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Joliet Head Start Workers Win COVID Leave
In 2021, the Catholic Charities Diocese of Joliet Head Start Program discussed running an incentive program for unvaccinated employees to get the shot. Under the proposed policy, a fully vaccinated employee would get 10 additional paid sick leave days if they test positive for COVID-19. A number of employees who tested positive were losing pay while quarantining because they had exhausted their paid sick leave.
When Local 73 requested the agreement be put in writing as an amendment to the existing collective bargaining agreement, management refused and claimed the parties never reached an agreement. We filed an unfair labor practice (ULP) charge for violating the National Labor Relations Act.
We recently reached a settlement where the Catholic Charities Diocese agreed to reduce the agreement to writing as part of the existing CBA, and it would be applied retroactively to December 1, 2021.
“Having a union gives us the strength to secure guaranteed benefits like this in writing,” said Karen Seminary, teacher and chief steward. “Without our union we wouldn’t have restored much needed back pay for our co-workers.”
Fully vaccinated employees who tested positive on or after December 1, 2021, will be compensated for any unpaid days spent quarantining because they had run out of sick days.