SPRINGFIELD, Ill. (WBBM NEWSRADIO) – Vaccinated educators and other school employees in Illinois would not have to use sick days for COVID-19-related absences under legislation that passed a divided Illinois House.
Days off for the vaccinated would be considered administrative days – not sick days – for the employee or a family member who gets COVID-19.
State Rep. Janet Yang Rohr, a Democrat from Naperville, said during floor debate, “Well over 90 percent of teachers and staff would see a positive impact from this bill.”
“It structures this bill as an incentive so that teachers and staff need to be vaccinated Republicans,” Yang Rohr said.
Republicans, including state Rep. C.D. Davidsmeyer, of Jacksonville, saw it as discrimination.
“The reality of what we're dealing with here is you are mandating that somebody get the vaccine if they wanted to be treated the same way as all the other teachers,” Davidsmeyer said.
A similar bill was previously vetoed by the governor because it did not contain the vaccination requirement.
It now goes to the senate.
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