DECATUR — Caterpillar Inc. has announced a special paid leave policy for its union production workers that allows for extra time away from work due to quarantine, illness and child-care issues related to the coronavirus pandemic.
Company spokeswoman Kate Kenny said the revised policy allows up to two weeks of sick leave for employees to care for themselves or immediate family members affected by the virus and two weeks of paid leave if they have been instructed to self-quarantine. The revised policy also allows for ten weeks of time off, at two-thirds of their salary, to care for their children.
"We've encouraged our employees to make decisions based on the specifics of their personal situation and health," Kenny said.
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The company since the 1950s has operated the plant on 27th Street in Decatur.
The change comes at the same time the company announced layoffs at its East Peoria KK facility. Kenny told the Peoria Journal-Star the layoffs were the result of a combination of economic and coronavirus concerns.
"A number of governments continue to classify operations such as Caterpillar's as essential activity for critical infrastructure," she said. "While our operations have been classified as essential activity, the COVID-19 pandemic is having an impact on global economic conditions. We are taking a variety of actions at our global facilities to reduce production due to weaker customer demand, potential supply constraints and the spread of the COVID-19 pandemic and related government actions."
Caterpillar was deemed an essential business as it relates to the executive order issued March 20 by Gov. J.B. Pritzker that mandated people to stay at home in an effort to prevent the spread of the disease.
The Rolling Meadows Senior Living apartments in Taylorville remain under quarantine after 12 residents tested positive for COVID-19.
The Decatur plant, a leading employer in the community, is tied to the mining industry. A March 22 memo to Decatur employees from Decatur facility manager Tina Czerwinski noted the plants role in obtaining “minerals from the earth” that are used in medicine and x-ray screens as a reason for it being identified as an essential business.
"Our customers and suppliers are depending on us to maintain operations and your work is essential AND appreciated," Czerwinski wrote.
The latest policy change takes into account the need for additional time away from work as more coronavirus cases are identified and the services the workers have come to depend on to care for their families are being impacted by its spread or efforts to contain it.
In a company memo to workers dated March 27, there are five criteria for the special sick leave for which 80 hours of pay at the employees hourly rate. It also spells out the criteria for the child care option.
The benefits are being made available to all union employees, regardless of the amount of time they have spent with the company. The policy remains in effect no longer than Dec. 31.
For those employees that continue working, Czerwinski noted in her memo steps that are being taken to prevent the spread of the disease, the foremost of which being maintaining social distancing throughout the plant. That has included the discontinuation of start of shift meetings and gatherings of more than 10 people. The memo also outlined enhanced cleaning procedures and making hand sanitizer stations available around the plant, among other things. In addition, management and support staff are working remotely when possible.
TUESDAY UPDATE: Coronavirus and Central Illinois
THE DATA
The Illinois Department of Public Health on Monday reported 461 new cases of COVID-19 and eight new deaths in the state.
The eight deaths reported Monday were all in people over 50 years of age, with five in their 60s and one in their 70s across four counties.
Clark, Crawford, Marion, Randolph and Saline counties are now reporting cases, meaning the disease has been confirmed in 52 counties in the state, although medical experts have repeatedly warned that the spread is much wider than has been tested.
IDPH is reporting a total of 5,057 cases in Illinois, including 73 deaths, according to the statement. Those affected range from an infant to 99 years of age.
State Public Health Director Dr. Ngozi Ezike said the state continues to be in “an exponential growth phase.”
Illinois is doubling its number of confirmed cases every four days. By comparison, Seattle, one of the U.S. cities hit hardest by the pandemic, sees that kind of growth every eight days, officials said.
— Capitol News Illinois
How about this fact check? Did you see the internet post about no more liquor sales in Illinois?
TEMPORARY CARE FACILITY IN CHICAGO
TEMPORARY CARE FACILITY IN CHICAGO
At a news conference Monday in Chicago, Gov. JB Pritzker announced plans to temporarily convert part of the McCormick Place Convention Center in Chicago into an alternate care facility for COVID-19 patients with mild symptoms who don’t require intensive care.
The move is an effort to free up hospital beds for patients with severe COVID-19 cases as officials expect a surge in hospitalizations in the coming weeks based on data and trends seen in other large cities, according to the governor’s office.
“Based on science, data, and the guidance of health experts, our approach to fighting this virus is two-pronged: suppress the spread and increase hospital capacity to meet the need,” Pritzker said. “A critical component of increasing our capacity is identifying and building out additional facilities across the state to support our existing hospitals and health care system. In partnership with the city of Chicago and the U.S. Army Corps we are planning to increase capacity, so we’re prepared to treat patients and save lives.”
The McCormick Place project is supported by $15 million in funding from the Federal Emergency Management Agency.
— Capitol News Illinois
White House turns to statistical models for virus forecast
STUDY PROJECTS PEAK
A research group at the University of Washington is projecting that Illinois will see its peak demand for hospital resources in the coronavirus pandemic coming on April 16.
The analysis by the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluationsuggests that Illinois will have enough ordinary hospital beds necessary to meet the anticipated demand from patients, but will fall slightly short of the number of beds in intensive care units that could be needed.
On that April 16 date, some 8,601 beds are expected to be needed, out of 14.552 available; 1,291 ICU beds are expected to be needed, out of 1,131 available -- a shortage of some 160 beds.
But the group also makes it clear that the risk will continue for weeks after that point. Those demand numbers are projected to decrease throughout the latter half of April and first half of May before flattening out by late May.
"The projections assume the continuation of strong social distancing measures and other protective measures," the website accompanying the data notes.
The number of deaths per day in Illinois is also expected to continue its growth until peaking on April 16-17, at 88 deaths per day. It's then expected to decline gradually through late May before finally hitting zero.
All told, some 2,360 Illinoisans are anticipated to perish under the modeling projections -- each of which is offered alongside a range of greater and lesser numbers.
The projections are based on local and national government data alongside information from the World Health Organization.
— Peoria Journal Star
