In US, Covid-19 aid bill to pay federal workers up to $21,000 for kids staying at home

Under the emergency federal employee leave fund, a full-time worker can avail up to 600 hours in paid leave.

The US House bill meant to provide an emergency stimulus package to cushion the impact of coronavirus disease (Covid-19) pandemic has a perk for federal employees. The House released the bill last Friday which has a provision for federal workers to get paid leave if their children are not back to the in-person classroom set up.

The bill allocates $570 million to the fund for payment to federal workers who are unable to work due to multiple reasons mentioned in the bill. (AFP)

The bill allocates $570 million to the emergency federal employee leave fund for payment to federal workers who are unable to work due to multiple reasons mentioned in the bill. The parents working for the federal government will be eligible for the fund through September 30 if they are “caring” for their children who are not physically present in school full time “due to Covid-19 precautions”.

“if the school or place of care of the son or daughter has been closed, if the school of such son or daughter requires or makes optional a virtual learning instruction model or requires or makes optional a hybrid of in-person and virtual learning instruction models, or the child care provider of such son or daughter is unavailable, due to Covid-19 precautions;” the bill says.

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Under the emergency federal employee leave fund, a full-time worker can avail up to 600 hours in paid leave, against which the person will be paid up to $35 an hour and $1,400 a week. This means a federal employee can get up to $21,000 for staying at home for reasons acknowledged by the bill. A part-time employee or an employee with a seasonal work schedule will also be eligible for such paid leave against equivalent hours established by the applicable agency.

The federal employees will be able to get paid leaves if they are subject to an isolation order related to Covid-19 or to self-quarantine due to concerns related to the infectious disease. Those taking care of a family member with a mental or physical disability or who is 55 years of age or older and incapable of self-care will be eligible for the paid leave if the place of care is closed or the direct care provider is unavailable due to Covid-19.