Manley Advocates for Essential Worker Safety

ROMEOVILLE, Ill. – To make sure employees returning to work during the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic are protected, state Rep. Natalie Manley, D-Joliet, is promoting the Illinois Attorney General’s Workplace Rights Bureau to ensure the safety of essential workers.

“Essential workers continually put their lives on the line in the fight against COVID-19, so it is critical to ensure every workplace is adhering to strict guidelines set by medical experts to keep them safe,” said Manley. “As businesses begin to reopen to help boost our economy, we must protect essential workers and ensure their safety is put above profits.”

To help essential workers understand their rights, Manley is promoting the Workplace Rights Bureau through the Illinois Attorney General’s Office. Starting on May 1, essential businesses and manufactures are required to provide face coverings to all employees who are unable to maintain social distancing guidelines of six feet. The state has implemented additional requirements for these businesses including occupancy limits and staggering shifts to ensure social distancing practices are being followed. Employees can report violations that put their safety at risk by calling the Attorney General’s Workplace Rights Bureau at 844-740-5076 or workplacerights@atg.state.il.us.

“The hotline will help hold employers accountable by ensuring they follow guidelines to keep essential workers safe while they continue to work through the COVID-19 crisis,” continued Manley. “I encourage residents to do their part by staying home and wearing face coverings when in public to help protect essential workers, and I urge workers to report any public health violations they witness or experience on the job.”