Memorandum Regarding Paid Sick Leave and
Expanded Family and Medical Leave Act Under the
Families First Coronavirus Response Act
The Minnesota Pipe Trades Unions, listed below, and the Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association have worked together to put forward this memo on the payment of paid sick leave and amounts due under the expanded family medical leave provisions of the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The FFCRA requires certain employers to provide their employees with paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave for specified reasons related to COVID-19. The FFCRA’s requirement calls for taxable wage payments up to certain dollar levels and the continuation of health coverage.
It is the hope of both labor and management that employees will not be affected by COVID-19 and we want employees to continue working safely towards that goal. However, both labor and management understand that many union members have already been affected and more will be in the coming weeks and months. When an employee is impacted both parties agree that trying to lessen the impact on members/employees is imperative.
To that end the parties to this memorandum have agreed that when paying the required amounts under paid sick leave the total taxable amount up to either $511/day for qualifying reasons 1-3 or up to $200/day for qualifying reasons 4-6, will be paid directly to the individual. Meaning that the vacation/credit union funds and the working fees will not be deducted and paid to the Pipe Trades Offices. Again, all taxable amounts up to the applicable limits would go directly to the employee for the hours paid out under the FFCRA.
The only funds paid to the Pipe Trades Offices for paid sick leave and expanded family medical leave act under the FFCRA would be health and welfare contributions. Health and welfare contributions for those hours should be denoted as paid sick leave.
Please do not hesitate to contact the Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association with any questions at 651-646-2121.
As always stay safe, and stay healthy.
Jeremy Andrist, Local 6 Plumbers and Pipefitters
Andrew Campeau, Local 11 Plumbers and Pipefitters
Scott Gale, Local 15 Plumbers
Tom McCarthy, Local 34 Plumbers
Tony Poole, Local 455 Pipefitters
Russ Scherber, Local 539 Pipefitters
Steve Pettersen, Minnesota Mechanical Contractors Association
Time Period to Spend Paycheck Protection Program Loans Extended
The Senate passed H.R. 7010, the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act, by voice vote on Wednesday. The bill would extend the period of time Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) recipients would have to spend the loan in order to qualify for loan forgiveness. The current eight-week requirement could expire soon for some loan recipients, but under H.R. 7010 businesses would have 24 weeks or until the end of the year, whichever comes first to spend the loan dollars and still qualify for forgiveness. The bill would also maintain forgiveness amounts for businesses that were unable to rehire employees or resume business levels by the end of the year and repeal the CARES Act provision that barred companies with forgiven PPP loans from deferring their payroll tax payments. The bill had passed the House by a vote of 471-1 last week and now awaits the President’s signature – he is expected to sign it.
MCAA has provided a short summary on the PPP Flexibility Act.
Cloth Face Masks Available from MMCA
MMCA has washable 2-ply cotton masks with adjustable tie backs available free for contractor members. Fill out the form on our COVID-19 Webpage to request masks. If you already submitted a request your order is being processed.
If you have employees who need assistance with stress, financial, or familial issues refer them to HealthPartners Employee Assistance Program at 866-326-7194 or text US HEAP and your question to 919-324-5523 or log on to hpeap.com (website password “ptsmn”).
