COVID -19 UPDATE April 15th 2020

Temporary COVID-19 Paid Absence benefit for child care ends May 31

On April 1, WEC Energy Group put a temporary COVID-19 Paid Absence benefit in place to help employees deal with time off caused by personal or family sickness and/or quarantines. A child care benefit was included to help employees cope with the sudden shutdown of normally available child care options. With states reopening and school years ending, this benefit is being modified.

All of the COVID-19 Paid Absence benefits will remain in place except the benefit related to child care. The child care provision will no longer be available effective June 1.

With this change, the COVID-19 Paid Absence benefit may be used for requests already received and approved for child care between now and May 31. Any approvals previously granted to use the benefit for child care beginning on or after June 1 are withdrawn. New requests for child care needs between now and May 31 must be reviewed and approved by a senior vice president or above.

Employees with COVID-19-related child care needs beginning on or after June 1 should discuss flexible work arrangements with their leader. If arrangements are not available and time away from work is needed for child care, normal pay practices for that time away should be used, as applicable under company policies or collective bargaining agreements.

Resources available

In Wisconsin, the Child Care for Essential Workers Taskforce has provided child care options for utility employees. In Illinois, the state's coronavirus response website has information about child care for essential workers.

Payroll Practices and COVID-19

Frequently Asked Questions

(Paid Time Off (PTO), Unpaid Time and Paid Medical Leave)

We have created this document to assist our leaders as they respond to various employee situations relating to COVID-19. The information in this document applies to:

L18007

Where there are processes and language different than the terms and conditions set out in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, this difference is meant as a one-time, non-precedent setting exception.

Any benefits provided in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that are different from those set out in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement are being provided at Company discretion, and the Company retains the right to alter or discontinue them at any time after giving notice to the union.

We will monitor and update these FAQs for any actions taken by federal, state or local government that would require any additional potential leave benefits to our employees.

APRIL 1, 2020 UPDATES ARE NOTED BELOW IN RED

MAY 15, 2020 UPDATES ARE NOTED BELOW IN {COLOR}

Definitions:

For purposes of this document, please refer to following CDC Definitions for COVID-19 Symptoms and Close Contact:

Symptoms of the COVID-19 Virus: The following are the symptoms of the COVID-19 virus (“COVID-19 Symptoms”):

• Fever (temp. of 100.4°F or greater)*

• Cough*

• Difficulty Breathing*

* Without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g., cough suppressants)

Close Contact with the COVID-19 Virus: The CDC defines close contact (“Close Contact”) as:

a. Being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time. Close contact could, under certain circumstances, occur while caring for, living with, visiting or sharing a health care waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case. or

b. Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on). Contact does not include activities such as walking by a person or briefly sitting across a waiting room or office from them.

Question 1: Will the Company count time taken off because of the COVID-19 pandemic toward an unscheduled/absence attendance occurrence under the CBA absenteeism policy?

Answer 1: Absences up to 14 calendar days that are legitimately related to time away from work due to the COVID-19 pandemic will not be counted as an unscheduled/absence occurrence(s) under the CBA absenteeism policy. The Company reserves the right to require documentation, if requested. Consistent with normal policies and practices, all employees should be communicating with their leaders regarding the need for time away from work. Absences in excess of the 14 calendar days that are legitimately related to time away from work because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be reviewed on an individual, case-by-case basis.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020: See Response to Question 3 regarding 80 hours of Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence for qualifying absences on or after April 1, 2020. The 80 hours of Company Provided COVID-19 Paid Absence is not in addition to the 14 calendar day grace period referenced above. All valid COVID-19 related absences in excess of the 14 calendar days referenced above will be reviewed on an individual case-by-case basis.

Question 2: If an employee is exposed to COVID-19 during the normal course of their work duties and is unable to report to work, will the Company pay the employee at the Company’s expense for the duration for that absence?

Answer 2: The Company will pay the employee for basic hours missed (no overtime hours) at the Company’s expense for the duration of that absence — the duration of any quarantine period required by the Company or federal or state health authorities. Additional paid absences for an employee in this scenario will be assessed for potential workers’ compensation benefits under applicable state law.

If the employee tests positive for COVID-19 and continues to miss work for the duration of the illness, the Company will continue to make the employee whole by providing pay for the lost basic hours without requiring the employee to use PTO or unpaid time under applicable pay practices.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020: Please note the Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence described in Response to Question 3 below does apply to absences described in Response to Question 2 and would count toward the available 80 hours of COVID-19 Paid Absence. However, consistent with the prior Response to Question 2, as noted above, if the employee tests positive for COVID-19 and continues to miss work for the duration of the illness, the Company will continue to make the employee whole by providing pay for the lost basic hours without requiring the employee to use PTO or unpaid time under applicable pay practices.

Question 3: Will the Company provide any COVID-19 paid time for absences not the result of exposure during the normal course of work duties?

If an employee is asymptomatic for COVID-19 but the employee is in a mandatory quarantine (e.g., because he/she has been in Close Contact with an individual (not in the normal course of work duties) who has tested positive for COVID-19, should the asymptomatic employee take PTO or other unpaid time off during the potential incubation period?

Answer 3: The employee will be required to take PTO if available; thereafter, time away related to the quarantine would be unpaid through the quarantine period. COVID-19 illnesses may be eligible for Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)/short-term disability (STD) benefits if the illness is qualifying and approved by The Hartford. The Company will continue to look for and consider flexible work arrangements including remote work opportunities, which will depend upon the essential functions of the job and may vary by work group.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020: Beginning on April 1, 2020, subject to the conditions stated below, the Company is providing 80 hours of COVID-19 Paid Absence time for all full time regular and seasonal employees (management and represented) based on a standard 40-hour workweek (available time for part time employees will be prorated consistent with applicable policies, practices and collective bargaining agreements).

The “COVID-19 Paid Absence” is available as referred to throughout this document, only if, following employee discussions with their leader, it is determined the employee is unable to work under Flexible Work Arrangements (either because not available given nature of job or nature of COVID-19 absence).

The COVID-19 Paid Absence can be used for valid COVID-19 absences on or after April 1, 2020, including:

· Employee’s COVID-related diagnosis, public health order or order from physician to quarantine, or company-ordered quarantine. See Response to Question 6 for exclusions for quarantine due to avoidable personal travel.

· Care for family members for same reasons (COVID-19 diagnosis, quarantine)

· Absences due to child care needs triggered by COVID-19 school or child care closures.(Only through May 31, 2020).

Valid proof, including some form of documentation, may be required for all requests for COVID-19 Paid Absence. Examples include:

· Letter from physician

· Order from Health Department to quarantine

· Documentation of childcare/school closure for employee’s own children or dependent (newborn to gr. 12) and employee statement regarding impact.

Once an employee has exhausted the available Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence, the employee would then need to use whatever paid or unpaid benefits are available for any subsequent COVID-19 absences as detailed in the original Response to Question 3 above.

UPDATED May 15, 2020: Effective June 1, 2020, absences due to child care needs triggered by COVID-19 school or childcare closures (or unavailability) will no longer be a valid reason to request a COVID-19 Paid Absence. Any approved COVID-19 Paid Absence for child care purposes to be used before June 1 is still valid. After May 15, any new or pending request for COVID-19 Paid Absence for childcare purposes to be used prior to June 1 requires Sr VP level approval.

Any approval for COVID-19 Paid Absence for child care purposes for use after June 1 is no longer valid. Employees impacted by this change should review any concerns or requests for absences due to child care reasons with his/her supervisor to determine if flexible work arrangements are available. Otherwise, any absences would be processed consistent with the normal pay practices for time away from work applicable to the requesting employee.

Question 4: If an employee is unable to report to work because of day care issues (e.g., due to school closings) related to COVID-19, will the employee be allowed to use PTO or unpaid time off?

Answer 4: If PTO is available, it will be used for day care issues. If PTO is not available, unpaid time off will be allowed.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020: For absences on or after April 1, 2020 due to child care needs triggered by COVID-19 school or child care closures, the Company will allow a period of Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence. Please see Response to Question 3 above for details and conditions. Once an employee has exhausted the available COVID-19 Paid Absence, the employee would need to use whatever paid or unpaid benefits are available for any subsequent COVID-19 absences as detailed in the original Response to Question 4 above. .

Updated May 15, 2020 and EFFECTIVE June 1, 2020: For absences on or after June 1, 2020 due to child care needs triggered by COVID-19 school or child care closures (or unavailability), the Company will no longer allow Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence for this reason. See Response to Question 3 for more information on COVID-19 Paid Absence Requests.

Any approved COVID-19 Paid Absence for child care purposes to be used before June 1 is still valid. After May 15, any new or pending request for COVID-19 Paid Absence for childcare purposes to be used prior to June 1 requires Sr VP level approval.

Any approval for COVID-19 Paid Absence for child care purposes for use after June 1 is no longer valid. Employees impacted by this change should review any concerns or requests for absences due to child care reasons with his/her supervisor to determine if flexible work arrangements are available. Otherwise, any absences would be processed consistent with the normal pay practices for time away from work applicable to the requesting employee.

Please refer to original Response to Question 4 above for details on use of paid or unpaid benefits for absences due to child care needs triggered by COVID-19 school or child care closures (or unavailability).

Question 5: Can employees use PTO in less than full-day increments?

Answer 5: Yes. Available PTO can be used in increments as provided in the applicable bargaining unit agreements.

Question 6: If I choose to travel for personal reasons to a foreign country or a domestic location that has been identified as high risk for COVID-19 by the CDC and I am required to self-quarantine, will I have to use paid time off even if I am asymptomatic? REVISED QUESTION 6: Due to the progression of the global wide spread ongoing transmission (community spread) of COVID-19, this question was revised to: If I choose to travel for personal reasons and as a result I am required to quarantine by the CDC, state or local authorities or the company, will I have to use paid time off for any resulting additional time away from work even if I am asymptomatic?

Answer 6: At this time, the CDC has announced COVID-19 is a pandemic and issued a strong recommendation against both international and domestic travel. If an employee chooses to travel and is impacted by the CDC’s COVID-19 self-quarantine requirements, the employee may first take PTO, then unpaid time. Please note, though, if the employee becomes symptomatic, STD benefits may be available if qualifying and approved by The Hartford.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020: Response to Revised Question 6: Given the current state of CDC travel advisories, company travel guidance and requests for advance notice and state laws relating to sheltering in place in each of our jurisdictions, we would not expect to encounter these types of requests after April 1, 2020. Any such requests will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Generally, if an employee chooses to engage in avoidable personal travel during this time, is impacted by self-quarantine requirements by the CDC, state or local authorities or company-ordered quarantine and Flexible Work Arrangements are not approved following employee discussions with their leader, the employee should not expect resulting absences to be eligible for Company-provided COVID-19 Paid Absence. In that event, the employee must first use any remaining PTO after which the days will be unpaid. Please note, though, that if this employee becomes symptomatic, STD benefits may be available if qualifying and approved by the Hartford.

Question 7: Is COVID-19 an FMLA-covered serious health condition?

Answer 7: It depends on the circumstances. If an employee or their immediate family member is being treated for a serious health condition, then it could be covered under FMLA guidelines if they are being treated by a medical professional and approved by The Hartford for family or medical leave. Absences due to mild or moderate illnesses generally will not meet the requirements for family or medical leave.

Question 8: May an employee refuse to come to work due to a fear of becoming infected with COVID-19? And, if they refuse to report to work, will they be paid?

Answer 8: If an employee has a reasonable, good faith belief their safety is at risk, they should report that to their leader.

If an employee chooses to stay home without management approval, it will be deemed a counted absence against the absenteeism policy and handled in the same manner as any other absence without approval.

Question 9: Will employees who do not have PTO and/or FMLA/STD benefits under current policies or applicable bargaining agreements who are away from work due to COVID-19 be paid for time away?

Answer 9: Consistent with current practice, absences for these employees would be unpaid unless such time away from work is due to exposure to COVID-19 during the normal course of their work duties. In that case, see Question 2.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020: For COVID-19 related absences on or after April 1, 2020, see Response to Question 3 for details about Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence. Once an employee has exhausted the available Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence, the employee’s absence would be unpaid for any subsequent COVID-19 absences as detailed in the original Response to Question 9 above.

Question 10: Can employees use the Company-provided COVID-19 Paid Absence in less than full day increments?

Answer 10: Yes. COVID-19 Paid Absence can be used in the same increments as PTO as provided in the applicable bargaining unit agreement.

Question 11: How do I record my time if I have met the conditions and my leader approves use of the allowance for the Company-provided COVID-19 Paid Absence?

Answer 11: If you have met the conditions and your leader has so approved, your Coordinator should enter the appropriate code below when populating your timesheet for days you are unable to work due to eligible reasons for COVID-19 Paid Absence:

• “COVID-19 – Self-Illness/Quarantine” for your own COVID-19-related illness or quarantine.

• “COVID-19 – Family Care” for taking care of a family member with a COVID-19-related illness/quarantine, or necessary child care due to COVID-19

Note: These codes will not be available for entry in the system until April 6. Once available, they can be used for any approved COVID-19 absences up to the 80 hours starting April 1.

If you have any questions regarding these FAQs or other issues related to COVID-19, please contact your supervisor.

Payroll Practices and COVID-19

Frequently Asked Questions

(Paid Time Off (PTO), Unpaid Time and Paid Medical Leave)

We have created this document to assist our leaders as they respond to various employee situations relating to COVID-19. The information in this document applies to:

L18007 C

Where there are processes and language different than the terms and conditions set out in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement, this difference is meant as a one-time, non-precedent setting exception.

Any benefits provided in response to the COVID-19 pandemic that are different from those set out in the current Collective Bargaining Agreement are being provided at Company discretion, and the Company retains the right to alter or discontinue them at any time after giving notice to the union.

We will monitor and update these FAQs for any actions taken by federal, state or local government that would require any additional potential leave benefits to our employees.

APRIL 1, 2020 UPDATES ARE NOTED BELOW IN RED

MAY 15, 2020 UPDATES ARE NOTED BELOW IN {COLOR}

Definitions:

For purposes of this document, please refer to following CDC Definitions for COVID-19 Symptoms and Close Contact:

Symptoms of the COVID-19 Virus: The following are the symptoms of the COVID-19 virus (“COVID-19 Symptoms”):

• Fever (temp. of 100.4°F or greater)*

• Cough*

• Difficulty Breathing*

* Without the use of fever-reducing or other symptom-altering medicines (e.g., cough suppressants)

Close Contact with the COVID-19 Virus: The CDC defines close contact (“Close Contact”) as:

a. Being within approximately 6 feet (2 meters) of a COVID-19 case for a prolonged period of time. Close contact could, under certain circumstances, occur while caring for, living with, visiting or sharing a health care waiting area or room with a COVID-19 case. or

b. Having direct contact with infectious secretions of a COVID-19 case (e.g., being coughed on). Contact does not include activities such as walking by a person or briefly sitting across a waiting room or office from them.

Question 1: Will the Company count time taken off because of the COVID-19 pandemic toward an unscheduled/absence attendance occurrence under the CBA absenteeism policy?

Answer 1: Absences up to 14 calendar days that are legitimately related to time away from work due to the COVID-19 pandemic will not be counted as an unscheduled/absence occurrence(s) under the CBA absenteeism policy. The Company reserves the right to require documentation, if requested. Consistent with normal policies and practices, all employees should be communicating with their leaders regarding the need for time away from work. Absences in excess of the 14 calendar days that are legitimately related to time away from work because of the COVID-19 pandemic will be reviewed on an individual, case-by-case basis.

EFFECTIVE APRIL1, 2020: See Response to Question 3 regarding 80 hours of Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence for qualifying absences on or after April 1, 2020. The 80 hours of Company Provided COVID-19 Paid Absence is not in addition to the 14 calendar day grace period referenced above. All valid COVID-19 related absences in excess of the 14 calendar days referenced above will be reviewed on an individual case-by-case basis.

Question 2: If an employee is exposed to COVID-19 during the normal course of their work duties and is unable to report to their usual work location, and the Company does not approve flexible work arrangements, will the Company pay the employee at the Company’s expense for the duration for that absence?

Answer 2: The Company will pay the employee for basic hours missed (no overtime hours) at the Company’s expense for the duration of that absence – the duration of any quarantine period required by the Company or federal or state health authorities. Additional paid absences for an employee in this scenario will be assessed for potential workers’ compensation benefits under applicable state law.

If the employee tests positive for COVID-19 and continues to miss work for the duration of the illness, the Company will continue to make the employee whole by providing pay for the lost basic hours without requiring the employee to use PTO or unpaid time under applicable pay practices.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020: Please note the Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence described in Response to Question 3 below does apply to absences described in Response to Question 2 and would count toward the available 80 hours of COVID-19 Paid Absence. However, consistent with the prior Response to Question 2, as noted above, if the employee tests positive for COVID-19 and continues to miss work for the duration of the illness, the Company will continue to make the employee whole by providing pay for the lost basic hours without requiring the employee to use PTO or unpaid time under applicable pay practices.

Question 3: Will the Company provide any Company-provided COVID-19 paid time for absences not the result of exposure during the normal course of work duties?

If an employee is asymptomatic for COVID-19 but the employee is in a mandatory quarantine (e.g., because he/she has been in Close Contact with an individual (not in the normal course of work duties) who has tested positive for COVID-19, should the asymptomatic employee take PTO or unpaid time off during the potential incubation period?

Answer 3: If the individual is able to work remotely, the employee and leader should discuss Flexible Work Arrangements. If Flexible Work Arrangements are not approved for this individual, the employee will be required to take PTO if available; thereafter, time away related to the quarantine would be unpaid through the quarantine period.

COVID-19 illnesses may be eligible for Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) / Short-term Disability benefits if the illness is qualifying and approved by The Hartford.

First-year employees from L18007 C, who are precluded from using PTO during their 90-day probationary period, will be allowed to use PTO for legitimate COVID-19-related absences during their 90-day probationary period.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020: Beginning on April 1, 2020, subject to the conditions stated below, the Company is providing 80 hours of COVID-19 Paid Absence time for all full time regular and seasonal employees (management and represented) based on a standard 40-hour workweek (available time for part time employees will be prorated consistent with applicable policies, practices and collective bargaining agreements).

The “COVID-19 Paid Absence” is available as referred to throughout this document, only if, following employee discussions with their leader, it is determined the employee is unable to work under Flexible Work Arrangements (either because not available given nature of job or nature of COVID-19 absence).

The COVID-19 Paid Absence can be used for valid COVID-19 absences on or after April 1, 2020, including:

· Employee’s COVID-related diagnosis, public health order or order from physician to quarantine, or company-ordered quarantine. See Response to Question 7 for exclusions for quarantine due to avoidable personal travel.

· Care for family members for same reasons (COVID-19 diagnosis, quarantine)

· Absences due to child care needs triggered by COVID-19 school or child care closures.(Only through May 31, 2020)

Valid proof, including some form of documentation, may be required for all requests for COVID-19 Paid Absence. Examples include:

· Letter from physician

· Order from Health Department to quarantine

· Documentation of childcare/school closure for employee’s own children or dependent (newborn to gr. 12) and employee statement regarding impact.

Once an employee has exhausted the available Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence, the employee would then need to use whatever paid or unpaid benefits are available for any subsequent COVID-19 absences as detailed in the original Response to Question 3 above.

UPDATED May 15, 2020: Effective June 1, 2020, absences due to child care needs triggered by COVID-19 school or childcare closures (or unavailability) will no longer be a valid reason to request a COVID-19 Paid Absence. Any approved COVID-19 Paid Absence for child care purposes to be used before June 1 is still valid. After May 15, any new or pending request for COVID-19 Paid Absence for childcare purposes to be used prior to June 1 requires Sr VP level approval.

Any approval for COVID-19 Paid Absence for child care purposes for use after June 1 is no longer valid. Employees impacted by this change should review any concerns or requests for absences due to child care reasons with his/her supervisor to determine if flexible work arrangements are available. Otherwise, any absences would be processed consistent with the normal pay practices for time away from work applicable to the requesting employee.

Question 4: If an employee is unable to report to work because of day care issues (e.g., due to school closings) related to COVID-19, will the employee be allowed to use PTO or unpaid time off?

Answer 4: Care Center management will determine if Flexible Work Arrangements can be utilized, and will review these arrangements with the individual employees. If Flexible Work Arrangements cannot be utilized, the employee can use available PTO, or if PTO is not available, take unpaid time off.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020: For absences on or after April 1, 2020 due to child care needs triggered by COVID-19 school or child care closures, the Company will allow a period of Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence. Please see Response to Question 3 above for details and conditions. Once an employee has exhausted the available COVID-19 Paid Absence, the employee would need to use whatever paid or unpaid benefits are available for any subsequent COVID-19 absences as detailed in the original Response to Question 4 above. .

Updated May 15, 2020 and EFFECTIVE June 1, 2020: For absences on or after June 1, 2020 due to child care needs triggered by COVID-19 school or child care closures (or unavailability), the Company will no longer allow Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence for this reason. See Response to Question 3 for more information on COVID-19 Paid Absence Requests.

Any approved COVID-19 Paid Absence for child care purposes to be used before June 1 is still valid. After May 15, any new or pending request for COVID-19 Paid Absence for childcare purposes to be used prior to June 1 requires Sr VP level approval.

Any approval for COVID-19 Paid Absence for child care purposes for use after June 1 is no longer valid. Employees impacted by this change should review any concerns or requests for absences due to child care reasons with his/her supervisor to determine if flexible work arrangements are available. Otherwise, any absences would be processed consistent with the normal pay practices for time away from work applicable to the requesting employee.

Please refer to original Response to Question 4 above for details on use of paid or unpaid benefits for absences due to child care needs triggered by COVID-19 school or child care closures (or unavailability).

Question 5: How will the Company handle incremental business-related expenses for employees who are asked or required to work remotely?

Answer 5: L18007 C employees working remotely from home will receive the Company's standard monthly stipend for Illinois employees as reimbursement of business use of personal equipment and/or internet service.

Question 6: Can employees use PTO in less than full-day increments?

Answer 6: Yes. Available PTO can be used in increments as provided in the applicable bargaining unit agreements.

Question 7: If I choose to travel for personal reasons to a foreign country or a domestic location that has been identified as high risk for COVID-19 by the CDC and I am required to self-quarantine, will I have to use paid time off for my time in quarantine even if I am asymptomatic? REVISED QUESTION 7: Due to the progression of the global wide spread ongoing transmission (community spread) of COVID-19, this question was revised to: If I choose to travel for personal reasons and as a result I am required to quarantine by the CDC, state or local authorities or the company, will I have to use paid time off for any resulting additional time away from work even if I am asymptomatic?

Answer 7: At this time, the CDC has announced that COVID-19 is a pandemic and issued a strong recommendation against both international and domestic travel. If an employee chooses to travel and is impacted by the CDC's COVID-19 self-quarantine requirements, the employee may first take PTO, then unpaid time. Please note, though, if the employee becomes symptomatic, STD benefits may be available if qualifying and approved by The Hartford.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020: Response to Revised Question 7: Given the current state of CDC travel advisories, company travel guidance and requests for advance notice and state laws relating to sheltering in place in each of our jurisdictions, we would not expect to encounter these types of requests after April 1, 2020. Any such requests will be addressed on a case-by-case basis. Generally, if an employee chooses to engage in avoidable personal travel during this time, is impacted by self-quarantine requirements by the CDC, state or local authorities or company-ordered quarantine and Flexible Work Arrangements are not approved following employee discussions with their leader, the employee should not expect resulting absences to be eligible for Company-provided COVID-19 Paid Absence. In that event, the employee must first use any remaining PTO after which the days will be unpaid. Please note, though, that if this employee becomes symptomatic, STD benefits may be available if qualifying and approved by the Hartford.

Question 8: Is COVID-19 an FMLA-covered serious health condition?

Answer 8: It depends on the circumstances. If an employee or their immediate family member is being treated for a serious health condition, then it could be covered under FMLA guidelines if they are being treated by a medical professional and approved by The Hartford for FML. Absences due to mild or moderate illnesses generally will not meet the requirements for FML.

Question 9: May an employee refuse to come to work due to a fear of becoming infected with COVID-19? And if they refuse to report to work, will they be paid?

Answer 9: If an employee has a reasonable, good faith belief their safety is at risk, they should report that to their leader.

If an employee chooses to stay home without management approval, it will be deemed a counted absence against the absenteeism policy and handled in the same manner as any other absence without approval.

Question 10: Will employees who do not have PTO and/or FMLA/STD benefits under current policies or applicable bargaining agreements who are away from work due to COVID-19 be paid for time away?

Answer 10: Consistent with current practice, absences for these employees would be unpaid unless such time away from work is due to exposure to COVID-19 during the normal course of their work duties. In that case, see Question 2.

EFFECTIVE APRIL 1, 2020: For COVID-19 related absences on or after April 1, 2020, see Response to Question 3 for details about Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence. Once an employee has exhausted the available Company provided COVID-19 Paid Absence, the employee’s absence would be unpaid for any subsequent COVID-19 absences as detailed in the original Response to Question 10 above.

Question 11: If pre-planned call volume or intra-day call volume is low in the Care Center, will unpaid time opportunities be a possibility?

Answer 11: If pre-planned call volume or intra-day call volume is low as determined by management, unpaid time may be offered to Consultants on a voluntary basis.

Question 12: Can employees use the Company-provided COVID-19 Paid Absence in less than full day increments?

Answer 12: Yes. COVID-19 Paid Absence can be used in the same increments as PTO is allowed in the applicable collective bargaining agreements.

Question 13: How do I record my time if I have met the conditions and my leader approves use of the allowance for the Company-provided COVID-19 Paid Absence?

Answer 13: If you have met the conditions and your leader has so approved, use the appropriate code below when populating your timesheet for days you are unable to work due to eligible reasons for COVID-19 Paid Absence:

· “COVID-19 – Self-Illness/Quarantine” for your own COVID-19-related illness or quarantine.

· “COVID-19 – Family Care” for taking care of a family member with a COVID-19-related illness/quarantine, or necessary child care due to COVID-19

Note: These codes will not be available for entry in the system until April 6. Once available, they can be used for any approved COVID-19 absences up to the 80 hours starting April 1.

If you have any questions regarding these FAQs or other issues related to COVID-19, please contact your Team Leader.