84 Comments - Jakester75 - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 7:11 am: Its great to see Rutherford and Topinka care about their employees. - Barton Lorimor - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 7:18 am: I have heard the Senate Republicans are off today, but am awaiting confirmation before posting. Again, what’s posted are the ones that have been confirmed by the office higher ups. Stay tuned. - Victor Kingston - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 7:24 am: It’s good to see some state offices showing some common sense. Personally I woke up, walked to the window, and came down with an unfortunate case of the “nopes”. - Skipat - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 7:53 am: Secretary of State offices are closed. As are IL Senate Operations. - So. Style - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 8:10 am: After the theft of pension benefits of all state workers, maybe they should all take a “snow” day. Especially all of the State Troopers….. - Really? - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 8:12 am: As a state worker out of town I wonder of the potential to sue the state for my office under the guv not being closed? There may be precedent here since my union also covers positions in state depts that have closed. Plus the roads I have to take to work are closed. - DuPage Dave - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 8:20 am: The Secretary of DHS was kind enough to send an e-mail at 10:00 last night reminding everyone to be safe and also that if you can’t make it to work because of the weather, you have to take time. - Hans Sanity - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 8:29 am: I’m guessing that if State employees aren’t working today — at home or in the office — they have to take a vacation day, comp day, sick day, or unpaid day of absence. I support all state employees who use this as a day of work and reflection at home. - Snucka - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 8:32 am: You are incorrect, Hans. However, I share your hope that everyone uses the extra day wisely. - Hans Sanity - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 8:37 am: Staying home is wise. - Victor Kingston - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 8:38 am: Only 30 minutes after most of the state workforce had to be in the office. Good work Gov’s office. You’re as on the ball as ever. - Snucka - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 8:41 am: That is true, Hans. I meant you were incorrect about using sick time. The Governor has instructed non-emergency personnel to stay home. - anonymous - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 8:57 am: I didn’t see HFS in your listing? - Anonymous - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 8:58 am: Just heard state offices are closed and they are sending employees home - Spliff - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 8:59 am: When most state offices open at 8:30 isn’t a bit fake to send a statement (that no state employee has received) that they should stay home. Some of us shoveled and got to work on time only to find out 30 minutes later we aren’t essential. - non-essential - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 9:04 am: Our agency got the all-staff email an hour after the time stamp. Anyone who didn’t want to use the personal day was already on the way in. - Upon Further Review - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 9:06 am: Time to reevaluate the colossal fraud that is known as global warming and climate change and defund the hucksters (politicians and pseudo-scientists) who are raking in tax dollars due to this politically correct scam. - Ferris Bueller - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 9:07 am: Absolutely moronic! They told people at the Thompson Center as we showed up to work that we could go home (a little late for that, we already braved the cold and no you want me to go back out in it). It’s not like the weather was a big surprise. These people are idiots. - Cassiopeia - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 9:08 am: As usual our ever incompetent Governor tells everyone to stay home after they should have already been there. What a continuing joke he is. He can’t even cancel work on time. - titan - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 9:12 am: The Gov’s office tells people to stay home…after most have already left to get to work. Well isn’t that just brilliant? - OneMan - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 9:12 am: My wife’s employer did the same thing, sent an e-mail last night that they expected them to see customers, then this AM after she left they sent a text saying they could stay home… - DuPage Dave - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 9:22 am: Everyone in the world knew that Monday would be brutally cold. Governor Quinn waits until 30 minutes after starting time to tell everyone to stay home. It took over an hour for the chief of staff’s message to get out? The sad thing is Quinn is likely to get re-elected in spite of his glaring lack of leadership. This decision should have been made last night. - anon - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 9:44 am: My supervisor sent the message last night that there are not facility closures and per our standard operating procedures, work from home is not allowed. Then, we get the message that all non-essential personnel are directed to stay home a minimum of 30 minutes after shifts start (some up to 90 minutes after their shift starts). Also, last time there was a big storm and they implemented the COOP / COG we were told that we are essential. I’ve never seen where that is documented beyond my supervisor saying so. I mean, we don’t have anybody on stand-by status or on-call. I would think if you were essential, they would have to be consistent. With some folks already calling in and others covering their shift, someone’s getting screwed. Either the ones that were dedicated / persistent enough to make it happen, or the ones that called in and will have to use vacation/personal time. Frustrating to say the least! - Getting Their Dues - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 9:44 am: What’s the point of sending people home now? Already this morning we got up, shoveled our driveways in sub-zero temperatures and braved the dangerous roads to get into the office? All of the dangers were already encountered. And we have to go home eventually today anyway. - Robert the Bruce - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 9:53 am: And the worst part of this is, on average, if your workplaces is similar at all to mine, the harder working staff members are the ones who made it in this morning. What a wondrous morale boost to send them home. - Pacman - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:01 am: Revenue Closed. Most employees who made it in were told to go home at 0835. Seemed pointless after driving in to only have to turn around and drive home. I thought the point of closing was to keep everyone off the roads and keep employees safe. Goes to show common sense won’t be tolerated! - My Dog Einstein - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:07 am: Even BASIC governing is beyond this group. When you make the deliberate decision to put inexperienced twenty-somethings in charge and decline to seek the counsel of those wiser and more experienced, this is what happens. Repeatedly. Not a huge surprise, this. - still in shock - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:07 am: Unreal. Wonder what the road crews and state police etc thought about the late closing message from Gov Quinn. How can you on one side or your mouth say stay home and yet let people travel to work knowing that the offices were going to be closed probably two days ago? Jerk - Babs - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:12 am: So those of us who used BT to stay home still have to take it (??) or can we cancel the request and take the weather day instead? - DuPage Dave - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:22 am: As Casey Stengel said, “Can’t anybody here play this game?” Apparently Quinn’s team is now the 1962 Mets of state government. - Old timer - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:25 am: Governor announced it yesterday. It is his incompetent staff and agency administration that failed miserably to notify the state work force. - Kathryn - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:28 am: Typical of the Quinn admin not being able execute an order on time. Wait until employees get to work and then tell them they didn’t have to come. Totally INCOMPETENT and Inept. Nothing new here. It is how they operate. Let’s hope they will be packing their bags come November. - Smoggie - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:28 am: I hear many of the judges at Daley Center are out. Clerks are passing out continuances. Neither the Clerk’s office nor the presiding judge made any announcement until a few minutes ago. I understand criminal courts being open but it seems ridiculous to keep Daley Center open. It also seems ridiculous that there was no real announcement. Finally, it is amazing that in 2014, they still do not have e-mail notifications for lawyers for stuff like this. Announcements like that are a matter of routine for the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois. This is yet more evidence that we need to get rid of the court clerk as an elected position and we need to hire an actual professional. - Sangamo Sam - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:44 am: The Governor was working day and night on this decision and was put on this earth to make decisions such as this one that he made decisively late this morning after an agonizing night consulting his consultants and dealing with this decision that he himself made alone. - Soccertease - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:45 am: Is the Office of the Auditor General auditing today? Shouldn’t be anything to audit. - Snucka - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:47 am: The governor “announced it yesterday”?? How did the media and every state employee miss that announcement? His responsibility is to notify employees and citizens. Not to simply tell his staff about his decision. - Sangamo Sam - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:53 am: “Old timer - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:25 am: Governor announced it yesterday. It is his incompetent staff and agency administration that failed miserably to notify the state work force.” Can you back that up? It’s hard to believe so many agency heads dropped the snowball. - Send in the Clowns - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 11:03 am: Even BASIC governing is beyond this group. When you make the deliberate decision to put inexperienced twenty-somethings in charge and decline to seek the counsel of those wiser and more experienced, this is what happens. Repeatedly. Not a huge surprise, this. I’m not surprised by this clown show either. I worked for a 23 year old making over $80,000 a year with no degree. - Jakester75 - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 11:04 am: My agency’s Director emailed yesterday at 5:00 pm and this morning at 7:00 am saying they’d heard nothing and we would have to use vacation or personal time to stay home. My train from downtown just left at 10:45 am, first one to leave after the announcement was made. Glad I braved it in with bronchitis this morning. Going to be hard to forget, along with the pension theft, on Election Day. - Michelle Flaherty - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 11:17 am: Some state workers just(11:15 a.m.) got a robo call informing them not to go to work TODAY because of the weather. - Grandson of Man - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 11:21 am: “today advises state government employees to stay home” Thank goodness I phoned in this morning and used a personal day. I’m glad I didn’t go to work, only to find out after the wicked trek in the brutal cold that I’d have to go back home again. “was put on earth to make decisions” I see I have competition. I thought I was the only one with divine license to do this. - illinifan - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 11:29 am: Years ago there was a governor who said they would never again close state offices due to weather conditions…it would only happen when hell freezes over….I guess we finally met this requirement - Former Merit Comp Slave - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 11:33 am: If the gov says stay home (no matter how late that word got out) you get a weather day and don’t have to burn your personal time. There’s an executive order on that - Grandson of Man - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 11:46 am: “There’s an executive order on that” That’s great to know. Thanks for the info. - Arthur Andersen - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 11:51 am: I’m still struggling with the inclusion of CMS on the list of essential agencies for the continuity of government. - Mary - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 11:57 am: I just would like a phone number to call to find out what is going on. I start at 7:30 so an email at 9:30 at work doesn’t quite cut it. - Just Me - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 12:10 pm: So, Governor Goofball waited until this morning to decide to close state offices. Did he not see a weather report yesterday? And they send the press release out just 45 minutes before state offices were supposed to open, well after most employees had already left or were leaving for work. And the official email to some employees was received at 9:15, after they were already at the office and working. Excellent management!!! - Angry Republican - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 12:19 pm: Apparently Quinn has long since forgotten what happens to IL politicians that mismanage weather catastrophes (ask Michael Bilandic). Will the arctic freeze of 2014 cost Quinn the election? - Kathryn - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 12:30 pm: This is another example of what happens when the Governor puts the daycare kids in charge. He likes them young and inexperienced, lacking self confidence so they wont disagree with him or challenge his decisions in any way. - DuPage Dave - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 12:34 pm: Have to disagree with Kathryn. This is all on the Governor. Can’t blame his staff, however wet behind the ears they may be. He could have put this out at any time on Sunday and saved everyone a lot of bother. - Possum - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 12:40 pm: Employees like myself who drove into work today were notified at 9:4o that are office was closing down for the day. It was was an inconvenience not only for the employees but what about our clients, who had to walked to the office for their scheduled appointments because the buses were not running ? - Tired of the Mess... - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 12:51 pm: Has everyone forgotten: a) PQ and his administration are “challenged” b) PQ could care less about those state employees who did not vote for him. - A modest proposal - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 12:51 pm: Quick Question, while we are on the topic of closures, are there any places (preferably take out) open where one can get some hot grub? - Babs - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 12:55 pm: Thank you for answering my question Former Merit Comp Slave - A guy... - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 1:09 pm: I am at work. Have been since 8am. Anyone wants to give me a call saying “go home”, it’d sure be fine with me. In defense for some of this, there might have been a slew of calls this morning from people saying they couldn’t make it in. In reassessing, agency heads probably figured there may not be enough people to run things with any efficiency. So, they called the game. Government shutting down is a really big deal. By 9am this morning, I think they figured out no one would blame them. Still waiting for that call to go home! - non-essential - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 1:36 pm: Will the governor be sending out an apology? - DuPage Bard - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 1:48 pm: I heard the Governor is withholding legislative paychecks until they come back to Springfield and end this terrible weather. - Irish - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 2:21 pm: Last night at 9:14 pm IDNR Director sent out an email saying that he had just received word that all offices under the Governor’s jurisdiction would be OPEN on Monday and the CMS inclement weather policy would be followed. That policy basically states that if state offices are not closed by the Director of CMS and you do not report to work you will be charged with benefit time or docked if you have no benefit time to use. 8:11 this am the DNR Director sent an email that Office of the State would be closed and the Continuity of Operations Plan would be implemented. 9:00AM CMS Acting Director found out it was snowing and blowing out and stated that Governor PQ had consulted with the ISP and had decided to close State Offices and implement the Continuity of Operations plan which states; If you stayed home you get the day with pay. If you came to work and then were sent home you would get the remainder of the day from the time you were sent home, off with pay. If you had already made arrangements to be off using benefit time, you have to stick with that plan and you do not get a weather day. So basically if you are a dedicated employee and go above and beyond you get screwed. But what else is new. I think they need a Continuity of Thought Plan. But this is nothing new. In my 35+ years there were several times that we in the northern part of the state would get bad weather and if we didn’t make it in we were charged with benefit time. Then one year Springfield got bad weather and State Offices were closed and they all got a weather day. I guess this is one good thing about Chicago being the residence of the Governor instead of Springfield. Now we in the north can get a weather day too. - Anonymous - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 2:22 pm: “I heard the Governor is withholding legislative paychecks until they come back to Springfield and end this terrible weather.” And here is the winning comment of the day! Thanks for the smile. - Unbelievable - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 2:26 pm: I’m one of those employees that will go to work on a day I’ve requested off just to make sure there’s coverage. I thought about that today because I figured staff would call off. I am so glad that I changed my mind be caused I would have been upset. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 2:29 pm: Have to feel for the First Responders and all those having to work to try to keep things from falling apart. This is serious weather, not to mess around and think its not that bad to be outside. Could the Governor’s Office done a better job in the communications department? Yeah, they could have, but common sense can be both ways, and who is going to fault someone for not making a 45 minute commute in -40 degree (with win chill) weather? I just hope for everyone’s sake that safety rules the day, and bless the First Responders and those who are required to work for all our safety. - ChelseaBlue - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 2:50 pm: Has anyone considered just how horrible of a management practice it is to have the Governor making this decision? Do you think Jamie Dimon makes the decision to close individual branches of Chase Bank due to the weather? Even if he did, do you think he would then also have a union threatening him with a grievance from every employee who had to work instead of being paid for a snow day? What about constituents who are screaming about the budget who then see tens of thousands of state employees get an extra paid day off? What is your answer to them? What about those functions that aren’t “essential”, but due to the calendar are really, really urgent; for instance functions related to the Affordable Care Act, or filing taxes? Can we simply let those go for another day? The Governor’s responsibility here is exponentially more difficult than the decision your local school superintendent has in choosing whether or not to close the local schools, or the decision Topinka or Rutherford had in choosing to close their respective offices; both because of the vastly greater number and vastly greater variety of stakeholders. To those of you who are acting like this is an example of his “incompetence” I would politely suggest you go stick your head in Lake Michigan (feel free to find a frozen spot and hammer it hard with your forehead). This festering pile is the state government WE created, and that the man was able to make this decision at all I find rather remarkable. - Irish - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 2:58 pm: I just wish the Gov, the Director of CMS, and the Agency heads had a clue of what goes on at the field offices of their agencies and had some idea of what their employees did. Case in point is the fact that some employees actually don’t work only Monday through Friday, and they don’t work 9 to 5. I got called out at 4:30 am yesterday morning because one of my employees couldn’t make it in and he was the only person to be on duty for his shift which was 5:30am - 1:30pm. To me yesterday morning was worse weather wise than this am. But not realizing that some employees actually work on weekends the Gov focused on preparing for Monday morning. By the time we got the word that today was a weather day that morning employee today was more than halfway through his shift. - Oswego Willy - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 3:48 pm: - ChelseaBlue -, The state of Illinois is not Chase bank, ask Bill Daley … I wonder how many businesses are also closed today, for safety reasons of their employees? Are you suggesting that the state of Illinois not recognize this weather emergency for its employees and force people to come out in -40 degree weather with wind chill so you can figure out how ObamaCare will effect the state of Illinois? - Cold - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 4:00 pm: At the criminal courthouse today, I saw several people on crutches or with leg braces or casts. Also children brought there because of course schools are closed. These are poor people who undoubtedly were dependent upon CTA for their transportation. Is the Chief Judge that oblivious to the dangers posed by insisting that the court system stay open? - WestCentral - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 4:00 pm: I fail to see the difficulty in this. It should be on IDOT’s/ISP’s input that these decisions are made, both were on Quincy news outlets late Sunday afternoon advising folks to stay home and off the roads except for extreme emergencies. - Snucka - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 4:10 pm: As OW pointed out, the State of Illinois is not Chase Bank. Virtually the entire state is in a weather emergency, and everyone knew it more than 24 hours ago. State functions are important, but so is the health and safety of its workers. Clearly, emergency personnel need to be working today. However, the majority of state employees work in office jobs much like the many private companies that were closed today. It is ridiculous that those people were not told to stay home before they were already expected to leave for work — and after the Governor’s office insisted last night that offices would be open today. It will not be an election issue, but it was poorly handled. - Frozen - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 4:20 pm: The question is… when will we find out if we work tomorrow - Another state employee - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 4:55 pm: That’s my question. How do do know whether or not state employees have Jan. 07 off? On a selfish not more specifically those who work for child support. - Anonymous - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 5:08 pm: It was on inside Illinois - Anonymous - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 5:21 pm: The post above this one says state agencies are open tomorrow. - Henry Clay - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 5:24 pm: On the “Plus side”, all legislation that is proposed or is passed down in Springfield today will go down in the state history books as among the most meaningful legislative action to come out of Springfield since January of 2013. - Just The Way It Is One - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 5:52 pm: Surely 45 Degrees below Zero Wind-Chill factors justify these closures–even if a ticked-off, self-righteous Rauner would dispute it somehow and blame Governor Quinn somehow in his next TV Ad…! - foster brooks - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 9:18 pm: I bet bruce rauner would like to know who these non-essential employees are. - DuPage Dave - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 10:20 pm: I particularly enjoy being non-essential on days like this. - Anonymous - Monday, Jan 6, 14 @ 11:36 pm: Republican’t vs Democraps It’s a losing battle! - Anonymous - Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 12:05 am: ChelseaBlue, YOU are clearly spouting off from the comfort of a heated home that you leave in a heated car, with a short walk in a parking lot, to your heated workplace. Many if not most downtown employees walk great distances (in our case it is a mile) from the train station to their offices. Frostbite and lung damage can begin to occur after just five minutes in -40 weather. By the way, Chase bank was closed when my poor husband tried to duck in from the elements, as was Dunkin Donuts, and EVERY single business along the way. He appears to have suffered some damage for having to spend an excessive amount of time out there. You sound ill-informed and cold-hearted. I hope you will rethink your position after what everyone has had to say. Stay warm. - StillStanding - Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 12:07 am: ChelseaBlue, YOU are clearly spouting off from the comfort of a heated home that you leave in a heated car, with a short walk in a parking lot, to your heated workplace. Many if not most downtown employees walk great distances (in our case it is a mile) from the train station to their offices. Frostbite and lung damage can begin to occur after just five minutes in -40 weather. By the way, Chase bank was closed when my poor husband tried to duck in from the elements, as was Dunkin Donuts, and EVERY single business along the way. He appears to have suffered some damage for having to spend an excessive amount of time out there-all for being a dedicated employee who tried to be a professional, and do what was asked of them. You sound ill-informed and cold-hearted. I hope you will rethink your position after what everyone has had to say. Stay warm. - frustrated in knox county - Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 5:36 am: …and may I remind you Gov. Quinn-due to staff shortages within our particular agency we’re driving anywhere from 1hr-3 1/2 hrs. to work in the various counties we’re assigned. Guess like yesterday/Monday, we’ll eventually find-out once we arrive at work as to whether or not we’re supposed to be there. - Ice Cube - Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 6:37 am: Speaking on behalf of myself and some fellow coworkers, the Secretary of State employees it doesn’t make sense that our offices were closed yesterday but will resume normal operations today!? It’s currently -11• with a windchill of -33•!!! Why would the Secretary of State want to endanger the lives of their employees? The weather is being reported as hazardous/dangerous. There are about 6 other employees in my facility that feel the same and will be calling off today but a shame we will have to use our PL time if we want to get paid. I’m sure Jessie is warm in his bed right now with another young woman (executively appointed) with fictitious credentials! Just sayin - Arthur Andersen - Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 6:43 am: In other news, Bruce Rauner has responded to the past few days’ hazards and disruptions, including the postponement of the “Shake Up Express” campaign tour, by buying the weather. - Jsum - Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 8:21 am: ChelseaBlue are you aka Guv Quinn? - Hans Sanity - Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 8:44 am: Who covers climate like Capitolfax.com covers Springfield & IL politics?? dailyclimate.org - ChelseaBlue - Tuesday, Jan 7, 14 @ 11:03 am: StillStanding – you might want to re-read what I wrote. You call me “ill-informed” and “cold-hearted”. Why? Because I suggested that Quinn doesn’t deserve all the blame for the late notice? It can’t be because I suggested all the state workers should have been at work, for I did not do that, so of course you wouldn’t call me “ill-informed” and “cold-hearted” for something I did not say. I am sorry your husband was turned away by Chase – though that only serves to help make my point. Do you, or anyone, think that Jamie Dimon was the decision-maker to close that branch? Did someone have to run that question all the way up the chain of command to the CEO and have the answer come all the way back down? Of course not! That would be insane! So why do we in Illinois, with a government that is exponentially more complex than Chase bank, do that with or to our Governor, and consequently to ourselves? I’m not absolving the Governor, but I am taking issue with those who, through their knee-jerk reactions, would simply say “it’s the Governor’s fault” without digging deeper into the reasons this occurred the way it did. Jsum – wouldn’t that be priceless? But no, my wife has better taste than that. Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.