Coronavirus: Help For Illinois Workers During Outbreak, Shutdown

ILLINOIS — Schools are closed, bars and restaurants are open for drive-thru or curbside pickup only as of the end of business Monday, and other businesses are voluntarily shutting their doors as the number of Illinois coronavirus cases hit 93 on Sunday — and health officials expect even more positive cases. While many businesses are allowing employees to work from home, for some, that's not an option.

So what do you do if you get sick, exposed to COVID-19 or your place of employment shuts down?

Coronavirus In Illinois March 16 Update: 93 Cases Statewide

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Days before announcing the closing of all bars and restaurants to dine-in customers, Gov. J.B. Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced emergency rules to support workers and their families during the crisis, including changes that allow those who are temporarily jobless due to the new coronavirus to get unemployment benefits. Here's what you need to know, courtesy of IDES:

What if I'm temporarily laid off because the place where I work is temporarily closed because of the COVID-19 virus?

An individual temporarily laid off in this situation could qualify for benefits as long as he or she was able and available for and actively seeking work. Under emergency rules IDES recently adopted, the individual would not have to register with the employment service. He or she would be considered to be actively seeking work as long as the individual was prepared to return to his or her job as soon the employer reopened.

What determines if I'm actively seeking work?

An individual is considered to be actively seeking work if he or she is making an effort that is reasonably calculated to return the individual to work.

What if I’m confined to my home 1.) because a medical professional has diagnosed me as having COVID-19 or 2.) because I must stay home to care for my spouse, parent or child, whom a medical professional has diagnosed as having COVID-19 or 3.) because of a government-imposed or government-recommended quarantine?

An individual in any of those situations would be considered to be unemployed through no fault of his or her own. However, to qualify for unemployment insurance, he or she would still need to meet all other eligibility requirements, including the requirements that the individual be able and available for work, registered with the state employment service and actively seeking work from the confines of his or her home. The individual would be considered able and available for work if there was some work that he or she could perform from home (e.g., transcribing, data entry, virtual assistant services) and there is a labor market for that work.

What if I quit my job because I am generally concerned over the COVID-19 virus?

An individual who leaves work voluntarily without a good reason attributable to the employer is generally disqualified from receiving UI. The eligibility of an individual in this situation will depend on whether the facts of his or her case demonstrate the individual had a good reason for quitting and that the reason was attributable to the employer. An individual generally has a duty to make a reasonable effort to work with his or her employer to resolve whatever issues have caused the individual to consider quitting.

What if I leave work because my child's school has temporarily closed, and I feel I have to stay home with the child?

An individual who leaves work voluntarily without a good reason attributable to the employer is generally disqualified from receiving UI. The reason the individual in this situation left work would not be considered attributable to the employer. Consequently, the individual would likely not qualify for UI.

Other help during the coronavirus shutdown:

If you are a bartender, cocktail server or bar back who is temporarily out of work, you can apply for the United States Bartenders' Guild (USBG) National Charitable Foundation’s Bartender Emergency Assistance Program. Bartenders' guild membership is not required to apply.

Even though schools are closed through March 30, most are offering free meals to students during the shutdown — since many students depend on free or reduced-price lunches during the week

Several companies — AT&T, Comcast, Sprint, T-Mobile and Verizon — have agreed to halt internet service and phone disconnections due to lack of payment for 60 days as part of the "Keep America Connected Pledge" through the FCC. The companies will also waive any associated late fees and open available Wi-Fi hotspots to any American who needs them.

Comcast is also offering free internet service to low-income families during the outbreak.

ComEd also announced it is not disconnecting service for nonpayment and waiving new late fees through at least May 1.

Some towns, including Aurora, are halting water disconnections for nonpayment so residents can still access water to wash their hands and stay safe during the coronavirus outbreak.

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• DuPage County Coronavirus: State Of Disaster Declared
• Bulls, Blackhawks To Pay Staff During Coronavirus Shutdown