COVID-19 and the Law: What Cancer Patients Need to Know
**Updated December 15, 2020**
Consumer Protection:
Protecting Your Finances During the Coronavirus Pandemic
Information from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau
Major Consumer Protections Announced in Response to COVID-19
This comes from the National Consumer Law Center and will be updated as laws change. Excellent information on consumer debt, bankruptcy, foreclosure, debt collection, student loans, price gouging, and more.
Employment:
- Here are answers for employees who have concerns about returning to work and information about what employers must to do ensure a safe workplace.
- Here is a good listing of the various laws related to COVID-19 that protect workers in Minnesota.
Families First Coronaviruse Response Act (FFCRA)
The FFCRA took effect on April 1, 2020 and expires on January 1, 2021. Congress may extent the FFCRA or provide additional benefits following January 1, 2021.
Generally provides that employees of *covered employers* are eligible for the following types of paid time off from work due to the COVID-19 crisis:
- Two weeks/up to 80 hours paid sick leave at regular rate of pay if employee is quarantined or experiencing COVID-19 symptoms
- Two weeks/up to 80 hours paid sick leave at 2/3 regular rate of pay if employee is unable to work because of need to care for another as follows:
- someone who is subject to quarantine,
- a child (under 18) whose school or child care is closed due to COVID-19, and/or
- the employee is experiencing a substantially similar condition as specified by particular governmental agencies.
- Up to an additional 10 weeks of paid expanded family and medical leave at 2/3 regular rate of pay, where an employee (who has been employed for at least 30 days) is unable to work due to need to care for a child whose school or child care provider is closed due to COVID-19.
*Note that covered employers means fewer than 500 employees, and businesses with fewer than 50 may be exempt from the school closing/child care unavailability provisions if this would jeopardize business viability.*
More details, payment calculations, FAQs, scenarios, and definitions here and here and here and here
Filing for Unemployment Benefits
Self-Employed or a Contract Worker? Here is a Step by Step Guide to Completing the UI Application During COVID-19
Health Insurance:
All private insurers that sold private plans on MNsure have waived co-pays, co-insurance and deductibles related to COVID-19 diagnostic testing and cost sharing for in-network COVID-19 hospitalizations in 2020. Learn more here.
Minnesotans Who Lose/Will Lose their Employer-Sponsored Health Insurance
- You may qualify for a special enrollment period with MNSure
- if your employer ends coverage or
- you/your spouse lose coverage when you lose/leave a job
- Note there is a 60 day window to apply--- you must be able to indicate that the employee or spouse lost health care coverage in the past 60 days or that you will lose coverage in the next 60 days
- Failing to pay your COBRA premiums does NOT make you eligible for a special enrollment period
Housing:
For Homeowners:
Moratorium on foreclosures and evictions extended through at least January 31, 2021
Resources on mortgage help and renter protections
For Renters:
Housing Discrimination and Eviction Protections
Student Loans:
Automatic Stop to Federal Student Loan Repayments extended until January 31, 2021--as part of the CARES Act signed into law on March 27, 2020, broad relief for federal student loan borrowers was enacted. Repayment to begin after January 31, 2021. Lots of your very specific questions are answered here
For ongoing updates and info, visit the Federal Student Aid Coronavirus Forbearance Website
