Working Around The Coronavirus (COVID-19)

The Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (The Partnership) is working with the offices of Cook County, City of Chicago, and the State of Illinois, all of which jointly announced information for mitigating the spread of the coronavirus as detailed below. The Partnership wants to ensure that our staff and customers are safe and while we continue meeting public demand for our services, in accordance with the newly-issued guidance, the following protocols will be in place for the next 30 days. After that time we will re-evaluate and provide updates. 

Services Disrupted

We advise you to call the location you plan on visiting to ensure it is open.

Locations Closed:

• National Able Network – Evanston Public Library
• South Suburban Cook County American Job Center at Prairie State College
• National Able Network – Skokie, Illinois Branch Office at Oakton Community College
• Elgin Community College
• Calumet Area Industrial Commission (CAIC)

Locations operating virtually until further notice:

• Youth Job Centers
• Safer Foundation Community Locations
• YWCA Chicago
• Phalanx Family Services (March 16 to March 31)
• Employment & Employer Services
• Morain Community College (until April 19)
• National Able
• Dynamic Educational Systems, Inc. (DESI)
• Metropolitan Family Services
• Bethel Family Resource Center (Closed to public)

Cancellations effective March 13th
In accordance with the new guidance, and for the safety of our staff and the public the following regularly held activities will be postponed until further notice:

• AARP Back to Work 50+ workshops
• Job Clubs
• Digital Literacy Classes

Meetings and Events

• All events of 1,000 people or more are canceled.
• Consider cancellation of events between 250 and 1,000 primarily based upon the population expected to attend.
• Cancel events of 10 people or more if ALL attendees are from vulnerable populations.*

*Vulnerable populations are people over 60, anyone with compromised immune systems, or other significant health conditions including immune, respiratory, cardiac or diabetes-related illnesses

Resources and Information on COVID-19: Please use the following links to stay informed about the latest information: 

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) website: https://www.cdc.gov
Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH)COVID-19 Reports: http://www.dph.illinois.gov/topics-services/diseases-and-conditions/diseases-a-z-list/coronavirus

• Get the Facts: Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) (English, Spanish)
• Tips on Managing Anxiety about COVID-19
• What you need to know about COVID-19 (English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese)
• What to do if you are sick with COVID-19 (English, Spanish, Simplified Chinese)
• Stop the Spread of Germs Poster (English, Spanish,  Simplified Chinese)
• Symptoms of Coronavirus Disease 2019 Poster (English, Spanish)

Precautions

Practicing good hygiene is the best defense against illness. The virus is transmitted through droplets, therefore, take the following precautions:

• Wash your hands frequently
• Do NOT shake hands—elbow bump instead
• Do NOT touch your face, eyes, mouth
• Sneeze into a tissue then throw it away
• Disinfect all surfaces including phones (cell and desk), keyboards, desks, drawer handles—any frequently touched equipment
• Use antibacterial products such as Purell. 60% alcohol (and higher) based are most effective