COVID-19 Facts and Resources

For the latest information on the symptoms, prevention, and treatment, visit the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention coronavirus webpage at https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/index.html.

For additional guidance and other resources on protecting workers from coronavirus, visit OSHA’s COVID-19 webpage at https://www.osha.gov/SLTC/covid-19.

HOME SCHOOLING HELP
With schools closed, some for the remainder of the year, families are learning how to support students’ distance learning and partner with their teachers and school staff while also juggling work and other responsibilities.

The American Federation of Teachers (AFT) and the AFL-CIO are partnering to provide union families with helpful lessons and tools for kids in pre-K through 12th grade who are now learning at home and coping with the COVID-19 pandemic. (Please note, these resources are intended to supplement what your child’s teacher or school has already provided.)

You can go to sharemylesson.com/coronavirus/parents to access lessons, online tools, resources and more.

UNEMPLOYMENT

• Illinois Unemployment go to www2.illinois.gov/ides/individuals/UnemploymentInsurance.
• Missouri Unemployment go to labor.mo.gov/unemployed-workers.

Federal law does not require an employee to quit in order to receive benefits due to the impact of COVID-19. Visit your state’s Unemployment Insurance website to find additional details.

The AFL-CIO has also pulled together state resources and benefits available for workers who have been impacted by COVID-19 at
aflcio.org/covid-19/state-resources.

HEALTH COVERAGE
If you need help getting health insurance because you’ve lost your employer-sponsored coverage or for any other reason, there are resources that may be available to you.

• Medicaid is a federal and state health insurance program for people with a low income. To see if you are eligible, visit usa.gov/Medicaid and select your state. Not all states participate in an expanded Medicaid program as part of the Affordable Care Act. Illinois does, Missouri does not.
• The Children’s Health Insurance Program (CHIP) offers health coverage to children whose parents are low income, but make too much to qualify for Medicaid. To see if your children are eligible, visit usa.gov/Medicaid.

FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE

• $5 for the Fight – The St. Louis Labor Council’s $5 for the Fight Fund, administered by the United Way and funded by union members, provides assistance to union families facing financial hardship. Call 314-539-4189.
• The United Way’s 2-1-1 line provides the most comprehensive source of local social services information in the U.S. Call 2-1-1 from any cellphone or landline to speak with a community resource specialist in your area who will help you find services and resources that are available to you.