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Afternoon roundup

Thursday, Nov 2, 2023 - Posted by Rich Miller

* Tribune

In late 2018, [longtime University of Illinois at Chicago employee Sharon Feldman], who was at the time associate director for global health policy research at the school’s Institute for Health Research and Policy, saw something: documents she believed showed a colleague planned to misappropriate grant funds and university resources.

Feldman worried the proposal would violate university policies that prohibited conflicts of interest and the misuse of university resources, she would later allege in court filings. […]

The Ethics Act’s whistleblower provision says state employees shall not be retaliated against for reporting behavior they reasonably believe to violate “a law, rule, or regulation.”

But in her ruling dismissing Feldman’s case this August, Judge Cecilia Horan agreed with the university’s arguments that internal university policies did not constitute “rules” that would have afforded Feldman whistleblower status.

At a court hearing on Aug. 29, Horan granted the university’s motion to dismiss Feldman’s complaint. Horan did not issue a written decision but said in verbal remarks she did not consider university statutes to be “rules” as defined by the Ethics Act.

Just outrageous. The legislature really needs to fix this. Tragically, Ms. Feldman died last month of an illness.

* Sun-Times

While deaths among pregnant women are rare, they have increased across Illinois — and the majority of them were possibly preventable, according to a new state report.

Black women continue to be disproportionately affected, and more pregnant people who die are losing their lives months after giving birth as they fall through the cracks of a complicated health system. […]

The third Illinois Maternal Morbidity and Mortality Report since 2018 from the state public health department provides a deeper look into what happened to 263 people who died while pregnant or within a year of giving birth from 2018 to 2020.

From the report

• An average of 88 women died while pregnant or within one year of pregnancy, with the highest number 110 deaths, occurring in 2020. There were 83 deaths in 2018 and 70 in 2019.
• 43% of women who died while pregnant or within one year of pregnancy died from a cause related to pregnancy.
• The leading cause of pregnancy-related death was substance use disorder, which comprised 32% of pregnancy-related deaths. The other most common causes of pregnancy-related death were cardiac and coronary conditions, pre-existing chronic medical conditions, sepsis, mental health conditions, and embolism.
• Black women were twice as likely to die from any pregnancy-related condition and three times as likely to die from pregnancy-related medical conditions as white women.
• More than half of pregnancy-related deaths occurred more than 60 days postpartum.
• The MMRCs determined 91% of pregnancy-related deaths were potentially preventable due to clinical, system, social, community, or patient factors.

* Post-Dispatch

An Illinois county’s quest to secede and join Missouri won’t be happening any time soon, according to a new legal opinion.

In response to a question raised by an official in Jersey County, located across the Mississippi River from Missouri, Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said the county does not have “the authority to secede from the State of Illinois and join another state.”

Writing in an Oct. 17 opinion, Raoul said the state constitution does not provide a statutory procedure for the secession of counties from the state.

And, he added, there are federal issues that stand in the way too.

Full opinion is here.

* Press release…

Businesses understand that access to paid time off is crucial for workers and their families, which is why we reached an agreement earlier this year to provide 5 days of paid time off, for any reason, to every worker across the state beginning January 1 – an agreement that was praised by labor leaders. We made repeated efforts to negotiate in good faith to reach a paid leave policy at the City level that is fair and balanced for both workers and businesses, even offering double the State requirement, but labor groups refused to compromise meaningfully, with aldermen now set to vote on a policy that will devastate the very businesses they have been trying to attract to their communities.

The current proposal will force employers to pay three ways for every day of paid leave. As written, employers will need to provide five days of paid sick leave and five days of paid time off for every employee, pay employees for up to seven days of unused paid time off, and pay enhanced wages for anyone who covers the employee’s shift due to the City’s restrictive scheduling ordinance. On top of this, businesses, especially small businesses without robust human resources departments, will be exposed to the threat of private rights of action. The payout exemption for small businesses contained in the proposal does not extend to this dangerous private right of action language contained in the ordinance.

Once again, proponents failed to recognize the compounding effect these policies have on businesses that are already struggling to make ends meet due to an alarming number of anti-business proposals by the City, continued supply chain and labor challenges, persistent crime, and skyrocketing property taxes. […]

    - Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
    - Greater Englewood Chamber of Commerce
    - Hospitality Business Association of Chicago
    - Illinois Health and Hospitals Association
    - Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association
    - Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce
    - Illinois Manufacturers’ Association
    - Illinois Restaurant Association
    - Illinois Retail Merchants Association
    - Little Village Chamber of Commerce
    - Pilsen Chamber of Commerce
    - Building Owners and Managers Association of Chicago

Press release…

The Chicago City Council Workforce Development Committee overwhelmingly passed the Chicago Paid Time Off Ordinance today in a vote of 13 in favor to 2 opposed. The Ordinance provides 10 total days of time off – five days of sick time and five days of paid time off – for all Chicago workers. The ordinance is expected to come to a vote before the full City Council as soon as next week.

Access to paid time off is critical to workers and their families who are struggling to make ends meet in a challenging economy. It gives workers time to spend with their families and care for their health. Paid time off also affords workers the ability to stay home when they are sick―preventing their colleagues from getting sick and missing work. Access to paid time off also improves worker retention, which reduces employer turnover costs.

“I am proud that Chicago is once again leading the nation in the struggle for workers’ rights, and strengthening the economic vitality of our city,” said Mayor Brandon Johnson. “My administration pledged to bring everyone to the table to hear concerns from large employers, small businesses, and worker advocates. We worked collaboratively to find a compromise, and we ended up with the most progressive Paid Leave policy in the country that will help businesses retain workers and help workers live full lives with dignity.”

* DeVore loses again…


* One of Danny Davis’ Democratic primary opponents is not getting a great reception…


* Isabel’s roundup…

       

17 Comments
  1. - Club J - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 2:56 pm:

    Has DeVore ever won in court? Good thing he has the egg roll business to fall back on.


  2. - Socially DIstant watcher - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 3:18 pm:

    Sad that the Attorney General has to take time to explain to Jersey County officials that Jersey County was created by the State of Illinois and can’t just up and leave without the State that created it giving permission.

    Congress defined Illinois and only Congress can change that, with the agreement of the State.


  3. - Lordy lordy - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 3:19 pm:

    DeVore better hope his new egg roll business takes off, because he’s definitely done in politics. And possibly also in law.


  4. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 3:22 pm:

    All I’m saying… traitors seceded from the union, claiming they were patriots “to the cause”

    Yeah, Lincoln and Grant took care of that.

    Truly the lowest denominators, these phony patriots. Move. Your county is staying.


  5. - Oswego Willy - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 3:24 pm:

    ===he’s definitely done in politics. And possibly also in law.===

    It’s about the grift, not the politics *or* the law.

    It’s why the same foolish souls will follow a cult leader who says he’s a master at business while it’s already decided his flagship entity ran fraudulently.

    Still, people are sending money.


  6. - We've never had one before - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 3:53 pm:

    >>>>Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul said the county does not have “the authority to secede from the State of Illinois and join another state.”

    They’re not doing it right.

    They can’t secede, they need to forfeit the land to settle a long standing border dispute, they way that Illinois and Kentucky have made peace before. That’s how you gett’r done.


  7. - DuPage Saint - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 3:57 pm:

    That U of I ruling is a travesty they should be ashamed of themselves.


  8. - Anyone Remember - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 4:08 pm:

    UIC has needed a fumigation going back to Edgar’s second term.


  9. - Steve Polite - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 4:19 pm:

    “university policies did not constitute “rules”

    IMHO, the judge got this wrong. I believe most reasonable people would consider an organizational policy a rule of the organization. Thesaurus.com agrees. Rule is a synonym for policy.


  10. - JoanP - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 4:24 pm:

    Never go to a site like “Thesaurus.com” for legal definitions/synonyms.


  11. - Al - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 4:39 pm:

    State Whistle Blower protection only begins once the Investigation by the Ethics Department has been completed. So once questions start being asked and documents requested the Snitch is fired. The Arbitration and Civil Service Commission are fixed. The protection should begin the date the Complaint is received.


  12. - Steve Polite - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 4:41 pm:

    JoanP, I wasn’t looking for a legal definition. I wanted to support my claim of a common understanding that the word policy equates to the word rule by many people including myself. Hence my reference of a commonly used online thesaurus.

    I am a state employee. According to this judge, if I become aware of a violation of state policy, I am not protected from retaliation as a whistleblower. At least that’s my takeaway of this ruling, but I’m not a lawyer.


  13. - Stormsw7706 - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 4:47 pm:

    Oh no. Illinois would collapse without that economic engine that comprises Jersey County. Of course they can’t leave as any 5th grader would understand. Let the county stay and continue to receive benefits from the state far far in excess of what they contribute. Missouri ? Give me a break


  14. - Anyone Remember - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 5:25 pm:

    ===Missouri ?===

    Just wait still they find out about the personal property taxes on vehicles … .


  15. - Pundent - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 5:26 pm:

    So the State Attorney from Jersey County does not know that it cannot secede. This would seem to be a foundational base of knowledge for holding the job and not something that the AG should have to waste staff resources on replying to. So what does this SA do now? Go back to his constituents and tell them that he’s a bit fuzzy on the laws he’s entrusted to uphold? What other aspects of our State and Federal constitution is he unfamiliar with.


  16. - Proud Papa Bear - Thursday, Nov 2, 23 @ 6:19 pm:

    Regarding the blackface incident, I’m sorry to say I did something similar in my youth. I was a huge fan of Sanford and Son so I dressed as Fred, including brown makeup.
    I learned my lesson when I went into a 7-11 and a middle aged Black lady stared a hole through me. It was probably the most humiliating moment of my life, which I still regret, 34 years later.
    I hope this kid was just ignorant, like I was, and works to spread understanding, like I try to do.


  17. - Jane - Friday, Nov 3, 23 @ 1:12 pm:

    The statistics on maternal mortality are so frustrating — when all manner of deaths with whatever indirect connection are counted (like overdoses or even murders by “baby daddies” which are deemed related because it was the child that tied the victim to the killer) it makes it hard to know what part of this can be improved by better medical care!


Sorry, comments for this post are now closed.


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