Workers Rights During A Pandemic: What You Need To Know

Are you worried the COVID-19 pandemic will affect your job? Know your rights to protect it! Here are 5 worker rights you should know:

You May Be Entitled to FMLA

Missouri currently has no laws regarding sick leave, but a lot of employers may offer it as part of their job benefits package. You should consult your contract to see if your employer offers sick leave, and under what circumstances it is offered.

Additionally, companies with over 50 employees must abide by the Family and Medical Leave Act, and offer their employees unpaid leave if you are sick, or must take care of a sick family member.

If You Have a Disability, You Are Protected by the Americans with Disabilities Act

Some people with disabilities (such as those presenting as a medical condition, not just a physical disability) are more at risk if they contract the new coronavirus. According to ADA, your employer must offer reasonable accommodation so that you can perform your job functions without putting your health at risk. This can mean allowing you to work from home, changing your work schedule or office to prevent you from interacting with a lot of people or even modifying your tasks temporarily.

Reasonable Accommodation

There is no legal limit and how many accommodations you may receive. For example, if you cannot telework, your employer may change your shift to try and limit your interaction with other people. If you think this is not enough, you can talk to your employer and request to be moved to another location to increase your safety. If it’s possible, your employer may accommodate you.

Additionally, your employer is obliged by law to accommodate your request as long as it is, in fact, reasonable, meaning it will allow you to continue your work without affecting the overall company. If your request was denied, though reasonable, you should contact a lawyer right away.

You May Be Entitled to Leave If Your Child’s School or Childcare Provider Is Closed

A new FMLA expansion is now in effect to help parents whose children are at home because of school closing. By law, you are now entitled to job-protected leave in this case. For the first 10 days, the leave is unpaid, but after that, you must be paid ⅔ your regular rate, with a $200 cap.

You Are Entitled to Worker’s Compensation If You Get Sick at Work

Worker’s compensation benefits also apply to workplace illnesses, not just physical injuries. As a result, if you contract the new coronavirus through your job, then you are legally entitled to compensation, which covers medical expenses and lost wages.

If this is your situation, please get in touch with a Missouri worker’s compensation attorney for a FREE case evaluation.