Today, the Illinois Retail Merchants Association (IRMA) has launched a significant statewide radio campaign aimed at educating consumers about the safeguards they should adopt when visiting a grocery, pharmacy or retail store. The public service advertisement (PSA) will air 2,100 times over the next 10 days in every media market throughout the state. The buy includes airtime on African American radio stations as well as a version of the ad to be broadcast on Spanish language stations.
“From the earliest stages of this pandemic, retailers have implemented sweeping changes to how they operate their stores while at the same time meeting unprecedented customer demand. The goal of this PSA is to ensure customers take precautions to keep themselves and other customers safe while also protecting our essential retail workers,” said Rob Karr, president & CEO, Illinois Retail Merchants Association. “As always, retailers across the state are working diligently to ensure safe working and shopping environments for all who enter our stores. As the Governor has noted several times, we need consumers to also do their part.”
Going to the store? Here’s a few tips.
Wear a cloth mask that covers your nose and mouth…
Remember, both inside and outside the store, stay at least 6 feet apart…
When possible, avoid using cash.
And, try to have one member per family go shopping.
Please thank retail employees. They are working for you.
Retailers are committed to keeping employees and customers safe…and our shelves stocked.
The Illinois Retail Merchants Association is the voice for retail - and we thank you for doing your part.
The unemployment claims process has been a source of hardship for all too many Illinois residents as it has been for dozens of states across the nation. So many families are hurting at a scale of this country hasn’t seen ever in our lifetimes. And our state unemployment filing systems which were built a decade ago, for a much lower number of claims, simply haven’t kept pace. This was the painful truth that we discovered when unemployment began to spike.
Also, as per usual, please pardon all transcription errors.
* OK, one bit that wasn’t in the release…
These IDES employees did in a month what might normally take most of the year.
* Dr. Ezike…
And talking about unemployment, it’s important to recognize and acknowledge the toll that it takes on individuals as well as communities, not only financially but mentally and emotionally. Unemployment has been linked with a number of psychological disorders, particularly anxiety, depression, substance abuse, and a decrease in self esteem.
Workers’ Compensation can help with some of the financial impacts, but I also ask that we also support each other with the societal and emotional impacts during these tough times
* Illinois Nurses Association exec talks about the change to workers’ comp…
As a result of their sacrifice nurses in Illinois are starting to get sick and infected. Sadly, we’ve seen some employers argue with nurses about where they became infected completely ignoring the obvious risk created by the work they do every day.
Nurses should not be left to deal with the long term and costly consequences of becoming infected with COVID-19 on their own. On behalf of the Illinois Nurses Association, we want to thank Governor JB Pritzker for making this important change in the law to see that nurses and all essential workers receive their rightful benefits under Illinois Workers Compensation Law. Due to this change, there were there will now be a fair and reasonable presumption that a nurse who becomes infected with COVID-19 during this crisis became infected on the job, which will then ensure that she receives the workers compensation benefits that are rightly deserved.
* On to questions for the governor. We’ve learned that a poll worker died on the south side literally 14 days after the election. Should the election have been held?…
As you know, and I’ve said this before, the Governor of Illinois does not have the constitutional right, legal right to shut down the election here. It’s different in different states, we don’t have that here, so I couldn’t shut it down.
What I did do though is in the weeks before the election, I began virtually every day or certainly frequently telling people, you can vote today, early voting you can get a mail ballot today, send in and get one. We were encouraging people not to go to the polls if they could avoid going to the polls, and indeed I think that’s exactly the same thing that we need to do even more so when we get to the general election, I’m advocating that everybody should be applying for a mail ballot if they can, and that’s virtually everybody, and to vote by mail.
He was then asked the question again and gave the same response.
* Republicans held a news conference this morning, very concerned about this same issue of unemployment and said that really you’ve dropped the ball there, should have been more people that could have been quicker. Do you think you now have it in place to help people faster?. The governor went over what he said earlier and in his press release and then said..
I would say that this is still a work in progress. There’s no doubt about it, much better than it was, much better than it was.
I also want to say that, this pandemic, this COVID-19 knows no partisanship. And in the process of my work here on dealing with COVID-19 I’ve had lots of interactions with Republicans and Democrats, many have been extraordinarily constructive in their offering ideas and assistance and the things that we need. Some not so much. And I think that I draw a distinction between those who stand up in this moment and try to help, and those who, you know, hold press conferences to complain.
* Where did you come up with the list for the workers comp on who’s essential and who’s not. And why is the news media not a part of that?…
Overall the essential worker list is something that came from the Department of Homeland Security originally. And then we’ve added, we’ve created a list that’s even larger than the Homeland Security Department, put out with regard to workman’s comp. And we started with what we thought were the people who are very much on the very front lines, the people who are interacting literally daily potentially with someone with COVID-19, they’re treating. Think about a nurse in a hospital right now. I don’t think there’s anywhere that you could be a nurse right now in the state of Illinois, that you’re not in some fashion interacting with a person who has COVID-19 or potentially as COVID-19. And the same thing for the folks the firefighters and you think about what they do, just listen to the list of things that Chuck [with AFFI] said so you know look is it something that the workman’s comp commission could consider expanding to other areas, yes but we felt like the people who are on the very front lines most exposed, those are the people want to make sure it got covered first.
* Asked about McCormick Place…
…If you look back over the course of six days, there’s a kind of a leveling effect right we’ve had days that are above today’s, days that are below, but there’s a leveling effect that you can kind of see in those numbers, and more. So even as you look at the numbers of new cases, it really looks like there’s a leveling there. So, you know, when we look at all of that and then we see well when does someone transfer out to McCormick Place it’s really when the hospitals become full, and they’re not yet full
* Is it President Trump’s decision to end the stay at home order or is it your decision? [This question was asked the other day]…
Well I think he’s gonna issue some advice about it. But it is true that it’s up to the governors to make decisions about the executive orders that we’ve put in place and, and all of the governors that I’ve talked to, and especially me we want to lift these orders as soon as we can, we want to get things back to more normal as soon as we can. But one thing that we have to pay attention to is what direction are these curves going and what are the what is the advice that we’re getting from again the scientists and the doctors who know more about immunology, and about, you know, all the issues of COVID-19, than you know the elected official is not a doctor.
* There’s a lot of people out there wondering, you know, how are we going to reopen schools are you going to go ahead and close them down for the rest of the year and do e-learning…
I promise I will tell you as soon as I know the answer to that question
Is that coming this week?…
At this moment I can’t tell you whether it’s coming this week
And then he went on to explain - again - the reasoning behind this process.
* So to follow up on that what are the some of the conversations you’re having about how you make that happen. I mean do we open the economy, so to speak in phases, or is this something that’s all at once, what are the conversations and what are the effects that they are having and what are the experts telling you sure there’s not exactly a perfect consensus right but but you’ve laid out some of the things that we’re talking about, which is what is a phase I mean we talk about phases what what is phase one look like for about two or three or four, what is the first thing you do and and how does that work what rules you have to put in place does everybody wear a mask, you know, do you require that?…
I’ve encouraged everybody the CDC is encouraged everybody, but there’s no requirement that people who go out and public must wear a mask or go into a grocery store anywhere else. So that’s, you know, a question, what are all the rules for each industry that’s the other thing is you start to talk industry by industry a manufacturer is very different than a clothing store. What are the rules do we have to start thinking, you know, the way that a fire marshal determines how many people can be in your store in your grocery store, based on the number of square feet so that if there’s a fire everybody can get out. Do we now need to have public health administrator, determining, you know how many people at any given time can be in a certain store for us to reopen those stores for decisions that are going to be made over the next two weeks before your current state home order expires. Well, you couldn’t make all of those there’s no doubt about it but but I have been talking to industry leaders, and people who lead workers in those industries, because the most important thing is safety and health, and we have to start with that as some basis of understanding between businesses workers, you know that if people are going to go back to work or if we’re going to open up. You know opportunity for people. You know back in their industries. Will they feel safe, because that’s it’s very important to feel safe and to actually be safe. And that’s what we’re trying to work on. And again, it’s going to be talking about phases, we have to look at these things very much industry by industry, and then ask the question. So, and when does that change to you know how long do you go, what is the gating issue. I told you what the gating issue is for, you know, for any significant moves here, you know testing tracing and treatments. And then, you know, I think, more PPE availability. And then, what’s the next phase I think the next phase is a vaccine. … And I’m also very concerned to make sure that the workers who go back to work, are safe so those are things that I’m spending time on mayor in the room
* Mayor Lightfoot said this afternoon she expects that state home order to be extended. Can you give people any idea when you can confidently say if it’s going to be extended. Or when you might know? [The question has been asked and answered repeatedly today and every day for weeks, so I’m just gonna skip this one.]
* Starting today, independent contractors in Michigan can apply for unemployment benefits. Some gig workers are wondering why the same can’t be done right now in Illinois. Why is it taking longer here and when will Illinois workers be able to apply?…
The federal money that comes to support that new independent contractor support doesn’t come until May. So we’ve got to make sure that we’ve got a system that determines who’s eligible and who’s not before we can distribute money that isn’t here yet.
I mean some states, by the way, have gone ahead and taken something they’ve got in their own coffers and offer that to the gig workers and independent contractors. But that’s not something that’s available to us in the state of Illinois.
* You characterized the emergency rules approved by the workers compensation commission this morning as rules that covered essential workers, if they’re infected by COVID-19 on the job. However, the actual rules don’t read that way. They say all workers deemed essential by your executive order who come down with COVID-19 will be reasonably presumed to have caught it at work. The employment community says that this is not only an egregious overreach but also illegal because they argue such a large change can only be approved through legislation. Is that what was intended?…
My intention is to protect the workers of Illinois, the people who are most affected by this COVID-19 we are in a pandemic in an emergency. This is what we need to do right now to protect people.
* Will the program be fully implemented by the week of May 11 does that mean implementation or people can start to apply in May?…
That’s a great question. I’m glad it got asked because I want to clarify. People can apply now. They can send in their application now. It will be determined to be either eligible or ineligible for the current system and if it’s enabled will because it’s an independent contractor 1099 gig worker that that person’s application will then move to being ready to be processed by the new system that will be stood up and ready to go in early May or early mid May
* Are you considering shifting state workers from other agencies to IDES to help meet demand for unemployment filing, and what do you say to the unemployed Illinois residents who have been trying for weeks and haven’t been able to get through to file claims?…
Well the answer to the second half is everything I just said when I stood up here and told you what it is that we’re working through here, and all the challenges that we’ve had, as to moving workers from other departments.
I want to explain that there are federal rules that apply to those who take unemployment application so those who are responsible for taking your unemployment application at IDES, they have to be trained in a certain way. This is sensitive information for individuals. And so that’s why you can’t just grab people from anywhere and why we’re making sure that the people who are working the call centers, the people that are working at IDES, remember what did I say, I said we’re bringing back retired workers. They’ve all been trained. And so they’re doing from home, but the point is that they’re eligible to be able to do this right away and so we have expanded the workforce and IDES to take those applications by phone and and to help with the applications online.
Not exactly empathetic.
* We’ve received a copy of the cease and desist notice from the state police to the Pekin Country Club. What do you hope is the outcome from that?…
I can’t give you a specific answer to the question, Rebecca . The police are ultimately responsible for enforcing the stay at home order and all of the executive orders that we put in place that would interact with the public. So, you know that’s that’s why the state police are involved.
* Being that it’s been stated that COVID-19 is no one’s fault, how do you balance the extra cost employers and even taxpayers that pay for first responders could bear with this emergency rule from the workers comp commission?…
Well, what I can tell you is that in the middle of an emergency, the only way they have to operate is to protect people as best you can, their health and safety. And to the extent that it’s required that someone has to pick up the tab for that, but sometimes that will fall on the people who are most able to pick up the tab.
Having said that, we have challenges with our unemployment insurance in the state, every state does. Indeed that’s why we’re talking to our federal officials about making sure that they’re going to help us replenish that unemployment insurance trust, because it is, it’s happening everywhere in the country and to a greater degree or lesser degree to each state, but every governor that I’ve talked to has said they’re going to need help.
* And then he was asked a question about why the Supreme Court and the Chicago city council can hold virtual meetings, so “what is the holdup with the state legislature?”
Um, the state can, by statute, waive rules for local governments in an emergency. The governor cannot waive rules for the General Assembly, a co-equal branch. The Supreme Court can make its own rules, which it did. Anyway, here’s his response…
Well, it is, unfortunately, a fact of state law today that the state legislature cannot meet electronically or in any way other than in person. That doesn’t mean they couldn’t meet, and then decide not to meet, and instead have a meeting by Aoom or some other method, but that is not currently state law. In order to change that you’d have to have a meeting of the legislature. So, you know, I know that the leaders on both sides of the aisle are having some discussions about how they might do that effectively. We’re certainly going to assist them to make sure that it’s a method that’s safe and healthy for all the legislators, I don’t know when that will be.
The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) today announced 1,173 new cases of coronavirus disease (COVID-19) in Illinois, including 74 additional deaths.
Cook County: 2 males 30s, 1 female 40s, 3 males 40s, 7 males 50s, 6 females 60s, 8 males 60s, 8 females 70s, 5 males 70s, 8 females 80s, 4 males 80s, 3 females 90s, 2 males 90s, 1 female 100+
DuPage County: 1 male 40s, 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s, 1 male 80s, 1 female 90s
Fayette County: 1 female 90s
Jasper County: 1 female 90s
Kane County: 1 female 90s
Lake County: 1 male 40s, 1 male 60s, 1 female 80s
McHenry County: 1 male 70s
Will County: 1 female 60s, 1 male 70s, 2 males 80s
Johnson County is now reporting a case. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 22,025 cases, including 794 deaths, in 87 counties in Illinois. The age of cases ranges from younger than one to older than 100 years.
…Adding… It’s only one day, but that’s the lowest number of new cases reported since April 6th.
The rapid spread of COVID-19 and uncertainty created within regulated industry has necessitated the modification of evidentiary rules regarding practice before the Commission to ensure first responders and front line workers, who are most susceptible to exposure to COVID-19, are afforded the full protections of the Workers’ Compensation Act in the event they are exposed to or contract the virus.
In other words, if you contract COVID-19 and you’re one of the covered workers, you’re automatically assumed to qualify for workers’ comp.
In any proceeding before the Commission where the petitioner is a COVID-19 First Responder or Front-Line Worker as defined in Section (a)(2),if the petitioner’s injury or period of incapacity resulted from exposure to the COVID-19 virus during a COVID-19-related state of emergency, the exposure will be rebuttably presumed to have arisen out of and in the course of the petitioner’s COVID-19First Responder or Front-Line Worker employment and, further, will be rebuttably presumed to be causally connected to the hazards or exposures of the petitioner’sCOVID-19First Responder or Front-Line Worker employment.
The term “COVID-19 First Responder or Front-Line Worker” means any individuals employed as police, fire personnel, emergency medical technicians,or paramedics and all individuals employed and considered as first responders, health care providers engaged in patient care, correction officers, and the crucial personnel identified under the following headings in Section 1 Part 12 of Executive Order 2020-10 dated March 20, 2020: “Stores that sell groceries and medicine”; “Food, beverage, and cannabis production and agriculture”;“Organizations that provide charitable and social services”; “Gas stations and businesses needed for transportation”; “Financial institutions”;“Hardware and supplies stores”; “Critical trades”; “Mail, post, shipping, logistics, delivery, and pick-up services”; “Educational institutions”;“Laundry services”;“Restaurants for consumption off-premises”; “Supplies to work from home”; “Supplies for Essential Businesses and Operations”; “Transportation”; “Home-based care and services”; “Residential facilities and shelters”; “Professional services”; “Day care centers for employees exempted by [Executive Order 2020-10]”; “Manufacture, distribution, and supply chain for critical products and industries”; “Critical labor union functions”; “Hotels and motels”; and “Funeral services”
Wow.
Members of the news media are not included even though that’s becoming an issue.
* Press release…
The Illinois employer community has released the following statement regarding an emergency rule adopted Monday by the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission, which creates an automatic presumption that any essential worker diagnosed with COVID-19 contracted the illness at the workplace, even if they are working remotely or currently not on the job. The following statement should be attributed to the business groups listed below:
“Manufacturers, retailers, grocers, pharmacies, food banks, convenience stores and countless essential businesses across Illinois are doing all they can to protect workers while also meeting unprecedented demand for food, medical supplies, protective equipment and other important services needed during this pandemic. At the same time, many industries are suffering from unprecedented losses and closures including the hotel, hospitality and tourism industry. Yet, this commission chose to suddenly impose a drastic policy change that will significantly increase costs and require employers to pay for medical expenses and salary benefits if an employee is diagnosed with COVID-19 without proof the illness was contracted at the workplace. Many of these industries are waiting for relief from the federal and state government in an attempt to make payroll and retain workers, but will now be on the hook for additional costs if they’re lucky enough to re-open when the governor’s Stay at Home order is lifted. At a time when the state is discussing how to provide relief for employers trying to maintain jobs, this move runs contrary in every way.”
It should be noted this so-called “emergency rule” was adopted with less than 24 hours’ notice and sets a disturbing precedent because it may violate the Illinois Open Meetings Act while making substantive rule changes outside of the legislative process. Further, the Governor has been providing daily updates on COVID-19 yet this issue has never been discussed as an emergency.
Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois
Chemical Industry Council of Illinois
Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce
Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association
Illinois Manufacturers’ Association
Illinois Petroleum Marketers Association/Illinois Association of Convenience Stores
Illinois Retail Merchants Association
National Federation of Independent Business
Valley Industrial Association
I’m told the governor will address this topic at his press conference today. Stay tuned.
‘Great news on the testing front’ in Illinois as hard-hit NYC rations supplies
Trump says he’ll decide on easing guidelines, not governors
Six ways the coronavirus pandemic will hit Chicago’s economy hard
Longtime 911 operator expressed concerns about COVID-19 precautions at work weeks before dying of virus, daughter says
The Cook County medical examiner’s office confirmed Sunday that 39 more people have died from coronavirus-related causes, sending the county’s total past 500 deaths.
Monday, Apr 13, 2020 - Posted by Advertising Department
[The following is a paid advertisement.]
Leadership counts more than ever. Every voter’s voice is at risk if nothing is done to improve the remap process before May 3. Failure to improve redistricting will leave communities un- or under-represented.
CHANGE Illinois is proud to work with these organizations, and many others, in the Illinois Redistricting Collaborative.These are just some of the dozens of groups that have endorsed the Fair Maps Amendment (SJRCA18/HJRCA 41):
● Asian-Americans Advancing Justice – Chicago
● Chicago Coalition for the Homeless
● Chicago Urban League
● Chicago Votes
● Common Cause Illinois
● Indivisible Illinois
● John Howard Association
● Latino Policy Forum
● League of Women Voters Illinois
● Mujeres Latinas en Accion
● NAACP Chicago – South Side Branch
● National Rainbow PUSH Coalition
● Workers Center for Racial Justice
The Illinois Redistricting Collaborative includes 33 organizations fighting for a fair and equitable redistricting process. Gerrymandering is voter suppression. It needs to stop.
Lawmakers can stand with Illinois voters and our diverse, statewide coalition by sponsoring HJRCA41 and SJRCA18 and by calling on leadership to allow votes. Together, we can bring equity to Illinois representation.
Every day, my office and my colleagues’ offices, democrat and republican, are inundated with calls and emails asking for help in filing for unemployment. These are people desperately asking for help, telling me they can afford to pay their rent, buy their groceries to the family.
These Illinoisans are desperate. They are frightened, which explains why the Illinois State Police were brought in to provide security for the Illinois Department of Employment Security employees. Those employees are working hard. They’re doing everything they can do. But clearly, the demand continues to exceed the manpower at IDES.
He then read three emails from frustrated constituents who could not get through to IDES and continued…
I know these are unprecedented times. But it has been over three weeks since bars and restaurants were forced to close in Illinois, leading to mass layoffs. … (M)ore residents of Illinois will be laid off or fired. And they will be seeking government assistance through unemployment.
Within the last two weeks I’ve sent the governor two, or more, requests, asking him to bring in an outside firm or to redeploy employees from other agencies to fix this problems. Those requests have gone unanswered.
This is not acceptable. We have co-equal branches of government. We were elected, I was elected to represent the best interest of our constituents, and I feel that my responsibility goes beyond the 82nd District.
And today we are demanding on behalf of Illinois that this program with unemployment insurance, be fixed immediately, so that those struggling Illinoisans can get the relief they desperately need during these trying times.
* Rep. Grant Wehrli spoke next…
It is time for this governor to step up and fix the problems with IDES and not just complain about things at the federal level. This is 100% under his control. We need these solutions now. We’re here to work collaboratively with him if there’s things that we can do legislatively that he needs we’re here to help, but to simply just defer this as a federal problem, and not address it is just unacceptable.
I did bring this to the attention of the governor’s office where I was basically told to go away. They did not want to address this and they did not want to hear from a legislator on this topic and that’s unfortunate.
* Rep. Mike Marron…
A few months ago no one could have predicted how the coronavirus was going to ravage our state. But once it got here, it became apparent that a stay at home order was going to be a reality. Prior to that happening IDES’ system should have been advanced to accommodate for the large influx in applicants that the order was going to create.
* On to questions. The governor has blamed many of these problems and outdated computer systems that weren’t built to handle this level of demand. Is this the result of failure to upgrade technology across state government over many years?…
Durkin: This is not about rear-view mirror politics. We shouldn’t go back and point fingers at previous administrations. This administration’s been working for the past year and a half. They have the Illinois Emergency Management Agency and their job is to predict, to ensure that the state of Illinois is prepared, and they have vision, to be able to prepare themselves for any man made or natural catastrophe. So, this is the administration’s responsibility to be able to ensure that we have a computer systems in place that are able to address every possible problem that the state could encounter. Maybe it is maybe it’s a problem but the fact is, it should get done, it should have been done. That is why we have, as I said earlier, we have an agency that is responsible for ensuring that state of Illinois is prepared for the worst circumstances.
* Can the shifting of personnel that the House Republicans propose be done immediately or would it take time for the shift? And what about training?…
Wehrli: That’d be a question for the administration, to be honest with you. But we’re three weeks into this and they haven’t even taken step one to even look at this as a possibility. So, I understand that they have many things on their plate right now, but this is an issue that they should have started addressing weeks ago and not just rely on suggestions from the legislators who are hearing of these problems on a daily basis.
* Rep. Wehrli was asked who in the administration told him to ‘go away’?…
I’m not prepared at this point in time to name names, but it was very disheartening when a member of a co-equal branch of government reaches out to try to get some solutions going, and the direct quote was ‘Get a life.’
That’s unacceptable. I understand that they’re in a high stress situation right now. But we need solutions, not name calling and basically just disregarding a member of a co-equal branch of government that’s inappropriate.
* The governor just put out information that IDES staff had worked 6500 hours of overtime. They’ve upgraded the website and they’ve expanded call center capacity. How much more can they do?…
Durkin: I just saw that release about 15 minutes before this press conference. And I find it really ironic that this is the response that I get from the administration, after sending in two letters to the governor, his chief of staff within the last two weeks. That’s great, but we have to do more. That’s it.
* Beyond writing letters, what more can the legislature do to assert its power as co-equal in managing the crisis?…
Durkin: If the governor is going to in the month of May. If he decides that he is going to extend the executive order. I will say that it’s, it’s appropriate to have the legislative leaders involved with that executive order to see if modifications should be made based on where we are at with the health and safety, Illinois, because we can’t lose sight over the fact of what’s happened to our economy. We have to be able to do everything we can to reduce the number of elements who are contracting COVID, but we also have to reduce the amount of individuals who are filing for unemployment.
* Has there been any talk of the General Assembly reconvening? … What communication have you had with Speaker Madigan?…
Durkin: There’s been talk but we have no idea when we’re going to return to session. People have speculated maybe in May we may go into June.
I have had communications with a speaker. I can’t count how many times we have, but it’s been around administrative issues. … I told the speaker that it was important that we reconvene some working groups to discuss important state issues that we anticipate that will come up during the time in which we return. … And I’m pleased that the speaker has taken up my offer, and we will begin [the working groups process] shortly.
* Do you foresee problems with labor agreements and shifting employees to facilitate the shifting from one agency to another?…
Durkin: I guess that’s between AFSCME and also the administration. But I just want to re emphasize that Illinois with the stroke of a pen was able to shut down private business, which we did. The administration should be able to work through quickly under the emergency powers in which the governor has exercised, with labor agreements to reposition state employees from other agencies into the Department of Employment Security for a temporary period of time.
* Is May 11 an acceptable timeline for these 1099 workers to begin receiving benefits?…
Durkin: No, I think May 11 is too long for the gig economy people. Those people need money just like everybody else to pay their bills and take care of their families, things like that, so that’s that’s not acceptable to me. But at least it’s a timeline to start with.
* When will we know the fiscal impact?…
Durkin: I think that we’ll find out probably within the next two weeks of what the Office of budget and management numbers will have for us. We are going to see a significant, significant drop off of revenues. I could predict that with some certainty. … I imagine that the state will be not millions but billions of dollars in the hole when it’s all said and done over the next month and a half. But until we receive numbers back from the administration, I’m not going to put a specific dollar amount into place other than the fact that, like every other state, we will be running behind.
* Downstate residents feel no one is looking out for them on unemployment and testing for COVID-19. What should be done to spread the wealth from Chicago? [The question was from a Quincy TV reporter]…
Michael T. Marron: Well, I would agree with the question. I get that feedback from a lot of constituents, and it doesn’t help. When you have a problem like this, or, you know, a lot of the other departments have been non responsive as well when we’re trying to get answers from people as to whether businesses qualify for the exemption under the executive order, it’s been frustrating.
I think one thing that Governor could do, it’s largely optics, but I think he could think about holding a press conference from somewhere other than the city of Chicago. I mean I understand that Chicago’s a very critically important part of the state. I love the city, but the Capitol is Springfield and I think people in my district, and what find it offensive that every day his press conferences are from the Thompson center, instead of from his office in Springfield. Those are just small things that I think people downstate. I think they take over to and it’s understandable.
And I do feel like, you know, the circumstances are somewhat different for us down here. Because the population density is smaller we haven’t seen the numbers, although I have largely supported the governor and the actions that he’s taken to keep us safe. I do think that he could listen to us a little bit better, those of us that represent downstate and he could have a better presence down here definitely that would improve things a lot I feel
* The House Republicans are holding a press conference right now about the problem with the state’s flooded unemployment insurance application system. You can click here to watch it.
Gov. Pritzker plans to focus his afternoon press conference on this very topic and the administration has released this background material ahead of that…
The COVID-19 pandemic has had a profound impact on the United States economy, leading to an unprecedented number of unemployment claims. Through the five weeks from March 1 to April 4, Illinois received 513,173 initial unemployment claims. That is greater than the total number of initial claims for the entirety of 2019 (489,831) and five times greater than the claims filed in the first five weeks of the 2008 great recession.
Whew.
* More…
ACTIONS TAKEN BY IDES TO MEET INCREASED DEMAND
The administration moved swiftly to increase capacity on the IDES website and ramp up efforts at the IDES call center to meet the unparalleled number of unemployment claims. Since March 1, the IDES website has fielded over 6.5 million sessions and the IDES call center has processed thousands of calls per day.
Overhauling the IDES Website Infrastructure
While the original capacity of the IDES website was sufficient to process a standard level of traffic and claims, it was not a match for the unprecedented traffic it has received in recent weeks. As a result, IDES worked with DoIT to move its website to an entirely new hardware infrastructure with more capacity to handle increased demand. IDES also expedited the process for new users to register and submit a claim, cutting red tape in the validation process. Since these updates, loading times for those using the website are now averaging below one second, and server and mainframe utilization has remained below 50 percent.
Expanding Call Center Capacity
IDES updated its phone system to increase capacity by 40 percent, reducing wait times and the number of claimants receiving a busy signal. The daily call center hours have been extended to respond to those waiting in the queue after closure. Additionally, IDES is in the process of establishing an outside call center with an additional 200 agents who will assist in the application and certification process.
Currently, IDES has 173 employees working to answer and process calls, 273 working to process claims, and 93 administrative and support staff, including those in the mailroom. In total, these employees have now worked 6,500 hours of overtime with many working through the weekend to meet the dramatic increase in demand. IDES has also reenlisted recently retired staffers with unemployment benefit insurance experience to work on contract to assist the department during this crisis. These retirees will be provided with laptops to allow them to assist from home.
Building Private Partnerships
The administration has sought out partnerships with technology and consulting companies who have stepped up to provide their expertise during this critical time. This includes an exciting partnership with Google AI, Quantiphi, and Carasoft to launch a 24/7 web bot on the IDES website to immediately provide answers to frequently asked questions to those who choose to use the feature. IDES is also
working closely with companies like Accenture, IBM, and Deloitte to continue to expand capacity in its existing systems and implement new programs.
ACTIONS TO EXPAND INSURANCE ELIGIBILITY
Recognizing the immense financial challenges facing working families during this time, the administration has moved quickly to expand access to benefits and implement new programs enacted via legislation from the U.S. Congress.
Emergency Rules to Ease Eligibility Requirements
IDES filed an emergency rule to make it easier for individuals who are laid off due to a temporary closing of a business to continue to qualify for benefits. These individuals no longer have to register with Illinois Job Link to regularly certify they are seeking employment. IDES also filed an emergency rule expanding the definition of “able and available to work” to allow claimants to apply for jobs beyond their normal scope, in order to certify for unemployment.
Waiving the Waiting Week
Before collection of the regular 26 weeks of unemployment benefits begins, a claimant normally experiences a waiting week during which they do not receive benefits. Through an executive order from Governor Pritzker, the waiting week for claimants was entirely waived. This change allows a claimant to receive two weeks of benefits, rather than the usual one week of benefits as their first payment.
Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC)
FPUC provides an additional $600 each week in 100% federally funded benefits to anyone entitled to regular state unemployment benefits. FPUC is available for weeks beginning on or after March 29, 2020 and continuing through the week ending July 25, 2020.
The administration acted immediately to implement this federal program and provide much needed resources to Illinois residents. As a result, IDES began disbursing funds through this program, starting the week of April 5, 2020, which was the first week the federal legislation allowed FPUC to be paid. From March 29, 2020 through the week ending July 25, 2020, benefits will be applied automatically to claimants who qualify.
Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA)
PUA provides 100% federally funded unemployment benefits for individuals who are unemployed for specified COVID-19-related reasons and are not covered through other avenues in the unemployment insurance program, including self-employed sole proprietors and independent contractors. IDES is contracting with Deloitte to implement and maintain a web-based solution for PUA as quickly as possible. IDES will have this program fully implemented by the week of May 11.
PEUC Provides up to 13 weeks’ worth of 100 percent federally funded benefits to individuals who have exhausted their rights to regular state unemployment benefits of up to 26 weeks in Illinois. PEUC is potentially available for weeks beginning on or after March 29, 2020 and continuing through the week ending December 26, 2020. PEUC will be retroactive once implemented. IDES received USDOL guidelines on April 10 and expects to have the program fully implemented the week of April 20.
So the question is how do you operate society when we begin to bring down the level of infection and make sure that people are able to begin to go back to work in various industries? So I’m talking to industry leaders about that. I’m talking to economists about that. I’m also, very importantly, listening to the scientists and the doctors to make sure that we do this right because what we don’t want, the last thing we want is to begin to open things up and then have a big spike in infections.
* The Question: Should he have added legislative leaders to that list of people he’s consulting? Make sure to explain your answer, please.
The CARES Act extends temporary benefits for people who usually do not qualify for unemployment benefits: self-employed, independent contractors and sole proprietors. […]
If deemed eligible, these self-employed Illinois workers will get 39 weeks of enhanced benefits starting in May.
The Illinois Department of Employment Security has not yet opened an online portal for self-employed workers to apply for benefits.
In recent days, [US] Labor Secretary Eugene Scalia, who has expressed concerns about unemployment insurance being too generous, has used his department’s authority over new laws enacted by Congress to limit who qualifies for joblessness assistance and to make it easier for small businesses not to pay family leave benefits. The new rules make it more difficult for gig workers such as Uber and Lyft drivers to get benefits, while making it easier for some companies to avoid paying their workers coronavirus-related sick and family leave. […]
New Labor Department guidance says unemployment benefits apply to gig workers only if they are “forced to suspend operations,” which could dramatically limit options for those workers if their apps are still operating. Other workers also face a high hurdle to qualify for benefits.
(U)nder the additional eligibility criterion established by the Secretary here, the driver may still qualify for [Pandemic Unemployment Assistance] benefits if he or she has been forced to suspend operations as a direct result of the COVID-19 public health emergency, such as if an emergency state or municipal order restricting movement makes continued operations unsustainable.
* Here’s what that means…
While the program will cover #gigeconomy workers, it only extends to those who are “forced to suspend operations” because of #COVID19, leaving those who could still turn their apps on—even if they can’t find work—in a grey area.
The website for Michigan workers to apply for unemployment benefits is down. […]
The disruption comes only hours after the window for independent contractors and self-employed workers could start applying for benefits as part of a new source of federal funding.
Workers normally go to the Michigan Web Account Manager (MiWAM) when applying for benefits. The site first buckled under a surge of new claims at the end of March. The Michigan Governor has previously urged patience while the state has worked to get the site up and running.
At least Michigan had something in place for gig workers. Illinois does not have anything ready yet and the IDES site can’t handle unemployment applications from “traditional” workers as it is.
* From the governor’s office…
The U.S. Department of Labor took weeks to roll out stringent and confusing regulations around how to implement an entirely new program. The state of Illinois is working through those regulations now and is contracting with an outside firm to help us stand up the additional benefits for 1099 workers in the coming weeks, but it’s clear the Trump administration is working to limit who qualifies for benefits.
The libertarian-leaning Illinois Policy Institute has tried reaching out more to Democratic legislators since Gov. Bruce Rauner lost his reelection bid. Rauner at one point was so close to the group that he fired several of his longtime staffers and replaced some of them with IPI staff, which did not work out well, to say the least.
The organization’s political wing has contributed money to more than a few legislative Democrats’ campaign funds in recent months, and they were able to introduce some bipartisan legislation last year and this year — although the spring session is now mostly a bust because, as I write this, the General Assembly has no set plans to return amid the pandemic.
An IPI staffer even posed for a picture with Gov. J.B. Pritzker and posted it on Twitter last year. “Looking forward to working with his administration,” the caption read. It’s been on a serious mission to change its image.
If you go to its website, you’ll see the IPI has devoted an entire section to empathetic interviews with small business owners about how they’re faring during the pandemic. They’re well-written, including one featuring the owner of a Chicago restaurant.
“In general, everyone is standing, waiting in the wings until we’re allowed to open back up regularly, which obviously no one knows when that’s going to be yet,” the owner was quoted as saying.
The organization claimed this week in a private Facebook group it runs that it wants the state to begin planning to reopen the economy and “give people visibility on what that might look like.”
But then it tipped its hand in the comment section.
“As an owner of 2 small businesses, one essential (radon mitigation), one a restaurant … nothing I can say will express the absolute disdain I have for this man or his policies,” a commenter complained about Pritzker.
A Policy Institute staffer replied to her comment asking if she would be open to speaking to a member of the IPI team. “We’ve been doing our best to give our community a voice on our site and pressure JB to reopen the state’s economy.”
Another commenter predicted that Pritzker “and his boss lori lightfoot will kill Illinois.” An IPI staffer replied with the same request to speak with her about her story. “We’ve been featuring small business owners on our site to try to pressure the governor to reopen the state’s economy.”
The IPI’s privately admitted agenda did not go over well with the governor’s press secretary, as you might imagine. She let it fly.
“COVID-19 has left a trail of devastation across the globe. There is no country, no city, no community that is immune,” wrote Jordan Abudayyeh. “Every day, we grieve with the families who have lost loved ones in this battle. And we yearn for the time when life can return to normal.”
“We usually ignore the Illinois Policy Institute’s institutionalized and reflexive partisanship, but in this time of crisis, we cannot afford to let this dangerous ideology go unanswered. We all want the economy to reopen — no one more than the Governor,” Abudayyeh continued. “But to suggest that should happen before the science says it is safe is not only foolish, it’s dangerous.
“In Illinois, more than 500 people have succumbed to the virus and more than 16,000 people have been sickened. Those numbers climb every single day and because of that fact, an overwhelming majority of Illinoisans are working together to flatten the curve. The IPI has lobbied for some atrocious policies in the past, but this time their efforts could mean the difference between life and death for many Illinoisans. They need to stop lying to people about what’s at stake in this crisis and own up to the public responsibility we all have to be committed to a truthful and honest conversation about our collective public health.”
Yikes.
A spokesperson for the IPI said they want the governor to establish “a process and timeline to safely and effectively open the economy, so we are not only protecting lives but also safeguarding livelihoods.”
But a timeline simply isn’t possible right now because literally nobody can say with certainty when this will all end.
The spokesperson went on to say that the governor’s refusal to discuss this is causing uncertainty, which is “making residents wary.”
Wary of what, he didn’t say.
“We will continue to tell their story,” he said. And continuing the pressure, no doubt.
I’m thinking there will be no more photo-ops with the governor.
* Meanwhile…
Morgan Stanley: “While we understand the desire for optimism, we also caution that the US outbreak is far from over. Recovering from this acute period in the outbreak is just the beginning and not the end. We believe the path to re-opening the economy is going to be long.” pic.twitter.com/dnrcTS89SV
* Ever have one of those mornings when literally everything goes wrong? Yeah. That was my morning. Anyway, keep it Illinois-centric and be nice to each other, please.
…And I sent an incorrect password to subscribers. What a day.
