Legal Update, Post for Federal Action
Thursday, December 10, 2020
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 7:15 p.m. on Thursday, December 10. *** Legal Update in Sangamon County Restaurant Case There have been some positive developments on the legal case pending in Sangamon County. The IRA is advised through counsel that the Sangamon County Judge presiding over the FoxFire v. Pritzker lawsuit has agreed that FoxFire is entitled to discovery from the State of Illinois. We understand that FoxFire plans to focus its discovery requests on the data and information purportedly relied upon by the State to support the mitigation policies directed at restaurants. We also understand that FoxFire intends to ask the Illinois Supreme Court to reconsider whether the Governor has authority to issue the mitigation rules. The IRA fully intends to file its amicus brief in support of their claims. We will keep everyone updated on the latest developments. Tomorrow - Restaurant Town Hall with Senator Duckworth All hospitality professionals are invited to join the IRA for a town hall meeting with Senator Tammy Duckworthtomorrow - Friday, December 11 at 11:45 a.m. - to discuss the latest updates on federal relief negotiations and the needs of the restaurant and foodservice industry. Attendees will gain an overview of the status of the next federal relief package, and what you can do to help ensure restaurants get the urgent support they need. The program will conclude with a Q+A with Senator Duckworth. Click here to register for the webinar. Post at Your Establishments - Restaurants Need Federal Aid Now 
The IRA continues to push Congress to take immediate action to support restaurants by the end of the year. Here's how you can help our efforts today: Download and print the above poster to post at your businesses Staff, customers, and vendors can scan the QR code on their phone in order to send a message to Congress through our call to action campaign. Share our call to action with five colleagues in the hospitality industry and urge them to take action and spread the word through their networks.
BIG Grant Application Deadline - Tuesday, December 15 The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) is informing small businesses and communities that the application period for the Business Interruption Grant (BIG) program will close at 5:00 p.m. on Tuesday, December 15. BIG grants, leveraging federal CARES Act dollars, provide grants tailored to business losses, with amounts ranging between $5,000-$150,000. The average grant provided to date is $25,000. Grant funds may be used toward operational expenses, including PPE, rent and utilities, payroll, and more. DCEO has received over 40,000 applications through the program since it launched in June. Since that time, the department has issued $168 million to over 6,300 small business owners spanning over 500 cities around the state with more awards going out in the coming days. Eligible applicants: Must be an independently owned and operated for-profit corporation or limited liability corporation, partnership, or sole proprietorship authorized to conduct business in the State of Illinois; OR a 501c3, 501c6, or 501c19 nonprofit; Must have been operating for at least three months prior to March 2020. Must have had less than $20 million in gross operating revenue in calendar year 2019, or a prorated amount if in operation for less than a year prior to March 2020. Must have experienced net operating losses since March 21, 2020. Must have been closed or had reduced operations due to government orders, public health guidelines, or depressed consumer demand during the COVID 19 pandemic. Must follow other eligibility requirements.
Click here to learn more and apply today. Friday Deadline for Cook County Resident Cash Assistance Program Partnering with the Family Independence Initiative, Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle has announced a $7 Million extension of the Cook County COVID-19 Recovery: Resident Cash Assistance Program. The application is open until Friday December 11 at 11:59 p.m. The Program offers a one-time cash payment of $600 to eligible suburban Cook County residents who have been negatively impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic. Click here to learn more and apply today. Share Your Holiday Plans This month, Chicago Gourmet launched a holiday social media campaign, #ChiGourmetHoliday, to raise awareness of the special menus, meal kits, gift ideas, delivery/carry-out specials and more available at restaurants throughout Chicagoland. Content may be shared on Instagram, Facebook, or Twitter — where Chicago Gourmet has nearly 66,000 fans — to encourage consumer support of local restaurants at a time when they need it the most. Please submit holiday details and one or more high-quality photographs for potential inclusion to info@chicagogourmet.org. *Photo Credit: Brindille Webinar on Support and Assistance for Restaurant & Bar Workers
Join the IRA, IRA Educational Foundation, and Southern Smoke Foundation on Thursday, December 17 at 10:00 a.m. for a webinar providing an overview of relief funds for food and beverage industry employees and how to apply, as well as info about other organizations and assistance programs that may be helpful right now. This webinar will be broadcast in English, Spanish, and Mandarin Chinese. **Este seminario web se transmitirá en inglés y español.** **此网络研讨会有中文及英文两种放送版本** This webinar is provided in partnership with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and the Cook County Community Recovery Initiative. Click here to register. Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Required by December 31 Effective January 1, 2020, Illinois employers are required to provide annual sexual harassment prevention training to all employees. Compliance must be achieved by December 31 every year. Restaurants and bars are also required to provide supplemental sexual harassment prevention training to all employees, regardless of employment classification. What Restaurants and Bars Need to Know Businesses may use their own internal program if it meets mandated minimum training standards. Approved online training is also available at ServSafe.com. Free online training for restaurants and bars is also available in English on the Illinois Department of Human Rights(IDHR) website. Free online training for restaurants and bars in Spanish has not yet been made available by IDHR. We will share this information as soon as possible. In the meantime, operators can create a customized training in Spanish by having a staff member take the ServSafe online course, and then incorporating the missing content into the existing IDHR presentation. Proof of training must be provided upon request from IDHR. Records should include the names of employees trained, the training date, sign-in sheets, copies of certificates of participation, and a copy of all written or recorded materials that comprise the training, as well as the name of the training provider, if applicable. Records may be paper-based, or electronic. In addition to the training requirement, employers must also establish a written sexual harassment prevention policy available in English and Spanish, and provide a copy to all employees within the first calendar week of employment. The policy may be included in the company handbook, or distributed as a separate document. Employees should acknowledge receipt of the policy with their signature. The IRA has developed a policy template which has been vetted by our attorneys, and is available to download in English and Spanish on our website.
Click here to review the FAQ from IDHR. Contact IRA Director of Education Mary Wilkie with any questions.
|
Email to a Friend
