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* There was a report that someone at the March 8th Women’s March in Springfield was diagnosed positive. Londrigan spoke at that march…
*** UPDATE 1 *** SJ-R…
Lisa Badger, a Springfield Park Board trustee, confirmed Sunday that she is one of the two people currently diagnosed with COVID-19 in Sangamon County. […]
“I am in isolation at home, and have primarily been, since Wednesday evening when my symptoms became concerning,” Badger said. […]
“As I have not been out of the country, or had any known contact with someone who has been out of the country, or had direct contact with someone who has tested positive, it can only be assumed that I received the COVID-19 virus through community spread,” Badger said. “That could have been in any number of ways, as I had been in the public: grocery stores, restaurants, employment, community gatherings, etc.”
One of the public events Badger attended was the Springfield Women’s March on March 8, where she spent time in close contact with two Springfield city council members: Ward 6 Ald. Kristin DiCenso and Ward 8 Ald. Erin Conley.
And Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, a Democratic candidate for the 13th Congressional district who attended the march, announced she was going into self-quarantine until March 22.
Badger works for the state treasurer. I reached out earlier today for information on the treasurer’s response, but haven’t yet heard back.
*** UPDATE 2 *** This is the internal email sent to state treasurer office (STO) workers this afternoon…
STO Team –
On behalf of Treasurer Frerichs, we continue to actively monitor updates from the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) and the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) concerning COVID-19 in Illinois. Treasurer’s Office (STO) policies are being monitored and periodically updated in response to recommendations from the public health experts. Please be assured that we are working with building management to ensure that all appropriate universal precautions and cleaning efforts are made in all working areas and public places.
The Treasurer’s Office has been notified by IDPH officials that an STO employee on the 4th Floor of the Monroe Building in Springfield has tested positive for COVID-19. The employee reported not having been present in the office since March 6th. State and federal laws prohibit the Treasurer’s Office from identifying anyone who has tested for, or contracted, COVID-19 and we intend to comply with these laws when and as applicable.
Effective immediately, the Treasurer’s Office has made the business decision to close our business offices beginning on Monday, March 16, 2020 and continuing through March 31, 2020 based on information presently available to us. During this temporary period, the following precautions will be taken to help protect the health and safety of our employees while also taking necessary steps to help ensure the continuity of our business operations and service to the public:
No employees will be permitted to report to work or perform services in our business offices. The only exception is for designated individuals who are identified as performing essential functions and for limited purposes. If you attempt to report to work, you will be asked to leave.
Should you need to have access to any information or personal items that may be stored in your work office, you should contact Human Resources at the contact numbers listed below to see if arrangements can be made to accommodate your needs.
Employees who have the ability and resources to perform your work activities from a remote location are requested to do so during the time you would normally be scheduled to be present in the office. If you have any questions about remote working, please speak with your direct supervisor.
During the hours you would normally be scheduled to be working, you are asked to remain at home (or at a safe remote location that allows for appropriate social distancing).
You will receive your normal compensation as if you were actively working and in return we are counting on you to be available to respond to emails, text messages, telephone calls or other forms of communication when requested by management during your normally scheduled working time.
All employees are required to keep accurate records of the time (through the ADP timekeeping system) that they perform work while at home and normally expected to be working. If an employee does not have access to the ADP timekeeping system, they should email their time to their supervisor on a daily basis or, if that is not possible, record their time on paper.
All STO employees are required to observe the advice from IDPH to engage in proper social distancing and refrain from non-essential travel.
Any employee on leave status or utilizing other paid time off benefits will continue to be eligible for those privileges during this temporary period. We also will continue to honor all reasonable accommodations for individuals who are disabled or otherwise in need of such assistance during this period.
Employees who are working remotely should check in with their supervisor at least once per workday to determine if there is a change of these terms or if any other precautions are necessary or recommended.
Depending on the nature of duties performed, some employees will receive additional instruction from their managers about work assignments and reporting obligations as a follow up to this communication.
All STO employees will continue to be paid while we get through this unprecedented situation at the rate that those employees would normally have been paid had the employee been working when scheduled (up to 37.5 hours per week for hourly/non-exempt staff).
Please remember that the Ethics Act requires that employees not engage in prohibited political activity while on compensated time or using State resources; as a reminder, compensated time includes sick time.
The State Treasurer’s Office carries out vital functions for State government. As long as the financial markets are open, receipts need to be processed, and state payments need to be made, the Treasurer’s Office needs to be open and functioning. Because of advance planning these functions should be able to be carried out almost entirely remotely.
…Adding… I asked how many people would be working from home…
We have four offices.
All employees will be working from home except for two.
- Diverdown - Monday, Mar 16, 20 @ 8:13 am:
Wow. Rich…thank you for continuing to update us with all things Illinois.
- Candy Dogood - Monday, Mar 16, 20 @ 9:12 am:
Alright, so, there’s one responsible statewide elected.
Meanwhile the employees of the executive branch are planning on coming into work until everyone shows symptoms to be sent home.
Way for the Governor to be talking out of both sides — even if he’s delegated this to his agency heads, he probably needs to recognize that not all SPSAs are created equally, especially not here in Illinois.
Governor Pritzker’s handling of this crisis for within his own branch of government has been woefully inadequate.
- Here we go.... - Monday, Mar 16, 20 @ 9:19 am:
Business as usual at my office. Customers and trainings. No management edicts. No Union steward action. DHS Secretary issued an email but so far this FCRC isn’t acting on any preventive measures…
- Charlie Brown - Monday, Mar 16, 20 @ 9:43 am:
On Friday, DHS had a conference call with the leadership of all nonprofit service providers begging them to remain open.
Pretty cavalier of the Governor’s Office to close state buildings to the public to protect themselves while pressuring nonprofits to send their employees out into the community.
Maybe, at the very least, offer them hazard pay when you are making $250K a year?
- Proud Sucker - Monday, Mar 16, 20 @ 9:45 am:
DuPage is scheduled to announce a State of Emergency today. Let’s see what their directives to County staff will be.