FDA Best Practices, Impact Survey, PPP Expansion Stalls in D.C.

The Illinois Restaurant Association continues to engage with local, state, and federal officials to help our employers and employees address concerns about COVID-19.

Please see the below resources and information for your business - updated as of 7:00 p.m. on Monday, April 13.

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Webinar: Who Is Left Out of the PPP Program?

The IRA will be hosting our next webinar for restaurant operators on Paycheck Protection Program (PPP) loans Wednesday, April 15 at 12:00 p.m. (Central).

We are again hosting the program along with the American Business Immigration Coalition (ABIC), National Partnership for New Americans (NPNA), National Restaurant Association, and the Florida Restaurant & Lodging Association.

Topics to be covered include: 

• New Treasury guidance to lenders and other policy updates

• Clearing backlogs and increasing access for underserved communities: linguistically diverse, unbanked, rural, and smaller (100 employees or less) small business owners and nonprofits

• Connecting underserved communities to local banks, nonbank lenders, and CDFIs

• Identifying, documenting, and filing complaints on wrongful actions

• Q&A with Renee Bender, Senior Professional Staff with the Senate Small Business & Entrepreneurship Committee under Chairman Marco Rubio; and Melissa Jung, Chief of Staff for Chairwoman Nydia Velázquez

Click here to register.

Negotiations Stall in Washington on Expanded PPP Relief 

Today, Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Senate Democratic Leader Charles Schumer (D-NY) urged Republicans to "stop posturing" and negotiate on an "interim" coronavirus relief bill that is currently stalemated by partisan divisions. 

Their comments come after the Senate blocked two coronavirus relief bills — one from Republicans and an attempt to expand it by Democrats — on Thursday.

Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY.) and House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-CA) said over the weekend that they would keep trying to pass the "clean" GOP bill, which would provide an additional $250 billion in funding for the Paycheck Protection Program (PPP), appearing to reject a Democratic push to negotiate a larger package.

Click here to read more from The Hill.

Take Action: Support Bipartisan Efforts for Restaurant Relief

The IRA is working alongside the National Restaurant Association and state restaurant association partners to lobby Congress on much-needed improvements to the loan and relief programs created in the CARES Act.

We need your help to amplify our efforts! Please take a few moments to email your Representatives and Senators and tell them: 

• You support bipartisan efforts to provide additional funding.

• You support Congress taking action to make loan terms and other requirements flexible to reflect the unique operational and business model of restaurants.

Make your voice heard so that restaurants can survive today and once again thrive in the future.

Click here to take action.

FDA: Best Practices for Restaurants, Pick-Up, and Delivery

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is sharing information about best practices to operate retail food stores, restaurants, and associated pick-up and delivery services during the COVID-19 pandemic to safeguard workers and consumers.

This information includes key considerations for how foods offered at retail can be safely handled and delivered to the public, as well as key best practices for employee health, cleaning and sanitizing, and personal protective equipment (PPE).

Click here to download the latest guidance. Click here to download a summary infographic.

Complete the Survey to Help Us Advocate for Relief

As the IRA, other state restaurant associations, and National Restaurant Association continue to advocate on behalf of the industry, please help us quantify and further illustrate the economic impact that the coronavirus is having on the restaurant industry.

The National Restaurant Association Research Group developed a brief survey designed to collect important data to inform our ongoing advocacy activities. Please take a few minutes to complete the survey and help us continue to advocate for additional relief packages.

Click here to take the survey.

City of Chicago Business Education Workshop Webinars

The Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) has several workshop webinars coming up for businesses and employees, including:

• Worker's Rights and Resources During COVID-19 - Tuesday, April 14 at 2:00 p.m.

• Derechos y Recursos de Trabajadores durante COVID-19 (Spanish) - Thursday, April 16 at 2:00 p.m.

• Transforming Your Business From Analog To Online with Google My Business - Friday, April 17 at 9:00 a.m.

Click here to learn more from BACP.