The legislature remains on hold until March because of the pandemic, but lawmakers are still introducing bills, and NFIB is still reviewing them to see what impact they may have on Illinois’ small businesses.

Unemployment insurance

The Senate Labor Committee has met twice to discuss the unemployment compensation program. The state Department of Employment Security says that Illinois spent 100% of its money from the UI trust fund in mid-2020. Since then, the federal government has loaned the state over $5 billion to continue to pay unemployment to laid-off Illinois workers.

Additionally, department officials were grilled by committee members about fraud taking place in the UI system. They responded that federal, state, and local law enforcement are actively working to stop the fraudulent activity. They ask employers and workers to report correspondence or email they believe is fraudulent.

NFIB will join other business groups in sitting down with legislators and representatives of organized labor to hammer out a plan that puts Illinois on a path to solvency. NFIB also is asking that a portion of the funding coming to the state in the next federal relief package go toward paying down the UI debt.

Bills we are watching:

• HB62, a measure providing that all Illinois residents would be covered under the Illinois Health Services Program
• HB74, a bill that would require businesses with 50 or more employees to provide six weeks of paid leave to care for children or other family members
• HB85, legislation requiring the Department of Employment Security to establish a Wage Insurance Program.
• HB117, which would amend the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act so that it applies to all businesses with employees. 
• HB118, legislation that amends the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act.?  
• HB353, legislation to immediately increase the hourly wage for essential workers to at least $20 an hour during the COVID-19 emergency 

Illinois Small Business Day

Mark your calendar for April 6, 2021, and plan to attend our first virtual Small Business Day at the Capitol. We can’t all gather in Springfield because of the pandemic, so we’ll meet online. Speakers will include NFIB President Brad Close. We’ll announce other speakers and more details closer to the event.