Unions Restore 2021-22 Sick Leave for Educational Employees

SEIU Local 73 and a coalition of unions representing school employees have passed HB 1167 which provides for the return of sick leave used during the 2021-2022 school year to teachers and educational employees who are fully vaccinated against COVID-19 or have a medical or religious exemption. HB 1167 passed the Illinois State House of Representatives 70-28 on March 1 and the Illinois State Senate 32-18 on March 31. Governor Pritzker signed the bill into law on April 5. K-12 and higher education staff must be fully vaccinated by May 10, 2022, to receive the benefit. “Fully vaccinated” means either one or two rounds of a vaccine, depending on the shot received, plus a booster. The paid administrative leave also applies to employees who have children who are required to stay home from school for COVID-19-related reasons.

“Throughout the pandemic many essential education workers exhausted their sick time due to COVID-19 quarantine or isolation,” said Dian Palmer, President of SEIU Local 73. “This law restores sick time for fully vaccinated K-12 and Higher Education employees. Our thanks to Governor Pritzker and all of the co-sponsors for helping protect educational employee benefits.”

Despite ongoing bargaining over the impact of COVID vaccine and testing mandates, many educational employers were unwilling to negotiate administrative leave for their employees nor allow leave when an employee’s child must quarantine or isolate from school.

“It is through voluntary contributions to our political action committee, COPE, that we are able to fight for important legislation like HB 1167,” said Palmer.

Click here to contribute to COPE and strengthen our union’s ability to win critical legislation for our members.