Industry Insight, ILCC Updated FAQs, IRA Files Support in Business Interruption Case
Monday, June 14, 2021
Please see the below resources and information for your business - updated as of 6:15 p.m. on Monday, June 14. *** Welcome to the IRA's Industry Insight Newsletter As the state has reached Phase 5, the IRA will continue to provide timely updates and resources geared towards restaurant recovery. As we will also continue to expand our coverage beyond COVID-19, we have, effective today, renamed our newsletter. Industry Insight will be delivered to your inbox every week. Stay in touch with essential news, advocacy, events, and more that impact your operation. Want to have your industry colleagues sign up for updates? Share this link to sign up. ILCC Issues Updated FAQs, Liquor License Extensions, Cocktails to Go Notice The Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC) has recently issued updated FAQs on Phase 5 for liquor licensees, an updated notice of state liquor license extensions through December 31, 2021, and an updated notice on the extension of cocktails to go in Illinois. Click here to review the new FAQ. Click here to review the updated notice of state liquor license extensions until December 31, 2021. Click here to review the updated notice on the allowance of the sale of cocktails to go until 2024. Phase 5 Guidelines - What Restaurants, Bars, and Event Venues Need to Know As of Friday, June 11, the state of Illinois, Cook County, and the city of Chicago have entered Phase 5 of the Restore Illinois plan. The city of Chicago and Cook County have aligned their Phase 5 regulations with those issued by the state of Illinois. Click here to review the city of Chicago's Phase 5 recommendations. Click here to review the updated Cook County mitigation order. Operators should check with their municipalities about local reopening regulations. *Please note - until Saturday, June 26 - when the statewide emergency order expires - Late Hour Liquor Licensees in the city of Chicago are required to have fully vaccinated customers only during late night operations. Bars or restaurants with a Tavern or Consumption on Premises-Incidental Activity License can operate under their normal hours - the vaccine-only requirement is in place only during late-night operations at businesses with a Late Hour License until June 26 (between 2:00 am and 4:00 am on Monday through Saturday mornings and between 3:00 am and 5:00 am on Sunday morning). Contact Matt Quinn with any questions about Phase 5 regulations and guidelines. Sam Toia Discusses First Weekend in Phase 5 with WGN IRA President & CEO Sam Toia recently joined Bob Sirott to talk about how restaurants performed after reopening in Phase 5 this past weekend, the reaction behind no capacity limits, ongoing staffing challenges facing restaurants, and more. Click here to listen to the segment. SBA Halts RRF Priority Program Due to Court Order, Push Congress for More Funding 
On Friday evening, the Small Business Administration (SBA) announced that due to a recent court case, they were forced to suspend payments to Restaurant Revitalization Fund (RRF) grant recipients who qualified under the “priority” designation of the RESTAURANTS Act. Under a preliminary injunction issued by a federal court in Texas, the SBA must keep approving funds for non-priority applicants, but cannot distribute money to those designated as “priority” candidates until the case is settled. 2,965 approved applicants from the priority group that were awaiting the transfer of a RRF grant into their bank account will no longer be receiving those RRF funds. Click here to read more from Reuters. We are working with the SBA on next steps, but clearly the news underscores the need for Congress to replenish the RRF. We urge you to stay motivated and contact your representatives in Washington to finish the mission and fully fund the RRF. Click here to join our effort. IRA Files Amicus Brief with Restaurant Law Center in Business Interruption Insurance Case Last week, the IRA and Restaurant Law Center filed an amicus brief in support of Aviston Family Restaurant in their business interruption insurance case in the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit. Click here to review the brief. Reminder - Minimum Wage and Tipped Wage Rates in Chicago, Cook County, State of Illinois Starting July 1, 2021, the following minimum wage and tipped wage rates are in effect for the city of Chicago, Cook County, and state of Illinois. Please review the below information and plan accordingly for your business. City of Chicago* Current minimum wage - $14.00 Current tipped wage - $8.40 Minimum wage starting July 1, 2021 - $15.00 Tipped wage starting July 1, 2021 - $9.00
Click here for more information on the city of Chicago's minimum wage law. *Effective July 1, 2021, small employers (4-20 employees) in the city of Chicago are required to pay employees a minimum wage of $14.00 and a tipped wage of $8.40. Cook County** The minimum wage for employees in Cook County will not increase on July 1, 2021. Cook County’s minimum wage is based on the greatest rate among the Federal minimum wage, Illinois State minimum wage, or on the County’s calculation using the Consumer Price Index (CPI). Pursuant to the County's Minimum Wage ordinance and rules, the County’s minimum wage calculation may not be used when the unemployment rate in Cook County is 8.5% or greater. The unemployment rate in Cook County for the previous year was equal to or greater than 8.5%. Therefore, the minimum wage will remain at $13.00 per hour for non-tipped employees. The minimum wage for tipped workers increased earlier this year to $6.60 per hour, in alignment with the state of Illinois' minimum wage. Click here for more information on Cook County's minimum wage law. **More than 100 municipalities within Cook County opted out of Cook County's minimum wage ordinance. Please check with your local authorities to confirm whether or not this law applies to your business. If your municipality has opted out of Cook County's minimum wage ordinance, you must follow the state of Illinois' minimum wage law. State of Illinois The state of Illinois' minimum wage and tipped wage rates are not slated to increase until January 1, 2022. Click here for more information on the state of Illinois' minimum wage law.
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