* CMS Memo…
To: State of Illinois Agency Leadership
From: Janel L. Forde, Director
Date: January 14, 2021
Subject: Guidance for Employees | Beginning January 17th
Over the past week we have all been troubled by recent events at our U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. and the potential for protests at state capitols beginning January 17th has been widely reported. The health and safety of our employees and members of the public is always a primary concern. The Illinois State Police (ISP), Illinois National Guard (ING), and Illinois Emergency Management Agency (IEMA) are coordinating with local and federal law enforcement to implement additional security measures and restrictions in downtown Springfield, including our state capitol, to ensure the safest inauguration week possible.
The Illinois Department of Central Management Services (CMS) encourages all employees to work remotely beginning January 17th through January 19th, if possible, due to the anticipated protests in downtown Springfield.
Sunday January 17th and Monday January 18th – Employees that are not scheduled to work and considering accessing a state facility are encouraged to instead work remotely.
Tuesday January 19th – Regular workday – Employees encouraged to work remotely.
Agencies may keep employees at home and designate them as being in “on-call” status on Wednesday January 20th if they are unable to perform their job duties remotely.
CMS will continue to work with the State law enforcement agencies, regarding additional guidance as the nature of these events develop. We will also update your agency if this guidance changes during the week.
Agencies should notify the following CMS contacts if the intention is to shift all employees to remote designation and not reporting to a state facility. This will allow CMS to coordinate with its custodial and security vendors and specific sites.
* Related…
* Biden inauguration rehearsal is postponed due to security threats - The president-elect’s Amtrak trip to Washington, planned for Monday, has also been canceled.
* How the rioters who stormed the Capitol came dangerously close to Pence
* Among the Insurrectionists
* Inspectors general of several federal agencies open sweeping review of security, intelligence surrounding Capitol attack
- Mama - Friday, Jan 15, 21 @ 2:41 pm:
Will there be guards stationed at all state office buildings or just the state capital on Second Street?
- Candy Dogood - Friday, Jan 15, 21 @ 3:09 pm:
===Will there be guards stationed===
I think it is wise that all of us avoid being Illinois’ own Lauren Boebert. If anyone knows any specific details about security measures taken this weekend and next week, they should keep it to themselves and not post about it online, especially not in any kind of open forum.
- Retired Lobster - Friday, Jan 15, 21 @ 3:19 pm:
Any word what the Supreme Court will do about it’s employees next week?
- Rich Hill - Friday, Jan 15, 21 @ 3:32 pm:
Heartbreaking that so many “patriots” are out there.
- State Government - Friday, Jan 15, 21 @ 3:34 pm:
In typical CMS fashion, this policy is clear as mud. Because there is a threat to the Capitol (which i believe is real) employees in Chicago should stay home? what if you are an employee in Champaign or Carbondale? Is every town and city under the threat of impending violence? does this policy apply to only cms employees or all state employees.
- #5 - Friday, Jan 15, 21 @ 3:46 pm:
@State Government,
My guess is that CMS is letting the Agencies determine who needs to do what. The DoIT email specifically mentioned “Springfield based” staff.
- RNUG - Friday, Jan 15, 21 @ 3:55 pm:
They sure didn’t institute these kinds of procedures in the days following the attacks on 9/11 … even on buildings that had long been considered terrorist targets. The most they did was institute a partial day off for non-essential personnel the afternoon of the attack.
I have a pretty good idea of what the critical infrastructure is for state government and, other than the symbolism, the State Capitol is one of the last buildings I would be worried about attacking.
I think someone is seriously overreacting.
- Rich Miller - Friday, Jan 15, 21 @ 3:59 pm:
===I think===
I learned when covering Kosovo that I do not know what the actual threat assessments are and nobody is about to tell me, so unless they are particularly onerous, I just stand by.
- Union thug - Friday, Jan 15, 21 @ 4:11 pm:
In light of last week and life experience with over/under reaction. I would much rather see an over reaction in this case