Hospitality Recovery Hearing, Immigration Reform, Updated 6 Feet Social Distancing Guidance

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

Please see the below resources and information for your business - updated as of 7:30 p.m. on Friday, February 19.

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IRA Joins Senate Hearing on Hospitality and Tourism Industry Recovery Needs

Yesterday, IRA President & CEO Sam Toia testified at an Illinois Senate Tourism and Hospitality Committee hearing about the need for a strategic plan to reopen the restaurant, hotel, convention, and tourism industries of Illinois.

Senator Sara Feigenholtz (6th) chaired the meeting, which also heard testimony from the Illinois Hotel & Lodging Association (IHLA), Choose Chicago, and Visit Champaign County.

Toia stressed the importance of allowing events to resume safely with more than 50 people, prioritizing restaurant and bar workers for vaccination, easing regulations on small businesses, and stopping potential tax increases.

"We must consider all possible solutions to allow for some larger gatherings and events that are so integral to the welfare of our economy, our local businesses, and the dedicated team members they employ," said Toia.

The IRA continues to advocate on all levels for enhanced legislative, regulatory, and financial relief for the restaurant and hospitality community of Illinois.

Read more:

• Capitol News Illinois - Restaurants, hotels call for reopening plan

• The Center Square - Hospitality leaders tell Senate that industry is being destroyed by COVID-19 restrictions

• Alton Telegraph - Tourism wants reopening plan by state officials

• NBC 13 Rockford - Illinois restaurants and hotels will likely struggle for years to come

Immigration Reform Bill Introduced

Yesterday, President Biden's immigration reform bill was introduced by Senator Bob Menendez of New Jersey and Representative Linda Sanchez of California. 

The bill would clear employment-based visa backlogs, recapture unused visas, create a path to earned citizenship for 11 million undocumented workers including Dreamers, agricultural workers and essential workers, and enhance border management, among other provisions.

The IRA is supportive of the legislation, and will continue to work with our colleagues at the Illinois Business Immigration Coalition (IBIC) to pass comprehensive immigration reform. The IRA is a proud founding member of IBIC.

Click here to read more from CNN.

Updated Phase 4 Guidance - Six Feet of Social Distancing Between Seatbacks at Other Tables

The state of Illinois recently reissued its Phase 4 guidance for the restaurants and bars to clarify how establishments should determine six feet of social distancing between different parties.

Per the state guidelines, capacity is determined by arranging tables so that seated patrons are a minimum six feet away from patrons at other tables. Previously, tables needed to be spaced 6 feet apart. Now, the seatbacks at one table must be 6 feet from the seatbacks at the other table.

Click here to review the updated Phase IV guidelines.

Businesses located in the city of Chicago or Cook County must adhere to the guidelines in those municipalities.

Webinar on Workplace Legal Considerations for Vaccines and Distribution in Cook County

Join the IRA and panelists from the Cook County Department of Public Health (CCDPH) and Laner Muchin for a webinar Thursday, February 25 at 10:00 a.m. providing info on the legal considerations for vaccine policies in the workplace as well as the current suburban Cook County vaccine rollout and eligibility.

This webinar is provided in partnership with Cook County Board President Toni Preckwinkle and the Cook County Community Recovery Initiative.

**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**

Click here to register.

Reminder - City of Chicago Extension of Business Relief

In December, the Chicago City Council passed a law to extend critical regulatory relief into 2021. The following measures are now in place:

• Extension of License Expiration Dates: All licenses that expire between March 15, 2020 and June 15, 2021 will be considered active until July 15, 2021 and those businesses can operate during that time without renewing their license or paying a fee.

• Extension of Sidewalk Café Permit Expiration Date and Extension of Reforms: All current Sidewalk Café Permits will be considered active through May 31, 2021 and businesses with a Sidewalk Café Permit can operate their current Sidewalk Cafes until that date without renewing. Additionally, all Sidewalk Café Permits issued for the 2021 season will benefit from the temporary reforms implemented in 2020: permit fee reduction of 75%, the ability to extend in front of neighboring property and an expedited permit issuance process.

• Extension of Expanded Outdoor Dining Program: The Expanded Outdoor Dining Program, through which bars and restaurants can operate outside on private property or closed streets, has been extended to last through the end of 2021.

Click here to read more.