Governor Pritzker's Executive Order
As expected, Governor Pritzker issued an official Executive Order mandating the closure of the on-premises dining component at Illinois restaurants. As a direct result of the advocacy from the Illinois Restaurant Association, the Executive Order clarifies that 'to-go' orders are permitted, such that customers may enter the establishment to purchase food or beverages for carry-out; provided, further, that the establishments offering food or beverage carry-out, including food trucks, must ensure that they have an environment where patrons maintain adequate social distancing. You can view the Executive Order here.
The City of Chicago has issued the following additional guidance for restaurants and bars following the Governor's Executive Order: Chicago Guidance.
Additionally, the Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection has provided the following notice and FAQ: BACP Notice and FAQ.
Economic Relief
As you may be aware, the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201) on March 14, 2020 which, among other inclusions, provides up to 14 days of paid sick leave and up to 12 weeks of paid family medical leave to help those dealing with exposure to, diagnosis, or symptoms of COVID-19 which also includes parents of children impacted by school closures. However, these benefits are provided by small businesses carrying the expense on the front-end and then having to wait for reimbursement in the form of payroll tax credits, which clearly presents a significant cash-flow issue given the mandated shutdown.
The State of Illinois is working with the Small Business Administration to provide targeted, low-interest loans to businesses impacted by COVID-19. The state of Illinois is currently collecting information from small businesses that will be negatively impacted so that they can request an economic disaster declaration from the SBA. To the extent you are comfortable, please complete the following survey so the State can continue work with the SBA: Survey.