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* UPDATED x1 * Unvaxed Springfield workers will have to use own days off if they test positive

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* Matt Roy at WICS TV…

Unvaccinated City of Springfield employees will now have to use their paid time off if they test positive with COVID-19.

According to Springfield Mayor Jim Langfelder, the change is to reward the workers who are doing what is asked of them by getting vaccinated and boosted. […]

Under the new policy, all city workers who test positive for COVID-19 and are required to quarantine, but have both vaccine shots and their booster will be allotted five reimbursement sick days from the city.

Others who test positive but have not received their vaccination and booster will have to use their paid time off.

Good for the mayor. And this is one reason why HB2778 can be considered unwise and expensive public policy.

The bill, which is still awaiting gubernatorial action, requires all school districts and colleges to pay for unlimited, fully compensated covid leave for teachers and staff regardless of their vaccination status. It also requires the districts to restore all sick days for covid-related illness back to the beginning of the school year regardless of vax status.

But even people like Rep. Jonathan Carroll, who wanted to illegally strip the unvaxed of their health insurance coverage, voted for a bill that rewards unvaccinated workers and could worsen the already intense teacher/substitute shortage and cause schools to shut down. Why? Well, it could be because the teachers’ unions put the bill at the top of their legislative agenda.

*** UPDATE *** Bridget Shanahan at the Illinois Education Association…

HB 2778 specifies the benefit and wage protection provided by the bill only applies to education employees who are following the Governor’s executive order, which means it would pertain to those who are vaccinated and those who are testing.

We know school districts are sending people home, forcing them to take unpaid time off, because they’re out of sick time and need to quarantine. We are in the middle of an education employee shortage. We don’t have enough adults in our schools. Who is going to want to work in schools when they’re forced to take unpaid days off to keep students safe?

Further, there is $7 billion ESSER dollars available to help school districts cover the costs of the COVID administrative days provided in HB 2778 that would be used instead of employees exhausting their sick leave time to quarantine. The ESSER money is intended to help school districts keep students and staff safe. The bottom line is quarantining helps stop the spread of COVID.

Take a look at this page on ISBE’s website – all school districts are supposed to be posting their plans for how they’re spending their ESSER dollars. If you look at the list, you can see that fewer than half of the districts in the state have done so. We did a spot check of 40, or so, of the districts that provided information and found that some districts are in fact posting those plans, but there are others who have not posted anything at all or link to the school district webpage where no information on spending can be found.

posted by Rich Miller
Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 10:41 am

Comments

Thumbs up for the Splfd sick policy. Thumbs down on the HB2778.

Comment by Norseman Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:03 am
Just hope they all stay healthy (vaxxed and unvaxxed), especially the snow removal crews.

Comment by Donnie Elgin Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:10 am
The City of Springfield has put into place a solid and well thought policy.

Regarding HB 2778, it’s too bad the sponsor didn’t reach out to all parties before she pushed this through. Many higher education institutions have made generous accommodations to their employees but it cannot go on forever. There also needs to be a component to encourage vaccination. Really bad bill.

Comment by Because I said so.... Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:13 am
So the City required all employees to use their own time as soon as the mandate to provide the extra time lapsed. Now, suddenly, the Mayor gets COVID and vaccinated employees don’t need to use their own time to quarantine. Hopefully he will give back time to the vaccinated people who were made to use their own time since fall.

Comment by Anonymous Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:21 am
I’m in support of this. I’m vaxed and boosted. But this could get tricky. What about someone who doesn’t take their meds for diabetes, heart or any other condition who misses work?

Comment by Galway Bay Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:24 am
===What about===

Nope. That’s not the same as a global pandemic that anyone can face infection.

No “whataboutism”

Comment by Oswego Willy Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:25 am
I agree with Oswego Willy…no “whataboutism” use your own time if you don’t want to protect yourself.

Comment by Just Peachy Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:36 am
I would like to say this will push those people to get vaccinated but it won’t. I work for the state and they also eliminated time off for Covid. What they got in return are people who come to work sick, they can’t afford to take a week of sick time or don’t even have enough days to cover five days off.

Comment by Agatha1267 Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:37 am
If anything is near and dear to the hearts of Springfield sports fans, it’s the Springfield City Basketball Tourney scheduled for next week at the BOS.

Just now hearing Lanphier will not be able to play the first two nights (Thursday and Friday) due to COIVID issues.

Maybe the anti vax anti mask gang would like to celebrate that fact?

This is addition to Springfield Lutheran already having to pull out of the Sangamon County Tourney this week due to COVID isssues.

Comment by Give Me A Break Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:45 am
Unlimited COVID sick leave? Excuse me while I intentionally go to every packed, maskless bar I can find to just get my salary for free and never work again.

Comment by Homebody Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:46 am
One wonders how long the governor is going to wait before deciding on that bill. I sure appreciate the update–but it seems to me that the sitting on it is just weird. Fish or cut bait–and if the governor vetoes it–it might well get some more people to get vaccinated.

Comment by turkeyhunter Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:46 am
“Hospitals at record high, Gov fears worst to come” https://news.wttw.com/2022/01/03/hospitalizations-reach-record-highs-illinois-gov-pritzker-says-he-fears-worst-come

Federal relief funds to Illinois higher ed: https://www.ibhe.org/Federal-COVID-19-Relief-Funding-overview.html
$ 2.6 Billion combined from CARES Act, CRRSA and ARPA.
Federal relief funds to Illinois K-12: https://www.illinois.gov/news/press-release.23035.html
$ 7 Billion to Illinois K-12

Comment by Ashland Adam Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 11:56 am
==I work for the state and they also eliminated time off for Covid.==

At my state office, AFAIK we have never received special time off for those getting COVID, regardless of vaccination status. Even those who are vaccinated and boosted still have to use their own time if they get a breakthrough case.

Comment by NonAFSCMEStateEmployeeFromChatham Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:09 pm
I continue to point back to the United Airlines example. Over 60K employees, 3,000 cases but no hospitalizations, and no deaths since the mandate. That translates to 8-10 lives saved. It’s all the evidence anyone should need.

Comment by Pundent Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:16 pm
Now enact a health insurance surcharge for the unvaxxed. Then watch the lines for the jab grow.

The Canadian province of Quebec just did this and saw their number on unvaxxed decrease substantially.

Comment by Huh? Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:22 pm
Sick days are there for people when they get sick. Why should they get extra days? Especially when this is avoidable.

HB2778 is bad legislation

Comment by JS Mill Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:29 pm
Huh?

They also need vaccinations to purchase alcohol and cannabis. Seems to have motivated people.

https://www.mtlblog.com/saq-sqdc-customers-will-soon-need-vaccinations-to-enter-but-staff-wont

Comment by Anyone Remember Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:34 pm
Now enact a health insurance surcharge for the unvaxxed. Then watch the lines for the jab grow

Why, the governor doesn’t mandate all workers under his control get vax, and I know many agencies who don’t ask let alone test. Why pass a law when you won’t even require it from your own people. Folks are tired of the do as I say not as I do altitude

Comment by Jump Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:35 pm
@Galway Bay - A person who gets sick for any other condition can still use regular sick/disability leave or PTO.

This bill would reward anti-vaxxers with extra PTO every time they test positive for COVID.

Comment by hisgirlfriday Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 12:54 pm
An overdue policy that needs to be extended across the state.

Comment by Unconventional wisdom Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 1:13 pm
“Excuse me while I intentionally go to every packed, maskless bar I can find to just get my salary for free and never work again.”

It’s true. If you contract COVID and die, then you never have to work again. Congratulations, you beat the system.

Comment by Benjamin Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 1:16 pm
The Governor could deal with the issue of vaccinations by changing his executive order to force all school employees to be vaccinated or else they are out of a job. He doesn’t want to do that and would rather fight it out through other actions to coerce people to into receiving the vaccine. That’s not leadership. If you want a mandate, do it and own it.

Comment by One of Three Puppets Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 2:48 pm
One of Three hits it on the head. It would also appear that Ashland Adam is making the valid point that districts were given plenty of money to address this very issue.

Comment by A Parent Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 3:27 pm
I’m waiting for the insurance companies to start giving “discounts” to people who prove they are vaccinated. It’s a no brainer.

Comment by Gdubya Thursday, Jan 13, 22 @ 4:19 pm
My employer just had me work remotely but I was probably 95% good. Only thing I had felt like a lack of caffine headache

The symptoms were basically non-existent. Had I not tested I really dont think I would have noticed them.

Comment by The Dude Friday, Jan 14, 22 @ 5:50 am