Employment Law: COVID-19 Question of the Week 7
Question:
Does an employer have to return an employee who took leave to the same position the employee worked prior to taking leave?
Answer:
In most instances, yes, an employee is entitled to be restored to the same or an equivalent position upon return from paid sick leave or expanded family and medical leave in the same manner that an employee would be returned to work after FMLA leave. However, the new statute does not protect an employee from employment actions, such as layoffs, that would have affected the employee regardless of whether the leave was taken. The employer must be able to demonstrate that the employee would have been laid off even if he or she had not taken leave. This provision tracks the existing provision under the FMLA in 29 CFR 825.216. The employer has the same burden of proof to show that an employee would not otherwise have been employed at the time reinstatement is requested in order to deny restoration to employment.
The EFMLEA amendments to the FMLA specify that the FMLA’s restoration provision in 29 U.S.C. 2614(a)(1) does not apply to an employer who has fewer than twenty-five employees if all four of the following conditions are met:
(a) The employee took leave to care for his or her son or daughter whose school or place of care was closed or whose child care provider was unavailable;
(b) The employee’s position no longer exists due to economic or operating conditions that (i) affect employment and (ii) are caused by a public health emergency (i.e., due to COVID-19 related reasons) during the period of the employee’s leave;
(c) The employer made reasonable efforts to restore the employee to the same or an equivalent position; and
(d) If the employer’s reasonable efforts to restore the employee fail, the employer makes reasonable efforts for a period of time to contact the employee if an equivalent position becomes available. The period of time is specified to be one year beginning either on the date the leave related to COVID-19 reasons concludes or the date twelve weeks after the employee’s leave began, whichever is earlier.
For questions or additional information, please contact Jennifer Milak or Julie Hooten.
This update provides general information and does not provide tailored legal advice or establish an attorney-client relationship.
