Skip to content

This page will be updated continuously to reflect the most recent information. This page was last updated on December 30, 2020.

Overview 

The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (Families First), the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act, and the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2020 (COVID relief bill) include specific provisions that apply to federal employees and federal contractor employees.  Below are answers to frequently asked questions about how these provisions apply to you. 

Am I eligible for the Emergency Paid Sick and Family Leave as a federal employee?

  • Yes, federal employees are eligible for the paid sick and family/medical leave under the Families First legislation.
  • The director of the Office of Management and Budget has the authority to exclude certain executive branch employees from the paid leave mandates for good cause.
  • If you have questions regarding your eligibility, please ask your supervisor or union representative for more information.

I am a federal contractor employee.  Will I be able to telework?

  • Yes, federal contractor employees who normally may not telework should be able to do so during the COVID-19 outbreak to the extent practicable.

What if I am a federal contractor employee unable to telework or who needs to take leave?

  • Under these laws, your employer will be reimbursed for any paid leave provided to you if you are unable to perform work on a site due to facility closures or other restrictions.
  • Please ask your employer if they are providing paid leave if you are unable to telework.
  • If you are sick, need to care for a loved one who is sick, or must act as a caregiver for your children due to school or child care closures, please see if you are eligible for emergency paid leave on Senator Schatz’s website.

What if I am a small business government contractor? 

  • If you are a government contractor, agencies will be able to modify terms and conditions of a contract and to reimburse contractors at a billing rate of up to 40 hours per week of any paid leave, including sick leave.
  • The contractors eligible are those whose employees or subcontractors cannot perform work on site and cannot telework due to federal facilities closing because of COVID-19. 
  • If you need additional assistance, please reach out to your local Small Business Development Center, Women’s Business Center, SCORE chapter, or SBA District Office. You should also work with your agency’s contracting officer, as well as the agency’s Office of Small and Disadvantaged Business Utilization (OSDBU).

More Information

For more information, please visit https://www.opm.gov/policy-data-oversight/covid-19/ or speak to your supervisor, agency human resources office, or union representative. 

For additional information on federal help available to small businesses, unemployed workers, and families in Hawai‘i in response to the COVID-19 pandemic, visit Senator Schatz’s website.