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Employee Relief in the Aftermath of Katrina

By Rene E. Thorne
November 28, 2005

Both established and recently enacted laws may offer aid and protection to employees affected by natural disasters such as Hurricane Katrina. Employees affected by natural disasters such as Katrina may be protected under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) if they suffer from a disability as the result of the event, or may be eligible for leave under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA” if they or a family member have suffered a serious health condition as the result of the storm. Additionally, affected employees may be eligible for relief under measures enacted as a direct response to the event, such as the Katrina Emergency Tax Relief Act of 2005 (KETRA), or may seek relief from previously established assistance programs, such as unemployment insurance or the federal Disaster Unemployment Assistance program.

Employee Leave

Employees affected by Hurricane Katrina may be entitled to up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave under FMLA for a serious health condition caused by the hurricane. Additionally, employees who must care for a child, spouse, or parent with a serious medical condition may also be entitled to the same amount of leave under the FMLA. Employees who have been disabled by the effects of Katrina may be protected under the ADA. Although these laws are often discussed, they are worth reviewing here, as Katrina directly affected millions of victims, many of whom were injured in the storm and its aftermath. (Note: although certain states may impose more substantial family and medical leave obligations on employers, the states most heavily affected by the hurricane — Mississippi, Louisiana and Alabama – do not).

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