SPRINGFIELD, Ill. — Governor JB Pritzker has officially signed legislation giving vaccinated public school teachers and staff members paid time off if they contract COVID-19.
Pritzker signed the bill into law Tuesday at the Illinois State Capitol.
The bill was a compromise piece of legislation born from the Chicago Teachers Union walkout in January.
School staff who are fully vaccinated will now be paid for Covid sick days. Sick days used for the virus earlier in the school year will be returned, as well.
The paid time off can also be used if an employees’ student needs to stay home due to COVID-19.
Pritzker vetoed an earlier version of the bill because it didn’t require teachers and staff to be fully vaccinated.
The bill was largely passed on party lines in the House, and some Democrats joined Republicans in the Senate to vote against the measure.
The vaccination requirement was the main reason many Republicans opposed the bill, according to the Chicago Tribune.
Those teachers and staff members with religious or health vaccine exemptions would still qualify.
