CTA Board amends employee welfare fund to aid CTA families with funeral expenses related to COVID-19

An ordinance to establish a change to the Chicago Transit Authority’s (CTA) Employee Welfare Fund has been approved by the Chicago Transit Board.

The ordinance grants permission to the CTA president and third parties to donate additional monies to the fund in order to assist with the funeral expenses for families of CTA employees who die from COVID-19 and have no other available death benefits.

This is the latest in a series of steps taken by CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr., since the COVID-19 pandemic began to support the CTA , including voluntary expansion of negotiated sick pay; health care service access extended to employees without healthcare coverage for COVID-19-related illnesses; priority COVID-19 testing; and more.

“I believe the most honorable thing we can do is to support our employees and their families during this pandemic,” said CTA President Dorval R. Carter, Jr. “The CTA family is a strong one, and when one family member is in need, I want the agency to be there for them.”

Under the approved ordinance, funds can be added to help cover funeral expenses for CTA employees who die from the coronavirus, and who have no other death benefit. For example, if a part-time employee died with no life insurance, that employee’s family would be eligible for the equivalent of a year’s pay and/or possibly funeral expenses—the same benefit provided to full-time workers. Additionally, third-party donations can now be added to the fund (e.g. individual employee donations or group efforts, such as GoFundMe).

The Employee Welfare Fund was established by the Chicago Transit Board in 1949 to support employee relations and provide for employee welfare. For more than 70 years, the fund has supported employees during times of financial hardship and to assist with employee-driven initiatives. Monies for the fund come from vending machines used only by CTA employees at CTA work locations.