WASHINGTON, D.C. — With school and summer activity schedules greatly altered as America continues to re-open in the wake of the coronavirus, the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) issued two Field Assistance Bulletins to clarify issues relevant to the pandemic’s effects on the workplace.

The bulletins specifically address the following:

• The assessment of when schools that are physically closed for coronavirus related reasons are considered “in session” for purposes of federal child labor requirements, and
• Paid sick or expanded family and medical leave eligibility under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) based on the closure of summer camps, summer enrichment programs, or other summer programs.

“As workers and employers deal with the effects of the coronavirus pandemic in the workplace, the U.S. Department of Labor’s priorities include ensuring our response provides the support and information they need,” said Wage and Hour Division Administrator Cheryl Stanton. “The guidance provided to our field offices in these bulletins, which we are sharing publicly, clarifies some unique issues surrounding the reality of distance and virtual learning and the transition from school to summer child care. We will continue to provide guidance as new situations and issues arise.”