The Brazosport ISD Board of Trustees unanimously approved the Local Extension of Family First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) resolution at a January 25 meeting in order to create a COVID-19 employee paid leave program at the district level. The paid leave program will be in effect for BISD employees from January 5 through June 30, and is only available to those employees who have not previously used paid sick leave under the emergency paid sick leave provision of the FFCRA.
The need for a district-level paid leave program is the result of the expiration of the Federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act. In the most recent stimulus bill, the United States Congress declined to extend the Families First Coronavirus Response Act. The Federal bill, passed in March 2020, allowed employees to take sick leave for issues related to the COVID-19 pandemic.
The duration of the District's additional leave is a maximum of 10 business days. Employees will be paid at their regular rate of pay. The continuation of the FFCRA employee leave benefits for employees who:
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have been in contact with an individual that tested positive for COVID-19 and must quarantine per federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation order;
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display symptoms of COVID-19;
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have tested positive for COVID-19; or
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must stay home with a child who has been exposed or tested positive for COVID-19.
“We hope that our BISD staff will not need these days, but we feel that this will help give them peace of mind if they have to be quarantined for any reason due to COVID-19,” said BISD Chief Human Resources Officer Kristi Kirschner.
