TIP SHEET

How to Manage Paid Leave for Remote and Hybrid Workers

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Know Your Employees’ Locations

With employees working from anywhere, it’s vital for employers to know their exact locations, especially for fully remote workers. That’s because many paid leave laws apply only for employees working in certain jurisdictions. And the growth of more flexible working arrangements also has prompted some employees to move and not inform their employer. Make sure you have processes in place to know where your workers are located.

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Know Whether You’re a Covered Employer

The intricacies of paid leave management for remote and hybrid workers also means knowing whether you’re a covered employer. Some paid leave laws only apply to employers of certain sizes. And even that can be complicated. For a law in Washington, the size of the employer is determined by taking the average number of employees over the last four completed calendar quarters on Sept. 30 of each year.

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Track Hours Worked by Jurisdiction

What if you have an employee who works hours in a different state and only comes into the office once a month? Do you have traveling sales professionals who focus on certain regions? Employers should ensure they are tracking the exact number of hours worked by jurisdiction, as many paid leave laws have a certain number of hours that must be hit before benefits are triggered.

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Track Incremental Use Amounts

OK, you have a handle on where your employees are and what leave laws apply. Now come the details. One of the more challenging aspects of applying paid leave laws is knowing the incremental use amounts, the number of consecutive hours an employee may take under a statute. It’s different everywhere. Some allow two-hour increments. Others four. Some even allow one hour of leave to be used.

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Know the Eligible Reasons for Taking Leave

Some jurisdictions allow employees to take leave for any reason – not just for sick leave. And in Nevada, for example, employees are not required to provide a reason to their employer when they want to take their paid leave.

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Train Your Compliance Teams

Managing paid leave laws for remote and hybrid employees is clearly a major challenge, especially for large employers that operate across the U.S. The final tip here is about training your compliance teams to ensure they understand the intricacies of each law, know what’s required of employers (average weekly wage calculations, anyone) and know what is allowed for employee leave. Need help tracking paid leave laws? GovDocs can help you simplify your paid leave program across all locations.

Clear as Mud: How to Comply with Pay Transparency Laws

Are you sure your organization’s hiring practices are in line with the myriad and varied pay transparency laws across the country? Watch our webinar Clear as Mud: How to Comply with Pay Transparency Laws, as Jana Bjorklund, GovDocs Senior Counsel, breaks down this rapidly evolving area of employment law. We cover an overview of pay transparency laws, practical considerations and best practices and detailed reviews of California, Colorado, and New York laws.

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