Illinois Small Business Issues

The 2015 legislative session is underway, and several issues are key to small business owners in Illinois:

• Income tax: The massive 67% income tax increase passed in 2011 started to sunset Jan. 1, 2015.  Illinois continues to have a huge operating deficit along with massive pension debt and $6 billion in unpaid bills.  There could be efforts to try to raise the income tax again to address these revenue issues.  NFIB remains opposed to any attempt to raise the income tax.
• Workers' compensation: Gov. Bruce Rauner has made reforming workers' compensation a top priority. NFIB/Illinois joins him working towards changing our causation standard so only those injuries that occurred in the workplace is compensable.
• Minimum wage:  Once again, there are efforts to raise Illinois' minimum wage and NFIB opposes attempts to hike the wage to $11 an hour.  
• Sales tax: There is a lot of discussion about instituting a sales tax on service and labor. Again, as revenue options are sought, the threat of a service is always great. NFIB is opposed to a service tax.
• Paid sick leave: Legislation has been introduced to require all employers to provide seven days of paid sick leave, with no exemptions for business size, covering both full- and part-time workers. NFIB will fight these efforts.