The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), passed in March 2020, required small and midsized employers to provide paid employee leave for specific COVID-19-related reasons through Dec. 31, 2020. The FFCRA also provided tax credits for employers to cover the cost of the leave.

The FFCRA employee leave requirements expired in December 2020; however, subsequent legislation extended the tax credits for employers that continued to offer FFCRA leave on a voluntary basis. The credits are currently in effect through Sept. 30, 2021. They are taken against employment taxes and are fully refundable and advanceable.

The IRS has maintained guidance on the tax credits, including answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs), a fact sheet and a snapshot document.

Key topics covered by the IRS FAQs include:

• Eligible employers
• Qualified sick leave wages
• Qualified family leave wages
• Qualified health plan expenses
• How to claim the credits
• Periods during which credits apply
• Substantiating eligibility
• Deductibility of tax credits
• Interaction of tax credits
• Third-party payers
• Self-employed individuals

IRS FAQS on Tax Credits for FFCRA Leave