New Supplemental Paid Sick Leave Provisions for COVID-19

 A new state bill now provides you with an additional form of sick leave if you are unable to work because of a qualifying reason related to COVID-19.

Employees can take 80 hours of Supplemental Paid Sick Leave (SPSL), retroactively to Jan. 1, 2021 through Sept. 30, 2021. It applies to in-person work or telework.

The new SPSL provisions provide expanded benefits for covered employees over the Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and FML-Public Health Emergency Leave (PHE) established by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA).

The new SPSL is paid at the employee’s regular rate of pay, not to exceed the $511 per day/$5,110 total. It can also be used to cover the event if an employee gets sick after getting a COVID-19 vaccination. Any paid leaves that are retroactively converted to SPSL will be restored to an employee’s leave balances. 

In addition, if employees used their 80 hours of leave under the Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) and/or  FML-Public Health Emergency Leave (PHE) in 2020, they are still eligible to use 80 hours of SPSL benefits between Jan. 1, 2021 and Sept. 30, 2021.

Your departmental human resources officer or departmental payroll staff can provide more information and process your request to apply for the SPSL benefits.

Here’s a link to frequently asked questions for more information.