Gathering Safety Data with the IFT COVID Tracker: IEA Joins the Effort to Assess Workplace Health

As our unions continue to work with school districts, colleges, and universities around the state to determine when buildings can reopen safely for teachers, staff and students, we need to have a clear picture of critical health data in our buildings and communities. That’s why our union launched the IFT COVID Tracker earlier this year.

To further expand our data gathering efforts, the IFT is excited to announce that the Illinois Education Association (IEA) has partnered with us to offer the tracker to its members. (Watch the video above.) Through the combined effort of our unions, nearly every educator and school staff member in Illinois can now use this online tool to report health and safety violations and concerns.

The tracker includes a mapping tool that shows district-by-district information reported to the IFT and IEA to help easily identify issues in each area. The data will help our state and local unions draw comparisons between various areas and identify any potential “hot spots.”

This information is designed to be used by individuals, unions, communities, allies, and elected officials in our ongoing efforts to ensure safe learning and working conditions.

Union members are encouraged to submit reports of cases or unsafe conditions in their workplaces on the tracker's homepage by clicking “Submit a Report.” All reports will be verified to ensure accuracy, and the identity of submitters will remain anonymous. Members are also urged to share their personal stories and concerns about safety via the site.

Need help? This video tutorial explains how the IFT COVID Tracker works. A Frequently Asked Questions document is also available to guide you.

Everyone deserves to feel safe at work. By using this tool, we'll all be better able to assess and monitor the health of our workplaces statewide. Check out the IFT COVID Tracker today!