules

• Most sick leave policies include time for medical appointments, but it is up to each grantee to define its own policy. Compensation may be in wages or in the form of made up work time

Texas

Unemployment Rules

• Unemployment benefits are generally only available to those who were laid off or working reduced hours due to no fault of their own. Employees are eligible if they meet a set of requirements. Many of which are waived for COVID-19 reasons.
• Find more information and apply here.
• Texas Workforce Commission (TWC) has waived work search requirements for all claimants and the waiting week for those claimants affected by COVID-19. As a result, eligible workers may apply for benefits as soon as they are separated from employment or put on a sufficiently reduced schedule.
• If a business shuts down due to a closure order from a governmental entity, an employer may ask for chargeback protection.

Sick Leave Rules

• No Texas or federal law requires private-sector employers to provide paid or unpaid leave of any kind, although some amount of unpaid leave may be necessary as a reasonable accommodation in the event of a disability, pregnancy, or other condition protected under a specific statute. In the area of family or medical leave, the only employers that are required to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid job-protected leave under the federal Family and Medical Leave Act

Employer Assistance

• See here for more employer resources

Utah

Unemployment Rules

• You are generally eligible for unemployment if: Your employer temporarily ceased operations with the expectation you will return to work. This is sometimes referred to as being “furloughed.” The application process is the same whether you are laid off or furloughed. You are quarantined, but not showing symptoms, and will return to work. You are able and available (not showing any symptoms of COVID-19), but are unable to go to work because your place of employment has been quarantined.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Utah has no law requiring paid leave.

Vermont

Unemployment Rules

• Apply for unemployment benefits here.
• You are following the guidance of a medical health professional or public health official to self-isolate or quarantine due to COVID-19 exposure. You are not receiving paid sick leave or other types of leave from your employer. You have been laid off or hours reduced due to COVID-19.

Sick Leave Rules

• An employer is not required to pay earned sick time and the employee shall not be charged for the use of earned sick time if the employee is not scheduled to be at work during the period of use.

Virginia

Unemployment Rules

• Apply for unemployment here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Family and Medical Leave Act: If an employer provides paid leave for fewer than 12 workweeks, the additional weeks of leave necessary to attain the 12 workweeks of leave required under this title may be provided without compensation.

Washington

Unemployment Rules

• If you were laid off as a result of COVID-19, you are likely eligible. If you are unsure of your eligibility after reading the guides below, apply anyway. Complete the application as best you can, and we will follow up with you as soon as possible.
• Apply here.
• Shared Work (alternative to lay-offs).

Sick Leave Rules

• Paid Family and Medical Leave is a new benefit for Washington workers. It’s here for you when a serious health condition prevents you from working or when you need time to care for a family member, bond with a new child or spend time with a family member preparing for military service overseas.
• To learn more about the program, visit the website.

Employer Assistance

• Find more information here.

West Virginia

Unemployment Rules

• Apply for unemployment benefits here.

Sick Leave Rules

• State law does not require employers to provide any type of employee fringe benefits such as holiday pay, PTO, vacation pay, sick leave, etc.

Wisconsin

Unemployment Rules

• Find information and apply for unemployment benefits here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Employers are not required by Wisconsin law to grant sick leave to their workers, whether with pay or without. There are special exceptions in the Family and Medical Leave Law. By default, family medical leave is unpaid. However, an employee covered by the Wisconsin Family Medical Leave Act may substitute any other type of paid or unpaid leave offered by the employer.
• Find more information here.

Wyoming

Unemployment Rules

• The Wyoming Department of Workforce Services administers the Unemployment Insurance Program, which pays temporary benefits to workers who have lost their job through no fault of their own.
• Apply here.

Sick Leave Rules

• Family Medical Leave Act - If you or your employees are ill, or caring for ill family members, here's what you need to know about the FMLA.
• Here's information about the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA or Act), which expands the FMLA for specified reasons related to COVID-19.