The Senate passed H.R. 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act, 90-8. This package is the same as the House bill and does several things:
- Requires employers with fewer than 500 employees to provide paid sick and paid FMLA leave for circumstances related to the coronavirus pandemic.
- Expands eligibility for unemployment insurance for employees who lose their jobs or are furloughed due to the coronavirus crisis. It also makes more funds available to the states to provide unemployment insurance benefits.
- Provides reimbursement through refundable tax credits for the benefits employers will have to pay to cover the paid sick and paid FMLA leave.
View the U.S. Chamber’s summary of the final version of the bill as it passed the House, which is what the Senate passed, gives more details.
Sen. Mike Lee also has fact sheets about the impact on small businesses and mid-sized businesses.