September 14, 2020
What if I am offered a job, but I cannot start the job due to concerns about exposure to COVID-19 or because I need to care for a child or other family member?
In general, you are no longer eligible for unemployment if you refuse a “suitable” job offer. However, you can still be eligible for unemployment if you show that the job was not “suitable” or if you show that you had “good cause” for refusing a “suitable” job. The Department of Labor has said that it…
Read MoreSeptember 14, 2020
A close family member of mine has COVID-19, and I will stay home from work to take care of them. What can I do to receive income while I’m not working?
As described in FAQ 3 above, under the Families First Act, government employers and employers with fewer than 500 employees are required to provide their employees with 10 days of sick leave, which can be used to care for someone in your household with COVID-19 or who has been advised by a healthcare professional to…
Read MoreApril 30, 2020
Can I lose my job if I need to take time off because I am sick with COVID-19 or my family member is sick with COVID-19?
As described in FAQ 9, COVID-19 may be a disability within the meaning of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Maine Human Rights Act (MHRA). If so, it would be illegal for your employer to fire you because you develop COVID-19, because it regards you as having COVID-19, or because you associate with…
Read MoreApril 30, 2020
My child’s daycare or school is closed because of the coronavirus threat. Can I take time off to care for my child?
In addition to the 10 days of paid sick leave described in FAQ 3, your employer may be required to allow you to take an additional 10 weeks of job-protected leave with partial pay to care for your child while your child is out of school or daycare is unavailable, for a total of 12…
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