OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
LORI E. LIGHTFOOT MAYOR
March 18,2020
Anna Valencia City Clerk
Room 107, City Hall Chicago, IL 60602
Dear Ms. Valencia:
I transmit herewith for filing Emergency Executive Order No. 2020-1, which I have signed this date.
Your prompt attention to this matter is appreciated.
OFFICE OF THE MAYOR
CITY OF CHICAGO
LORI E. LIGHTFOOT MAYOR
EMERGENCY EXECUTIVE ORDER NO. 2020-1
WHEREAS, The City of Chicago ("City") is a home rule municipality as described in Section 6(a), Article VII ofthe 1970 Constitution ofthe State of Illinois, and as such may exercise any power and perform any function pertaining to its government and affairs, including protecting the public health, safety, and welfare of its citizens; and
WHEREAS, Beginning in late 2019, a new and highly communicable type of Coronavirus, now commonly known as COVID-19, emerged and began to spread rapidly. Despite efforts to contain COVID-19, it has continued to spread throughout Chicago and the State of Illinois, and as testing capacity increases, it is virtually certain that many more cases will be identified; and
WHEREAS, COVID-19 presents an extraordinarily severe and unprecedented threat to the populace of Chicago. It is necessary and appropriate for the City to take immediate measures to protect the health, safety, and welfare of its residents; and
WHEREAS, Under 2-4-110 of the Municipal Code of Chicago ("Code"), the Mayor acts as ex officio coordinator of activities in cases of emergency for the maintenance of public peace and order, and the preservation of life and property. The Mayor is further authorized to execute plans for the prevention of emergencies so far as possible and for meeting them effectively when they arise, and City departments, officers and employees are required to comply with the Mayor's orders in executing emergency plans and meeting such emergencies; and
WHEREAS, It is essential that City government be able to act swiftly and effectively to provide help and support for our residents and employees during this public health emergency ("Emergency"); now, therefore,
I, LORI E. LIGHTFOOT, Mayor of the City of Chicago, do hereby order as follows:
SECTION I. Pursuant to section 2-4-110 of the Code, I hereby declare that a state of Emergency exists in the City of Chicago caused by the outbreak of COVID-19.
SECTION II. Notwithstanding any Code provision to the contrary, the Chief Procurement Officer is authorized to negotiate and execute contracts for emergency supplies and services up to $1,000,000.00 for each such contract, which contract shall include terms that the Chief Procurement Officer deems necessary or appropriate to effectively address the Emergency.
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SECTION III. The Budget Director is authorized to establish new funding lines, consolidate funding lines, and transfer or otherwise reallocate currently appropriated funds, including making fund transfers between City Departments, all as needed to maximize effectiveness of the City response to the Emergency. The Budget Director shall provide a summary of any such budgetary activity to the Committee on the Budget and Government Operations as soon as feasible following such activity.
SECTION IV. The Director ofthe Department of Administrative Hearings is authorized to continue or otherwise postpone hearings and determinations on matters before that Department as in her judgment will promote the public good and facilitate the work ofthe Department of Public Health, until April 30, 2020.
SECTION V. The Commissioner of Assets, Information and Services, in exercising authority under Section 2-51-050(12) ofthe Municipal Code to enter into temporary agreements for the use and occupancy of real property, with prior advice and consent of the Corporation Counsel or his designee, is authorized to provide indemnification in such agreements and extend the temporary period of occupancy if the City concludes that doing so is necessary or appropriate to effectively address the Emergency.
SECTION VI. If the City suspends or discontinues in whole or in part the provision of certain services otherwise provided by City employees because ofthe Emergency, the City is authorized to pay such employees the regular salary or hourly wage and provide the regular benefits that such employees would otherwise have received in the absence of such suspension or discontinuation of services.
SECTION VII. The Commissioner of Human Resources is authorized to amend the City's Sick Leave Policy consistent with the City's Sick Leave Policy Addendum, which is attached hereto.
SECTION VIII. This Order shall take effect upon its execution and filing with the City Clerk. Except as otherwise noted herein, this Order shall be repealed of its own accord when the Commissioner of Public Health makes a written determination that the threat to public health posed by the Emergency has diminished to the point that this Order can safely be repealed.
CITY OF CHICAGO SICK LEAVE POLICY ADDENDUM
EFFECTIVE DATE: March 16, 2020
PURPOSE
The City of Chicago is committed to providing a sale work environment for all employees. The City's objective during the COVID-19 outbreak is to continue providing services to all City residents while ensuring the safety of its employees.
GENERAL POLICY PROVISIONS
The City of Chicago Personnel Rules, including Rule XXV111 - Sick Leave, remain in effect.
The City of Chicago Family and Medical Leave Act Policy remains in effect. Please refer to Section IX below for further information
For purposes of this policy, "isolated" means a person who has been diagnosed with COVID-19 virus and has been directed or ordered into isolation at home or in a medical facility by a public health agency or medical provider. "Quarantined" means a person who has not been diagnosed with the COVID-19 virus, but who has been directed or ordered into quarantine by a public health agency or medical provider.
This Policy Addendum does not apply to Sworn member ofthe Chicago Police Department or Uniformed members ofthe Chicago Fire Department.
ABSENCE DUE TO COVID-19 ILLNESS OR ISOLATION ORDER
During the COVID-19 outbreak, the City will provide additional paid time off to any employee who is absent due to contracting the COVID-19 virus, or has been directed or ordered to isolate themselves by a public health agency or medical provider. Such an employee will not be required to use his or her normal benefit time.
The employee must report their absence to their Department as soon as possible. The employee will be required to provide reasonable evidence to support any absence for this reason. Such documentation may include, but is not limited to. an order from a public health agency or medical provider directing them to isolate due to contracting the virus.
ABSENCE DUE TO DIRECTED OR ORDERED QUARANTINE
If an employee is absent from work due to a quarantine order from a public health agency or a medical provider, and the employee is not currently ill or exhibiting symptoms of COVID-19, the employee should first work with their department to determine if telcwork is feasible pursuant to the City of Chicago Telework Policy for COVID-19 Outbreak.
If it is not feasible for the employee to work from homo, the City will provide additional paid time off to any employee who is absent due to a directed or ordered quarantine. Such an employee will not be required to use his or her normal benefit time.
If the employee becomes symptomatic or ill. they must report the change in their condition to their Department as soon as possible.
The employee must report the directed or ordered quarantine to their department as soon as possible. The employee will be required to provide reasonable evidence to support any absence for this reason. Such reasonable evidence may include, but is not limited to. a copy of an order or directive to quarantine.
V. ABSENCE DUE TO ILLNESS OR INJURY
An employee who has not been directed to stay at home as part of a quarantine or has not been diagnosed as having COVID-19 by a health care provider, but has an illness or injury that restricts or renders the employee incapable of performing his/her job duties may use their benefit time to cover the absence from work. If an employee has exhausted their paid benefit time, the City may advance the employee's benefit days at the Department Head's discretion.
The employee must report their absence to their department as soon as possible. Employees must specify the reason for their absence. If the employee receives medical treatment for an illness, and has received documentation from their health care provider indicating that they should stay off work they should submit such documentation to their department as soon as possible. Otherwise, employees may be required to self-certify the reasons for their absence from work.
ABSENCE DUE TO EMPLOYER MANDATED TRAVEL-RELATED QUARANTINE
Any employee who has visited a country or region that is listed on the CDC's Geographic Risk Assessment for COVID-19 Transmission list as a Level 3 country will be ordered to stay home and monitor their health for 14 days following his or her return.
The decision as to whether or not the City may provide additional paid time off to any employee who is ordered to slay home under these circumstances will be made on a case-by-case basis; the only considerations being the circumstances of the travel and whether the employee traveled to the country prior to the country being listed as a Level 3 country.
In the event that additional paid time off is not provided to an employee who has returned from a Level 3 country, the employee will be allowed to use their own benefit time to cover their absence. In the event that the employee has exhausted their own benefit time the City may advance the employee's benefit days at the Department Head's discretion.
ABSENCE DUE TO AN ORDERED SCHOOL CLOSURE
Any employee who needs to remain home due to an ordered school closure to care for a minor child, may use their benefit time to cover the absence from work. If an employee has exhausted their paid benefit time, the City may advance the employee's benefit days at the Department Head's discretion.
The employee must report the school closure to their department as soon as possible.
TIMEKEEPING
Employees are required to report their absences from work as soon as possible and will be required to sign an edit form upon returning to work from any absence or illness.
For COVID-19 related absences as outlined in Sections III. IV. and VI above, timekeepers should use CATA pay code CORV for tracking purposes.
For any non-COVID-19 related absence, timekeepers should continue to use the codes as defined in the City of Chicago CAT A Guide.
FAMILY AND MEDICAL LEAVE ACT AND REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
Employees who are ill due to COVID-19 may be eligible for Family and Medical Leave as provided for under the City of Chicago Family and Medical Leave Act Policy ("FMLA Policy"). Employees who have provided documentation that they are absent due to contracting the COVID-19 virus, or because they need to care for a family .member as defined in the FMLA Policy who has contracted COVID-19, may have their absence designated as FMLA Leave.
Employees who believe that they require a reasonable accommodation related to the COVID-19 outbreak may request an accommodation pursuant to the City of Chicago Reasonable Accommodation Policy.
X. RETURN TO WORK
Employees who were absent from work due to an illness or injury, including contracting the COVID-19 virus, may be required to provide a return to work certification from their medical provider if there is a reasonable belief that the employee is unable to perform the essential functions of their job or if the employee's return would create an unsafe or unhealthful work environment or if the employee would pose a direct threat of harm to themselves or others. Otherwise, a self-certification may be provided by the employee in order to return to work.
No return to work certification is required if the employee did not have an illness or injury but was absent from work due to a quarantine or an ordered school closure.