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  • American Rescue Plan Act extends COVID-related leave

    The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) was recently signed into law. This Act extends and renews emergency paid sick and family leave provisions, which were originally enacted by the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA), through September 30, 2021.

  • COVID-19 Paid Leave Temporarily Extended

    As communicated this past spring, the paid time off for COVID-19-related reasons provided to employees under the federal American Rescue Plan ends September 30, 2021. As of the date of this notice, federal action has not renewed that program. 

    At this time, the University of Illinois System will continue to provide a limited amount of paid sick time off to employees to support COVID-19 vaccination requirements.  

  • Time Off for COVID-19 Vaccination Purposes

    The American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) enables the University of Illinois System to provide COVID-19 vaccine-related time off to faculty and staff through September 30, 2021.

    Employees of the University of Illinois System who meet the qualifying criteria may now be eligible for leave related to accompanying or caring for a related individual receiving a COVID-19 vaccination.

  • COVID-19 Restored Sick Leave and Retroactive Paid Administrative Leave

    You may be eligible to request the restoration of certain leave or unpaid time taken for qualifying COVID-related reasons. In accordance with Illinois Public Act 102-0697 the University of Illinois System offers COVID-19 Restored Sick Leave and Retroactive Paid Administrative Leave to eligible employees.

  • Update on FFCRA COVID-Related Leave Programs

    The Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) was signed into law this spring to help protect families and workers during the COVID-19 pandemic by providing access to Emergency Paid Sick Leave and Expanded Family and Medical leave related to caregiving needs as a result of COVID-19.

  • COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave

    Effective April 5, 2022, the University of Illinois System offers COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave time to eligible employees in accordance with Illinois Public Act 102-0697.   The expanded leave benefits of COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave provided under Public Act 102-0697 replaces the University’s previously provided temporary coronavirus-related paid leave.  

  • COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave Ends May 11, 2023

    Effective May 11, 2023, the COVID-19 Paid Administrative Leave offered in accordance with Illinois Public Act 102-0697 is expected to end. After May 11, 2023, you will need to use your own accrued sick leave or other appropriate paid or unpaid leave for time needed for COVID-19 reasons.

  • System Offices Remote Working Extended

    Due to the continued prevalence of the COVID-19 pandemic, it has been decided that System Offices units will continue current remote work arrangements through February 2021 with a reevaluation of circumstances at that time.

  • Update: System Offices COVID-19 Testing

    System Offices employees in Urbana may have received this communication from Chancellor Robert Jones regarding changes to COVID-19 procedures for employees located in Urbana. On Tuesday, Interim Chancellor Karen M. Whitney announced immediate mitigations to be taken by all faculty, staff, and students in Springfield. The following is an important update regarding these changes due to the recent increase in positive cases.

  • COVID-19 Funeral Assistance Available

    Under the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2021 and the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021, FEMA is providing financial assistance for COVID-19 related funeral expenses incurred after January 20, 2020.

  • COVID-19 Booster Shots Now Required

    Dear students, faculty and staff:

    A few weeks ago, we encouraged all faculty, staff and students to get a COVID-19 booster shot. Due to recent increases in COVID-19 cases, evolving information about the more transmissive Omicron variant, and new CDC guidance, the University of Illinois System is now requiring that all faculty, staff and students get a COVID-19 booster shot as soon as they are eligible (see the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines for details on eligibility).

    There is now significant evidence that vaccinations plus boosters are effective at preventing infections from developing into serious illness.

    Those who have already received exemptions from the vaccination requirement for medical or religious reasons will be exempted from the booster requirement. For employees covered by a union contract, guidance will be implemented at the universities through the applicable collective bargaining processes.

    Please look for further, more detailed, communication from your university on boosters and other safety measures applicable to each campus.

    Throughout the pandemic we have worked diligently to keep our universities and their surrounding communities safe. Now, in the face of this new variant, we must again act collectively to protect both the health and safety of our communities and the quality of the educational experience that makes the U of I System truly extraordinary. 

    We will continue to monitor our policies, adjusting where appropriate based on advances in scientific understanding and updated guidance from public health authorities.

    Thank you again for your vigilance and your commitment to each other. I hope you had a joyous holiday season and a restful break. 

    Sincerely, 

    Tim 

  • COVID-19 Booster Shot Recommendation

    Dear students, faculty and staff:

    Since the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the health and safety of our students, faculty and staff and the communities around us has been our priority. Your sacrifice and commitment have been instrumental in us maintaining our status as a national model for navigating the pandemic. 

    As a result of your efforts, we are close to completing a safe, successful semester and beginning to plan for the spring. 

    To prepare, we now ask that everyone who is eligible follow current federal, state and local health recommendations and get a COVID-19 booster shot as soon as it is recommended after your primary series (see the CDC site for details on eligibility). As with the initial vaccine rollout, each university will be issuing additional detailed guidance, so please be on the lookout for that. 

    We committed from the beginning of the pandemic to follow the science and our own modeling of the pandemic and local situations, as well as other health guidance in making decisions and recommendations for our universities. Now, with data indicating that vaccine efficacy wanes and with the emergence of new variants of the virus, getting a booster shot is an important way to protect yourselves, our campuses and our communities. 

    As always, we will continue to monitor advances in scientific understanding and updated guidance from public health authorities, adjusting as appropriate.

    Thank you again for your vigilance and your commitment to each other. I wish you a successful finish to the semester, a joyous holiday season and a restful break. We look forward to seeing you in the spring. 

    Sincerely,

    Tim Killeen
    President, University of Illinois System