TO APPLY FOR UNEMPLOYMENT FOR COVID19 PLEASE CLICK HERE.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) put into place emergency rules to help workers impacted by the coronavirus shutdowns.  Here are emergency rules that may apply to your employees:

  • An employee who is temporarily laid off because their place of work closed due to the coronavirus is eligible for benefits as long as he or she is willing and able to return to work as soon as the workplace is reopened. The seven day waiting period and the requirement that the applicant register with the state employment service have been waived.
  • An employee who quits their job because of concern about the coronavirus or wants to stay home to take care of a child whose school is closed is not eligible for unemployment coverage unless there is another legally valid reason for the departure.
  • An employee who is confined to their home because the employee or family member has COVID-19 or because of a government required quarantine is eligible for unemployment insurance but must register with the state employment service and actively seek work that could be performed from the home.

The SBAC continues formulating its agenda and will be working with policymakers to enact policies that will help small businesses weather this storm

Please feel free to contact the SBAC with any questions.

Paid Sick Leave

The City’s Paid Sick Leave Ordinance mandates that all Chicago businesses provide paid sick leave to employees.

  • Any employee who works at least 80 hours for an employer in Chicago within any 120-day period is covered by the ordinance and is eligible for paid sick leave.
  • Employees begin to accrue paid sick leave on the first calendar day after they begin their employment. For every 40 hours worked, employees accrue one hour of paid sick leave.
  • Employers with paid time off policies that meet or exceed the paid sick leave requirements are not required to provide additional paid sick leave.
  • More information is at the City of Chicago website here.

Unemployment benefits may be available to some individuals whose unemployment is attributable to COVID-19. IDES recently adopted emergency rules to try to make the unemployment insurance system as responsive to the current situation as possible. 

Click here for more information.