Illinois - Chicago OKs protections for workers who get COVID-19 vaccine

The Chicago City Council has approved an ordinance that establishes protections for workers that take time off from work to receive the COVID-19 vaccine. The ordinance applies to both employees and independent contractors and takes effect immediately.

The ordinance prohibits employers from:

• Taking any adverse action against a worker for taking time off to receive the vaccine.
• Requiring workers to get vaccinated only during non-shift hours.

Under the ordinance, if an employer requires their workers to receive the vaccine, they must pay them at their regular rate of pay for up to four hours per dose, provided the vaccination appointment is during their shift. Employers that require that a worker be vaccinated are prohibited from requiring them to use paid time off or paid sick leave to fund the hours missed to get vaccinated.

If an employer doesn't require their workers to get the vaccine, they must allow workers that have accrued paid sick leave to use that time to receive the vaccine.

Compliance Recommendations:

Chicago employers should ensure compliance with the ordinance and train supervisors on the new protections for employees. Please contact your dedicated service professional with any questions.