Covid-19 Resources: Illinois

Illinois Governor Pritzker has signed House Bill 2455 into law.  This legislation enacts changes to the Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission rules. The bill creates a presumption for first responders including police, fire fighters, emergency medical technicians and healthcare providers that COVID-19 is presumed to be related to their employment.  In addition, employees working for essential businesses as listed in Governor Pritzker's March 20th executive order and who either interact with the public or work with more than 15 other employees are eligible for the presumption.  The employee would have to show that he or she received a positive test for the virus or a test showing the presence of COVID-19 antibodies.
 
The presumption is rebuttable and may be controverted by other evidence:

• The employer was engaging in and applying to the fullest extent possible or enforcing to the best of its ability, industry-specific workplace sanitation, social distancing and health and safety practices based on updated guidance issued by the Center for Disease Control or the Illinois Department of Public Health for at least 14 days prior to the employee's injury. 
• The employer can show the employee worked from home for 14 or more consecutive days before getting sick.
• The employer can show the employee was exposed to the Coronavirus by an alternative source.

 
The new legislation applies to employees who contracted the virus between March 9, 2020 and December 31, 2020.