GOVERNOR’S BRIEFING
Today, Governor JB Pritzker‘s briefing marked one month since he first issued a State of Emergency. In response to a reporter’s question related to moving on, the Governor stated that Illinois will not be able to move on until we have a lot more testing, contact tracing, and treatment. In response to another question, the Governor also suggested that people should strongly consider canceling large summer gatherings until a vaccine is in place and applied. Interestingly, and shockingly given the on-going devastation of the retail community, in a response to a reporter’s question the Governor stated that times like this reinforce that the minimum wage increase is needed “more than ever” and that the increases are “very small”.
ALL IN ILLINOIS
The State of Illinois launched a public awareness program All In Illinois. It is designed to give citizens practical tips and tools to keep themselves and those like medical professionals and retail workers safe. Citizens can also use it to change their social media profiles, print a sign for windows/doors, and share stories of those who are going above-and-beyond to meet the needs around them. IRMA encourages you to visit All In Illinois and to make your employees aware as well
LOCAL GOVERNMENTS
A handful of local governments have implemented or threatened to implement additional social distancing measures that are often contradictory to the guidance issued by the state, are divorced from reality, or expect enforcement measures by retailers who have no such power under the law. IRMA sent this letter to all mayor/village presidents through the Illinois Municipal League. You can read the letter here.
EMPLOYER WAGE REPORT FILINGS
The Illinois Department of Employment Security (IDES) announced that effective immediately employers will not face a penalty fee for filing their February 2020 wage reports late. However, employers are still encouraged to file their February 2020 wage reports, which are due to IDES on March 31st, as soon as possible. This assists IDES in making monetary eligibility determinations for workers who have been laid off as a result of COVID-19.
ILLINOIS COVID-19 IMPACT UPDATE
Dr. Ngozi Ezike, MD, Director of the Illinois Department of Public Health announced 1,344 new cases in Illinois, including 66 more deaths – the largest increase to-date. Currently, IDPH is reporting a total of 16,422 cases, to date, including 528 deaths, in 81 of Illinois’ 102 counties. Additional information can be found here. COVID-19 stats by zip code will be available here.