As reported by our friends at the Illinois Chamber of Commerce, early this morning the General Assembly approved HB 4276 the extension of the COVID rebuttable presumption provision under the Workers’ Occupational Diseases Act through June 30, 2021.

The measure also amends the Public Employee Disability Act providing that upon the occurrence of circumstances, directly or indirectly attributable to COVID-19, occurring on or after March 9, 2020 and on or before June 30, 2021 which would hinder the physical recovery from an injury of an eligible employee within a one-year period, the eligible employee shall be entitled to an extension of no longer than 60 days by which he or she shall continue to be paid by the employing public entity on the same basis as he or she was paid before the injury.

Also amended is the Chicago Police and Chicago Firefighter Articles of the Illinois Pension Code. In provisions concerning line-of-duty death benefits and other death benefits, provides a rebuttable presumption that the death of a policeman or fireman from COVID-19 was a fatal injury while in active service if the policeman or fireman was exposed to and contracted COVID-19 on or after March 9, 2020 and on or before June 30, 2021.