Tag: Expert Q&A

Expert Q&A: DRES Accessibility IT Group

Oct. 28, 2021 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

Vince Lara-Cinisomo in the AHS office of communications spoke recently with Jon Gunderson and other members of the DRES Accessible IT Group.

Online technology is an evolving ecosystem for some disabilities (Stock image)

VINCE LARA: Jon, what does the DRES Accessibility IT Group do?

JON GUNDERSON: Our mission on campus is to help the university understand the accessibility of the online resources that the university creates and uses. Online information technology is still, really, a frontier in terms of digital barriers to people with disabilities. While it’s been an enabling technology for some types of disabilities, it’s still a barrier for other types of disabilities. And the history of UI in breaking barriers on disability is a big part of what motivates our group. Nick, did you want to talk a little bit about that?

NICHOLAS HOYT: Sure. I think another part of what Jon has just said is that we are carrying on the work that the founder of DRES—Tim Nugent—started. He was a pioneer in so many ways and was working in a context—the post-World War II era—helping veterans get access to higher education, and that took the form of a transportation system—the first bus system in this country with wheelchair lifts, and wheelchair access to buildings through ramps, and curb cuts, and things like that.

In the Accessible IT Group, we are carrying on that work, but obviously, things have changed. So much of our lives—our work lives and our personal lives—are now online, and we are trying to deal with this new environment in similar ways to what Dr. Nugent was doing. And with digital information technology—as Jon has mentioned, these barriers weren’t recognized immediately. The Accessible IT Group is trying to increase awareness of IT accessibility requirements and, in so doing, provide means—techniques—for reducing or getting rid of these barriers in information technology.

VINCE LARA: Let me ask you—I know the group is ostensibly housed in DRES. Does it work cross-campus? Do you work with other colleges and units?

JON GUNDERSON: Yes, most of our work is with other campus entities, with other Big Ten Universities and also international through our work with the W3C Web Accessibility Initiative. We are involved with web standards for accessibility—through the Web Accessibility Initiative—for over 20 years. I’ve been a working group member of the Accessible Rich Internet Applications Working Group. And the AInspector WCAG and FAE tools that we’ve built to help people understand accessibility are built on the foundations of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines and the ARIA standards—ARIA stand for Accessible Rich Internet Application standards—for best practices for accessibility.

And one thing that makes our tools different than tools that you might find from other businesses or organizations, for one, is that they’re entirely open-source. And, more importantly, they’re designed to be educational—helping people understand the accessibility requirements, whereas other accessibility tools tend to be what I call “whack-a-mole” tools. You know, tell me where the problem is, and if I have enough time and resources, I’ll just start fixing things until I run out of time or I get everything fixed.

But unfortunately, being able to point to a particular place in the code or on a web page and fix things only addresses about 30% to 40% of accessibility requirements. So, many people, even though they might get zero errors with an automated tool, and they don’t understand the other requirements, may not have addressed the other 50% to 60% of the requirements related to having an accessible and inclusive website. I mean, we talk about accessibility, but it’s really about inclusiveness, making people with disabilities feel included in the Illinois experience.

When people talk about accessibility, it seems to be something like, oh, yeah, I met that criteria of being accessible. But if you don’t really understand the accessibility principles, like I’m satisfied some tool told me I don’t have any errors—but you still don’t know if you’re being inclusive by making the website usable. And maybe Lori could talk a little bit about some of her work with campus web developers or other campus organizations in terms of helping them understand accessibility. Lori?

LORI LANE: I’m involved with the Canvas Accessibility Working Group on campus. My role in that group is to do evaluation and assessment, look over what Canvas offers, and identify any issues that might come up related to accessibility barriers. I also analyze the accessibility checker they offer to see how it functions and notice any accessibility issues that it flags or doesn’t flag.

It’s a way to help the group make accessibility resources available for instructors who are developing courses and students with disabilities who are taking these courses. We help them improve the accessibility of Canvas within that group. That would be one example of a partnership.

Another example might be that I’m also involved with WebCon, the Web Conference planning committee. I’ve been on that committee for the last two years. And when COVID happened, of course, we were caught off guard and forced to cancel the in-person conference that we had been planning at that point. And we made the pivot, as so many did, to an online platform for our conference. And the committee was discussed different ways to make that change.

And one of the first experiences that we had with an online conference—was CVENT. Our committee was interested in talking about things that they liked about the platform, which they saw that seemed very interesting or flashy. I had to keep reminding the group that we had to consider accessibility. That was crucial for planning a successful conference, not just all the bells and whistles.

And so doing this conference online, and what an online conference platform would mean, is that a wider range of attendees with disabilities who might attend online; would not have been able to come in person. And we had to ensure that the platform we selected for the conference was accessible to all of them. And I took that opportunity to educate the rest of the committee on ways to keep that in mind and evaluate for some of those issues.

We ended up going with CVENT, which is the name of the conference platform that we used. And we worked closely with their developers from the CVENT team in making sure that our conference was as accessible as possible. I help other groups and entities across campus be more aware of their product and help improve the accessibility of what they offer and develop.

VINCE LARA: Excellent. Thank you for that answer. Jon, or anyone who wants to answer this, can you explain, broadly, accessibility and its importance?

NICHOLAS HOYT: Jon and Lori, you may want to weigh in as well—but an analogy came to mind for me this morning, and that’s the analogy of when the printing press was invented. In order to make this new technology (at the time) work, people had to understand certain technical aspects of how to produce a book or other printed material. There was typesetting for example, and it involved the amount of ink needed to print each page. Too much ink, and it’s blurred. Not enough ink—it’s not visible.

But just as there were technical issues people had to understand in that era, there’s a similarity with the era of information technology—of digital technologies for information. There are ways that digital information can be made accessible to people regardless of their abilities. And going back to the printing press analogy—somewhere along the line, someone came up with the idea of using Braille. And Braille allowed people who were blind to be able to read the same texts that were being produced in printed format. Unfortunately, there was about a 400 year gap between the invention of the printing press and the invention of Braille.

Today, digital technology gives us the ability to publish something in a format that includes within it the information that someone—just to take an example, someone who is blind—that will help them be able to not only get to the information but to understand its structure—to be able to navigate around and through that document or that information. So hopefully, that’s a helpful analogy.

VINCE LARA: Absolutely. I love that analogy, actually. It helps me understand the basis—how that even arose. Very interesting, Nick. Thank you for explaining that.

LORI LANE: I was listening to what Nick was saying, and I wanted to add another example that I might use: our users with disabilities aren’t able to use a mouse, for example, and they’re dependent on the keyboard. That’s how they’re navigating the web page they’re on. Most of us have no problem using a mouse to access and navigate the internet.

But for people who depend on keyboard navigation only, when they use the Tab key to navigate to active elements on websites as a way to get where they’re trying to go—to the form controls or the search bar. It helps them navigate across a page or through content.

For example, if there aren’t any visual focus cues—something to show where the visual focus is at that moment or on what element it’s highlighted. We need something that clearly defines a link visually, for example, with an underline. If you use a mouse and hover over the element, you’ll see that underline pop up or something that indicates that this is a link. But for a keyboard-only user who can’t hover over with a mouse, they use the keyboard to navigate through, and they do not see any visual focus cues on the page and get stuck because there are no visual focus cues to lead them. They can’t go anywhere or get to the desired destination.

Web developers can put defined styles into their CSS files, for example, background colors, underlines, borders, and text colors—things that identify as a dynamic element. It’s one little CSS change that they can put in, and it dramatically increases the accessibility for someone who uses a keyboard and needs that visual focus. I hope that explains how to make it more accessible.

VINCE LARA: Oh, tremendously. It makes me understand that we’re not doing enough, clearly, on some of our text-only things. And so, absolutely. Thank you for really planting that seed for me.

JON GUNDERSON: I have a story about a blind student. When I first got started working with Illinois students on IT accessibility in the ’90s, I was helping a law student who was blind use LexisNexis. And the web wasn’t being used at that time, but LexisNexis had their own interface, and you could dial-up and get access to law information—almost any information from print materials on a wide variety of topics. And this student—and I think all law students had free access to LexisNexis, I believe this is true even today.

So working with the blind student to help them—they could access the information pretty well since it was primarily the old style character based interfaces, but it took them two to three times longer to access that same information, and there were still problems. It wasn’t ideal. Sometimes, some things weren’t possible.

But, you know, at that time, it cost $200 to $300 per hour to use LexisNexis. I don’t know if that’s still true or not. And so this student– people with disabilities—are used to having to spend more time—work harder—to get the same level of work done for their classes. But when they graduate, and they go try to get a job, a lot of first-year graduates are going to be doing law research—doing research for partners or other lawyers, in at least in the larger law firms.

And now, if it’s taking this student two to three times longer, they will be costing that law firm two to three times more to use that service. And now the law firm says, well, if I hire you, you’re going to be more expensive than other graduates because of the extra time you will be spending on line to do research—I mean, if you’re the top law student from Illinois that might be fine.

But if you’re not the top law student, or maybe towards the bottom of the class, well, maybe you’re going to be too expensive to hire because you’re taking too much time with Lexus/Nexus searches. Or, you know, after the first year and they see your bill is twice as high as other first-year law schools, or maybe more. That’s an economic disincentive to employ someone with a disability. So these are kind of the hidden costs of inaccessibility, and it affects career opportunities.

And to me, at that time, I said, it doesn’t have to be that way. It’s because we design these systems without thinking about accessibility. And just like curb cuts have helped more than just people who use wheelchairs to get into buildings and ramps and things, when we look at technology for accessibility, we’re helping usability for everybody—to use technology better and more efficiently.

VINCE LARA: Oh, fantastic explanations from everyone. I really appreciate that. Lastly, I wanted to talk to you about—Jon, you had mentioned the software extensions, and I wanted to ask you if you could talk more about those and how they can be utilized.

JON GUNDERSON: Well, I think the latest extension we’ve worked on—maybe Nick could explain—but I think it’s a little bit different direction for us. We’ve been mostly focusing on tools to help people analyze websites for accessibility, but this new tool Nick’s been working on is really an assistive technology. It kind of speaks to what Lori Lane was talking about earlier in terms of providing keyboard navigation. So I’ll let Nick talk a little bit more about that project.

NICHOLAS HOYT: OK. Well, I will just begin by saying that the term “extension” generally refers to a web browser extension—something you can just add into the browser, and then its functionality is just there available to you. And of the tools Jon was referring to that do evaluation, probably the tool that we recommend first is a tool called AInspector WCAG, which is a Firefox browser extension. And that will allow you to evaluate—apply many different accessibility rules to the page, have those rules evaluated, and then get that feedback of—are there any aspects of the page that didn’t meet the requirements?

But since we had experience with creating browser extensions, we saw an opportunity with the latest extension, which is called the SkipTo Landmarks & Headings extension. We saw an opportunity for actually creating something that served a dual purpose. And primarily it allows people to navigate a web page by the headings and the landmarks on that page.

So headings have been around for a long time in the world of web development and HTML web pages. They define different sections of content, and they’re hierarchical—they can be of different levels. For example, a level-2 heading might define a major section of a document, and then there might be several level-3 headings under that that define subsections.

On the other hand, landmarks are relatively new. They’re defined by a more recent standard that Jon mentioned—the ARIA standard. Landmarks define regions on a page, which are common regions that users may want to navigate to or skip over. An example is the header region—oftentimes, the same header is there on page after page within a website, containing the website logo and often a site navigation menu. And people that are just using the Tab key to navigate the page starting from the beginning are going to– if they can’t skip over that header—have to tab through many, many links to get beyond it. The SkipTo extension allows a user to skip over the page header and go directly to some other region on the page.

Another very useful landmark is the main landmark. If you put the main content of the page into that region, the SkipTo extension will allow you to skip directly to it. It’s a replacement for the “skip to main content” link, but does not depend on the page actually containing that link.

In summary, the SkipTo extension give people who are using the keyboard—as I mentioned it’s serving a dual purpose–the ability to navigate the page through landmarks and headings very efficiently. And the other way it can be used—for example, a web developer who just wants to spot-check different pages to see if the heading structure makes sense—it’s useful to them as well. Or to anyone that is looking for information on a fairly complex web page—they can get a list of the headings and scroll directly through them, rather than having to scroll through a very long page with lots of visual distractions.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Expert Q&A: KCH’s Jeff Woods on COVID-19 and epidemiology questions

July 01, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

The College of Applied Health Sciences has experts in many areas that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Periodically we will ask these experts about how their areas of expertise have been impacted and what we can expect in a post-COVID-19 world. Today, we ask KCH professor Jeff Woods about complicating risk factors, vaccine production and virus spread.

Jeff Woods (Photo by Jerry Thompson)

Q: What are some of the complicating risk factors of COVID-19?

A: There seem to be many conditions, including advanced age, that complicate the severity of SARS-CoV-2 infection. Others include cardiovascular disease, asthma, obesity, high blood pressure, and diabetes. Exacerbation of COVID-19 symptoms in those with underlying respiratory or heart problems is self-evident, but we do not know why other comorbidities make some susceptible to it. In addition, recent reports indicate that even young adults can experience hospitalization and severe symptoms. On the other hand, many others have tested positive without symptoms. Bottom line is that it is too early to tell all the factors that may make us susceptible to COVID-19 and it is too early to understand the mechanisms of why some condition increase or reduce severity. One factor that is always difficult to ascertain is the viral load of the inoculum that an infected person experienced. High loads should lead to more severe consequences. This is why wearing masks and reducing exposure to people via social distancing or reducing contact time is so important not just to prevent infection but also to lessen the viral load of exposure.

Q: The Spanish Flu erupted in spring, went dormant in the summer and then came back in the fall. Do you expect a similar pattern with COVID-19?

A: I do not think we know what to expect. This is a new virus we don’t know a lot about and comparing social dynamics as it relates to virus transmission across a century of time (e.g. comparing with Spanish Flu) is fraught with interpretive problems. The main reason that scientists believe that some viruses are seasonal have to do with living conditions—more people inside during winter, therefore greater chance of exposure and spread between people. In addition, some viruses are susceptible to light and humidity, both of which are lower in winter months thereby reducing fomite transmission.

Q: Dr. Fauci expressed hope for a vaccine within the next 6-8 months. But we haven’t been able to find a vaccination for the common cold. Is there any reason to have any greater hope for COVID-19 than we’ve had for these common diseases that have been around for decades?

A: Yes, I think so. The common cold has never shut down our economy before or caused significant human suffering or death. COVID-19 has. This fact alone has motivated much research and development regarding a vaccine. There is currently an unprecedented and well-funded effort to realize one or more SARS-CoV-2 vaccines in the near future. Scientists are also using different strategies, either targeting viral RNA or the ‘spike’ protein of the virus that increases the probability of success. That said, there are no guarantees in a war with a virus. One reason that you need an annual influenza vaccine is that influenza can mutate rather quickly. There is evidence that SARS-CoV-2 mutates more slowly, which is a good thing when trying to develop a universal vaccine against it.

Q: For people who have aging parents or relatives, how do we best protect them?

A: The best thing to do, at least until we get a successful vaccine, is to isolate them against potential infection. This means mask wearing and social distancing of at least six feet, but maybe more. This is important for older adults because their immune systems undergo senescence making the system less effective at combating pathogens or responding to vaccinations. If they get infected, there is a higher chance of a poor outcome.

Q: When will we know that the pandemic is lessening in the U.S.?

A: When the number of laboratory confirmed COVID cases (i.e. virus testing) drops and stays low for a significant time period. Symptom confirmed cases are not a great indicator because some people are infected and remain asymptomatic. Antibody tests tell us about individual exposure and in the case of some other viruses (e.g. influenza) indicates a certain level of protection from reinfection. However, at present, we do not know if antibody presence predicts protection against COVID. This big unanswered question needs to be answered.  In short, we do not know if prior exposure leads to protective immunity or whether people can become reinfected after an initial exposure.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Expert Q&A: RST’s Laura Payne on COVID-19 and Recreation

May 18, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

The College of Applied Health Sciences has experts in many areas that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Periodically we will ask these experts about how their areas of expertise have been impacted and what we can expect in a post-COVID-19 world. Today, we ask Laura Payne, professor and director of graduate studies in Recreation, Sport and Tourism, about how COVID-19 affects local parks and recreation.

Q: Which parts of the recreation industry are feeling the most pain now, and which will be the ones that are slowest to come back online when social distancing guidelines are eased or lifted?

A: Community recreation and parks agencies have been hit hard by COVID-19. Summer is the busy season for parks and recreation, and with the ongoing threat posed by the pandemic, many agencies have had to cancel or postpone programs and events such as sport leagues, fitness and arts programs, camps, and special events. Many agencies have moved to online fitness, arts, and e-sports programs. Youth and adult sports programs are likely to come back most slowly—this is due to the fact that many sport programs involve contact. Also, it is hard to say when playgrounds will be open again. A positive trend is that more, now than ever, people are drawn to parks for their physical, social and mental health benefits. Maintaining six feet of distance is vital for safe park use and as observed by my colleague Dr. Kim Shinew, this is difficult to practice consistently, especially on nice days when more people are outside.

Q: What will be the probable impact of COVID-19 on park and recreation agencies?

A: Some agencies have postponed capital projects such as construction of new and remodeled facilities and others have decided to continue some of their programming online, even after restrictions start easing. I have also heard of some agencies furloughing staff and re-organizing.

Q: What steps should agencies and employees be taking now?

A: Most agencies have pivoted to limited online programming. Much of this programming is free, with some more extensive programs being fee-based such as e-learning pre-school programs. They should also start planning for re-opening some of their facilities, but with different use guidelines. For example, when fitness and recreation centers re-open, they will clean and disinfect their facilities several times per day.

Q: What resources are available for agencies to utilize now?

A: The Illinois Park and Recreation Association is hosting Virtual Community Talks once per week—this is an online forum where professionals can share resources, ask and answer questions, and support each other. Each call is recorded so they can be played back. They can be accessed here. Also, the National Recreation and Park Association (NRPA) provides guidance for parks and recreation spaces, facilities and programs. They offer specific guidance and links to additional information.

Q: What measures can recreation sites, such as parks, take that allow them to re-open in a modified fashion but still assure the public?

A: Many parks never closed—and agencies have placed signs in parks with guidance for maintaining six-foot distance and remind people that courts and playgrounds are not available for use. When facilities re-open, they will follow capacity guidelines, which means only the facility can be occupied up to 50 percent of its capacity and staff and patrons will wear masks. The facilities will also be cleaned and disinfected regularly.

Q: How does COVID-19 compare to other recent events such as SARS and 9/11 in terms of economic impact upon the recreation industry?

A: SARS was nothing compared to COVID-19; Also, 9/11 impacted the travel and tourism industry more than the local parks and recreation industry. If anything, community recreation and parks probably benefitted from 9/11 in that more people planned stay-cations and used their local parks and recreation agencies even more because it was comfortable and familiar. 

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu. 

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Expert Q&A: Jay Lopez on COVID-19 and Event Management

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May 24, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

The College of Applied Health Sciences has experts in many areas that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Periodically we will ask these experts about how their areas of expertise have been impacted and what we can expect in a post-COVID-19 world. Today, we ask Jay Lopez, an RST graduate student and event manager for the City of Long Beach (Calif.), about how COVID-19 affects the event management industry.

Q: What alternative event formats could you use in the wake of COVID-19?

A: The leading thought process for controlled venue events, (ticketed with a perimeter fence) is to increase the venue size and lower capacity. This increases the square footage and the reduction in attendees allows for social distancing. Event managers will incur additional costs with lower revenue, which could affect how events do business. However, city agencies and event venues will prioritize safety and to minimize the spread of COVID-19.

Q: How do you handle a crisis at the event?

A: If a crisis were to arise, there are measures implemented prior to the event. All large events are mandated to have Fire and Police department personnel staffed on site. Additionally, staff and security are hired by the event. A command post is established by the City of Long Beach and is manned with fire, police and city staff. The command post staff can hear all communications via radios. If a crises arises, all communications and coordination is immediately handed off to the command post. If necessary, additional city services can be requested and diverted to the event to address any issues on site.

Q: How do you reassure event visitors about safety?

A: Effective marketing is essential and additional messaging is needed with the rise of COVID-19. Marketing will be critical to ease the concerns of the general public. Marketing materials should accurately depict the new policies and procedures implemented to abate the spread of germs. Safety visuals when arriving on site will play a vital role. In order for this to be successful, measures expressed via marketing must be present and visually represented on site. Marketing can assist to foster a sense of safety prior to arriving.

Q: What can you do when things happen beyond your control (flights cancelled, etc.)?

A: In the event industry, we always say, “Prepare for the unexpected.” Event managers can prepare and plan for months to ensure operations and logistics are correct and roll out smoothly. Sometimes, situations arise that were not accounted for, or are completely out of anyone’s control. Event managers think on their feet when problems arise and it derives from experience. Every situation is different as are events. Frankly, you deal with the problem when it occurs. There is no one size-fits-all solution. You cope and adjust with what you have.

Q: What are some best practices you recommend for event planners during a crisis like this? 

A: Always consult your local health department and local authorities. Currently, the City of Long Beach is in the process of developing policies and producers relating to COVID-19. Events will be mandated to implement new policies and procedures in order to host an event in Long Beach.  Additionally, event managers will need to conduct a throughout review of their operations. Inevitably, costs will increase due to the required policies and procedures. They will need to change operations and revise the scope of their events to make the necessary accommodations. Some events may not be able to cope with the additional items required of them due to costs, venue, operations, etc. Cancellation of the event may be the only viable option.

Q: What lessons can event planners take from previous situations, such as 9/11, Swine flu, H1N1, etc?

A: The event industry has not encountered a threat in the past such as COVID-19. Each and every situation calls for different accommodations. Event managers can study past situations and pull items that reflect current events. However, events by nature concentrate thousands of people in one location with close proximity to one another. Only time will tell if the implemented measures undertaken have a true effect on limiting the spread of COVID-19.

Q: What do you need to do after the event?

A: Post-event evaluations are critical to measure event participant’s comfort with new policies and procedures. Event managers need to take into account how participants felt on site. Did they feel there was enough handwashing stations? Was there enough hand-sanitizer dispensers? Did they feel social distancing was accommodated? Did people follow the facemask requirement?

Event managers shall also provide feedback on how well the new policies were implemented. Were the lines long stations? Do we need additional staff for future events to manage? Did people follow the rules on personal protective equipment? Revenue must be measured. Did the event make sense to hold in terms of expenditures and revenue?

Comprehensive evaluations are critical in the new era of events. Costs associated with COVID-19 will be the guiding factor on how events cope moving forward. This will be the new norm until/if a vaccine is created and we can reach herd immunity.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.

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Expert Q&A: David Strauser, COVID-19 and Marginalized Workers

May 11, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

The College of Applied Health Sciences has experts in many areas that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Periodically we will ask these experts about how their areas of expertise have been impacted and what we can expect in a post-COVID-19 world. Today, we ask David Strauser, a professor in the department of Kinesiology and Community Health, about how marginalized workers are affected by COVID-19 workplace conditions.

According to David Strauser, for marginalized workers, the stress does not come from losing work, but instead from having to work during a pandemic. (Stock image)

Q: How much more difficult is a loss of work due to an act of God like this on the so-called marginalized worker? They can’t get unemployment or other services.

A: Loss of work is always hard for individuals because it creates financial insecurity, a sense of personal uncertainty, and lack of control. This is especially true when individuals do not see the economic change coming (e.g., others being laid off, talks of downsizing). Workers who are marginalized are at a significant disadvantage because they do not have, or lack access to, the material and instrumental resources that other workers may have access to that allows them to cope with being furloughed or terminated due to lack of work. In addition, the environment in which many marginalized workers work and reside are under consistent personal and environmental stressors that limit the individual’s co-workers, family and community from providing the much-needed emotional support to manage the situation. 

The passage of the CARES Act attempts to address the financial issues with unemployment by expanding eligibility for unemployment, supplementing typical unemployment amount by $600 per week through July 31, 2020, and providing an additional 13 weeks of coverage from 26 weeks to 39 weeks. In Illinois, the maximum unemployment amount is $471 per week. Under the CARES Act, that amount increases to $1,071 ($471 + $600).  However, few marginalized workers will come close to getting that amount. In Illinois, unemployment is based on 47 percent of an individual’s total two quarters of earnings divided by 26 weeks. If an individual makes $30,000 per year ($15,000 for 2 quarters), his or her unemployment benefit would be $271 per week based on 47 percent of the two-quarter earnings ($7,050) divided by 26 weeks. The CARES Act provides an additional $600 per week, increasing the weekly benefit to $871 per week through July 31, 2020.  

However, it is important to note that for many marginalized workers, the stress does not come from losing work, but instead from having to work. Many marginalized workers are considered necessary employees (e.g., janitorial/cleaning, Certified Nursing Assistants, Nursing Home Aides). As a result, they must report to work and work in situations where they are at increased risk of being exposed to COVID-19. Health care technicians and those working in the meat-packing and food-processing plants across the country provide a great example of this. We are on the verge of a meat shortage in the country because so many packing plants have had to close due to workers being sick with COVID-19. In addition to increased health risk, with schools being closed and reduced access to childcare, many workers are dealing with how to manage younger children who are left at home. Finally, many marginalized workers are in the group of individuals who have secondary health conditions, such as diabetes, hypertension, and heart disease, that place them at increased risk for adverse effects COVID-19. Lack of access to appropriate health care also increases stress.

Q: Where can workers turn when they lose gig jobs or employment that doesn’t come with benefits?

A: In Illinois, gig workers will have access to unemployment benefits starting May 11, 2020. The delay on getting these funds to gig workers will likely place individuals in significant financial distress and force them to make hard choices between putting food on the table or paying rent.  As outlined above, when individuals become eligible, funds may not be enough to provide financial relief.  Individuals may also encounter difficulty navigating the system. With many nonprofits under financial pressure as well, programs designed to help individuals navigate governmental programs may no longer be available or may operate at a reduced capacity, further increasing stress on the unemployed. 

Q: Many marginalized workers cannot work from home. What can they do?

A: Many marginalized workers cannot work at home because they have been identified as necessary workers, placing them at increased risk for becoming infected. For many of the jobs held by marginalized workers, social distancing is not feasible and the work environment does not allow for many of the CDC guidelines to be implemented. Many of these workers also depend on public transportation, where social distancing can prove difficult. 

Q: Will those workers with comorbidities have more trouble re-entering the work force because of insurance concerns?

A: Access to health insurance and appropriate health care is a significant issue impacting many workers in the U.S., especially those working in low wage positions. COVID-19 has had a disproportionate impact on individuals with co-morbid health conditions, such as hypertension, obesity, and diabetes. A bigger potential issue emerging is further reduced physical capacity for those individuals with co-morbid conditions from the residual effects of being infected and recovering from COVID-19. The combination of working in positions with increased risk of infection, the presence of co-morbid conditions, and the lack of resources place individuals at increased physical and psychological risk of decreased health outcomes, which stresses an individual’s ability to meet the demand of work. Importantly, workers with comorbidities will face a difficult decision about re-entering the workforce. Although many may need to work to obtain health insurance, doing so may put them at increased risk of infection, especially given their comorbidities. Faced with this difficult choice, we cannot presume that workers will risk re-entering the workforce. Many may seek SSDI. But will they qualify? Can access Medicaid? This uncertainty and the lack of resources available to navigate the bureaucracy (for instance, some state governments are cutting funding for legal aid) are additional stressors with which these individuals must cope.

A group that will be significantly impacted that is not being talked about at all right now is high school students with disabilities who will be looking to transition from high school to work for the first time. It is likely that a large number of students with disabilities will not enter the labor market, placing them at increased risk for long-term unemployment and developing additional co-morbid physical and mental health conditions that will reduce future work capacity. Individuals aging out of foster care and those being released from prison will experience similar difficulties, placing them at risk for negative outcomes ranging from chronic unemployment, increased recidivism, and homelessness. Finally, adults who are participating in adult day services, that often include vocational services, will experience a cut in services placing them at increased risk for negative outcomes

Q: Workers on the H-2A guest worker program make up an estimated 10 percent of the U.S. agricultural workforce. But now the Trump administration is looking to cut their pay in the middle of a pandemic, ostensibly to help farmers. Your reaction? 

A: A further example of the current administration’s targeting of non-U.S. citizens combined with the devaluation of marginalized workers and the systemic problem of pay inequity. This is a good time for all of us to become reacquainted with Cesar Chavez and the United Farm Workers movement in the late 1960s.   

Q: Black sanitation workers in Pittsburgh recently carried out a one-day strike to fight for protective clothing. How common is this?

A: I believe this is becoming more common as frontline workers are facing increased stress from the lack of access to necessary safety equipment. Workers at Amazon protested working conditions, and, after doing so, an individual who tried to organize workers was fired and publicly scapegoated by the company. Amazon is also being sued in New York because their warehouses are not following social distancing guidelines.  I have seen more ads for health care unions and their push to organize and demand a better work environment and increased safety on the job. Workers in Missouri filed an unsafe workplace complaint against Smithfield, and a judge ordered the company to comply with federal guidelines. In New York City, 10,000 correction officers have sued to remedy the lack of safety practices in jails and prisons that place both inmates and correctional officers at increased risk of COVID-19. In Richmond, Va., bus drivers called out of work to protest lack of hazard pay. Unions across the country are fighting for increased access to PPE and hazard pay. My guess is more will be coming as we become more aware of the issues and unsafe environments that many of these workers have had to endure since the start of the pandemic.

Despite actions by workers, industry is responding as well. There have been widespread attempts to discourage unions, and the president has issued an Executive Order declaring meat-packaging workers essential employees, essentially mandating them to work despite the poor work conditions. While many industries hold out their workers as “heroes on the front line,” they often implement policies that suppress wages, minimize workplace protections, and work to diminish bargaining power that could potentially lead to increased wages and protections on the job. Overall, the shortages of certain goods, such as meat, will lead to production-centric decisions, likely placing workers at increased risk. 

Q: Lower-income workers are still forced to go to their jobs, many via public transportation, where social distancing rules have not been followed. Is this emblematic of part of the problem for the marginalized worker?

A: Yes. This pandemic has actually lifted the veil on existing inequity in terms of pay, work conditions, and transportation. Issues in the workplace that negatively impact low-income workers are threefold. First, low-income workers typically are physically exposed to repetitive work, toxins, chemicals, and noise that cause harm. Second, low wages and the lack of benefits are financial factors that contribute to poor work environments and have been found to have a negative impact on health and well-being. Finally, an often-overlooked way the work can cause harm is psychosocially. Work that has high demands and low control, an imbalance between effort and reward, is socially isolated, and has real or perceived job insecurity negatively impact an individual’s health and well-being 

Q: Will these types of employees have the most difficult time when the economy does return?

A: Yes. The saying last hired, first fired, historically has applied during times of financial downturns, such as recessions. When the economy is strong, businesses must make more concessions to employees, and they are more accommodating to hiring and supporting marginalized individuals, including individuals with disabilities, criminal backgrounds, poor employment histories, and lower work skills.  When the labor market is tight, employers can afford to be more selective in who they hire and retain for positions. 

Q: What can be done, at a local, state or federal level, to protect these workers?
 
A: It would be my hope that as we deal with this as a country we continue to become aware of and increasingly uncomfortable with the fundamental inequity that exists in the work environment. In the short term, the government has implemented some good programs that are designed to target those workers most in need, such as increasing and extending unemployment benefits and the passage of the Payroll Protection Program (PPP). It would also be good to see the implementation of hazard pay for those workers deemed necessary.  

However, it is important to point out that this pandemic has highlighted the issues of workplace safety, low wages, and the overall social inequity created by unhealthy work environments.  I think the common response from most individuals and businesses will be a desire to return to the pre-pandemic normal. But that environment was not good for a majority of workers in the United States. I think now is an opportune time to think bigger, and think change. In the long-term, it would be good to see the implementation of hazard pay for those workers deemed necessary, expanded Medicaid eligibility, the introduction and expansion of paid sick leave, and increased wages. Addressing issue related to affordable housing, discrimination, and a fairer system for addressing workplace injuries would also help ameliorate some of the problems workers face. Finally, the role of unions may need to get explored. Unions have traditionally voiced workers’ concerns about healthcare, paid sick leave, increased wages, a grievance system, and workers compensation.  

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.
 

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Expert Q&A: RST’s Kim Shinew on trails and COVID-19

April 27, 2020 | Vince Lara-Cinisomo

The College of Applied Health Sciences has experts in many areas that have been affected by the COVID-19 outbreak. Periodically we will ask these experts about how their areas of expertise have been impacted and what we can expect in a post-COVID-19 world. Today, we ask Kimberly Shinew, a professor in the Department of Recreation, Sport and Tourism, about her research about exercising on trails during the current COVID-19 crisis.

Photo by caption

Q: Are you finding that people are obeying social distancing guidelines on trails?

A: It has been mixed. Although the analysis has not been run, my estimation would be about 50 percent make an effort to social distance. I am doing observations at a trail in Champaign. My colleagues are doing observations at trails in Colorado, Texas, Florida, Minnesota and California. When people meet along the trail, typically no effort is made to move off the trail to allow for the recommended six feet. That said, it is also common to see one party move so as to avoid getting too close to the other party.

Something many of us have noticed is that it is difficult for people to maintain social distancing while on the trail. For example, most people arrive at the trails with others, and it is clear that those groups are not trying to maintain social distancing (e.g., with family members). However, other times you will see people meet up at the trail, and may even comment about making sure they maintain social distancing. However, after a lap or two, the distance narrows and they walk as we normally would around the trail.

Q: What steps should organizations take to ensure that people obey the guidelines?

A: Many agencies, including the Champaign Park District, have encouraged safe use of the trails and parks. There are now signs along the trail that read:

  • Remember Stay Home if Sick
  • Maintain Six Feet Between Yourself and Others
  • Wear Face Masks in Public (as Recommended by CDC) 

Some of the other sites across the country have gone to one-way routes. Although this can be helpful, it causes people passing others and this also creates distancing problems.

The National Recreation and Park Association have offered guidelines for trail users on observing physical distancing minimums. For example, some of their recommendations include:

  • Follow CDC’s guidance on personal hygiene prior to heading to trails—wash hands, carry hand sanitizer, do not use trails if you have symptoms, cover your mouth and nose when coughing or sneezing, etc.
  • Observe at all times the CDC’s minimum recommended physical distancing of six feet from other people. Practice it and know what it looks like. Keep it as you walk, bike or hike.
  • Warn other trail users of your presence and as you pass to allow proper distance and step off trails to allow others to pass, keeping minimum recommended distances at all times.
  • Signal your presence with your voice, bell or horn.

Additionally, I have noticed an increase in people wearing masks on the trail. This increase coincided with the CDC recommendation. In the beginning of the data collection process, I rarely saw people with masks on the trail. Now, it would be rare for me NOT see people with masks. It is certainly not the majority of people, but there are always a couple of people.

Q: Do you believe COVID-19 will force trails to be redrawn or reimagined to allow for future social distancing guidelines?

A: Honestly, I doubt it. In many cases this would be cost prohibitive. However, I do think that for many of us, our desire to maintain social distancing while in public will continue for quite some time. How long depends, in part, on factors such as availability of testing, effectiveness of contact tracing, quarantine procedures, and possible treatments.

Q: Do you believe this outbreak has forced people to think differently about the importance of trails?

A: Yes, evidence indicates the outbreak has had an impact on attitudes about trails. Several sources have indicated a surge of public use of trails and open outdoor areas of parks over the last month. Many park and recreation agencies have closed facilities, canceled programs, removed nets from tennis courts and basketball courts, and closed playgrounds. However, many agencies have not closed parks and trails. With so many other physical activities being eliminated, people are walking, biking, and jogging so trails are getting more use.

I also think people are appreciating being outdoors. Many of us are spending much more time in our homes due to sheltering-in-place orders. Having an opportunity to get outside (and out of the house) seems to be a welcome distraction right now. Additionally, the weather is improving and that is increasing people’s motivations to be outdoors.

Q: What’s the goal of your observational study, and what is the next step?

A: We started this study quite early, at the beginning stages of the pandemic. We have been collecting data for several weeks and have already noticed quite a few changes (masks and additional signage) just since the start of the project. For example, when I first began my observations the playgrounds were still open. Our plan is to continue to collect data to see what other trends we might observe. With many park and recreation agencies indicating that swimming pools and other facilities and programs will be closed (or will have a delayed opening date) this summer, we anticipate that trails may continue to get increased use in the coming months. Also, once we are feel it is safe, we would like to conduct interviews with the trail users to gain insights into their experiences on the trail.

Editor’s note:

To reach Vince Lara-Cinisomo, email vinlara@illinois.edu.
 

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