Chicago employees who take time off to get the coronavirus vaccine would be shielded from retaliation — and employers who require it must compensate workers for up to two hours per dose — under a mayoral protection plan proposed Wednesday.
During the early days of the pandemic, the City Council moved to protect employees from retaliation for absences tied to the coronavirus.
The earlier anti-retaliation ordinance prevented employers from firing, suspending, transferring or reducing the pay of workers who stay home because they have COVID-19 symptoms, have been exposed to someone who has tested positive for the virus, or their business is deemed nonessential by statewide stay-at-home order.
At Wednesday’s City Council meeting, Mayor Lori Lightfoot introduced a new anti-retaliation ordinance — this time aimed at employers who dare to penalize workers for taking time off to get vaccinated against the coronavirus.
The new ordinance would prohibit Chicago employers from taking “any adverse action — including termination demotion, layoff or punitive schedule changes” — against employees who take time off to get vaccinated.
If an employee has paid sick leave or time accrued, employers would be required to let them use that time to get vaccinated. And if the employer makes it a requirement for workers to get the coronavirus vaccine, employees must be compensated for the time taken “if it is during a shift, up to two hours per dose.”
Lightfoot moved to broaden the employee protection umbrella as the city prepares to move Monday into Phase 1c of its vaccine distribution plan, which will make all essential workers eligible for the vaccine.
In a press release, the mayor noted essential workers have “kept this city running” throughout the year-long pandemic.
“As we near the end of the crisis, no worker should have to choose between keeping their job and getting the COVID-19 vaccine,” Lightfoot was quoted as saying.
“This measure will ensure that every eligible worker can receive this life-saving vaccine without fear of retaliation and will further Chicago’s reputation as a City for Workers.”
Business Affairs and Consumer Protection Commissioner Rosa Escareno said Chicago will “get through this pandemic, only when we effectively deliver the COVID-19 vaccine to critical workers” citywide.
“This ordinance will ensure that Chicago’s most vulnerable workers can access the vaccine without fear,” Escareno was quoted as saying in the news release.
