BACP Liquor Licensee Webinar - Preparing for the 4th of July Holiday, Enforcement Actions
The City of Chicago Department of Business Affairs and Consumer Protection (BACP) is hosting an
online briefing
for all licensed Liquor Establishments this
Thursday, July 2 from 10:15 to 11:00 a.m.
to review critical updates from the City of Chicago regarding regulations and enforcement this weekend.
In order to keep Illinois on a safe and steady path to reopening, we urge all operators to strictly follow public health guidelines and operational restrictions to keep their customers and team members safe.
Several municipalities and states around the country are slowing or shutting down their reopening plans. Read more:
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State of Illinois Phase IV - Clarification on Standing Areas
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Last Friday, all four regions of the state transitioned into Phase IV of the Restore Illinois framework for reopening. Earlier this week, Governor J.B. Pritzker released the
Restore Illinois Phase IV Guidelines for Reopening
for various industries, including restaurants and bars.
Click here
to read the full announcement.
Click here
to read the Phase IV Guidelines for indoor and outdoor dining at restaurants and bars.
The Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity has provided the following clarification related to restaurant and bar standing areas:
- Standing area capacity of restaurants or bars may operate at maximum of 25% of standing area capacity. If the standing area does not have a designated capacity limit, establishments may allow up to 15 people per 1,000 square feet
A state of Illinois Phase IV reopening toolkit for restaurants and bars is also available
here
.
Restaurants and bars located in the city of Chicago must follow the city's
Phase IV - Gradually Reopen guidelines
for restaurants and bars. Restaurants and bars should refer to local authorities and health departments for additional guidelines during Phase IV.
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What to Do When a COVID-19 Positive Case Has Been Reported in Your Facility
The IRA has developed a guide of protocols to follow when a confirmed COVID-19 case has been in your facility.
The guide includes: general best practices, cleaning and disinfecting policies, employee leave requirements, notification templates, and more.
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State of Illinois, City of Chicago COVID-19 Testing Locations
Click here
for a list of testing sites throughout the state of Illinois. Please note not all testing sites listed are managed by the Illinois Department of Public Health. This list will be updated frequently.
The city of Chicago has opened five testing sites throughout Chicago that bring testing to communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19 global pandemic. All tests at the City testing sites are free and all people regardless of citizenship status can be tested.
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Take Two Minutes to Complete Our Elected Official Relationship Survey
As we continue to advocate on behalf of the industry during COVID-19, the IRA and National Restaurant Association are working to identify existing and new relationships our members have with local, state, and federal elected officials. The results will allow us to get a comprehensive sense of which restaurant operators have relationships with lawmakers across the state.
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Illinois Restaurant Promise - Available in Spanish
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In partnership with the IRA and health officials across the state, restaurant owners and operators make these commitments to earn this endorsement during the COVID-19 recovery period.
When customers see this endorsement, they can be comfortable that the restaurant is taking all necessary steps to protect their employees and customers and is committed to playing a leadership role in protecting our communities.
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City of Chicago Phase IV: What Restaurants Need to Know
Last Friday, the city of Chicago transitioned into Phase IV. Restaurants are now permitted to resume indoor dining at 25% occupancy per room - or 50 people per room (whichever is fewer) - at the beginning of Phase IV.
As a reminder, under the amended and reissued
Public Health Order 2020-05
, all liquor sales for on-premises consumption at Chicago restaurants and bars must cease at 11:00 pm.
If your establishment sells liquor, all liquor sales must stop at 11:00 p.m.
Food sales can continue until the time established on your retail food license.
All liquor sales of packaged goods for off-premises consumption, via delivery or carry-out, must cease at 9:00 pm.
BACP has provided the following clarifications and guidance related to occupancy:
- In order to determine 25% occupancy:
- Use occupancy placard and divide by 4
- OR, calculate square footage of indoor space and then divide by 60.
- Restaurants should use total square footage to determine 25% occupancy, not just dining room space
- Business owners may determine how a "room" is defined. The city's intention is that all rooms are fully separate
- Staff should not be included in the 50 per room or capacity calculations
- Tables and seats in a room where 50% or more of a wall can be removed via the opening of windows, doors, or panels do not count toward indoor occupancy, provided that dining tables are within 8-ft from such outdoor openings
Click here
to read the Phase IV - Gradually Reopen guidelines for restaurants and bars.
The IRA has compiled the
various operational guidelines
that Chicago restaurants and bars must be aware of as they reopen, including: sidewalk café and expanded outdoor dining FAQs, federal paid sick leave requirements, cocktails to go regulations, 11:00 p.m. ending time for alcohol sales notice, and more.
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Minimum Wage and Tipped Wage Increases Now in Effect
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As of today - Wednesday, July 1, 2020 - minimum wage and tipped wage rates have increased for the state of Illinois, Cook County, and city of Chicago.
Please review the below rate increases and take action accordingly for your business.
State of Illinois
- Previous minimum wage - $9.25
- Previous tipped wage - $5.55
- Minimum wage as of July 1, 2020 - $10.00
- Tipped wage as of July 1, 2020 - $6.00
Click here
for more information on the state of Illinois' minimum wage law.
Cook County
*
- Previous minimum wage - $12.00
- Previous tipped wage - $5.25
- Minimum wage as of July 1, 2020 - $13.00
- Tipped wage as of July 1, 2020 - $5.30
Click here
for more information on Cook County's minimum wage law.
*
More than 100 municipalities within Cook County have opted out of Cook County's minimum wage ordinance. Please check with your local authorities to confirm whether or not this law applies to your business. If your municipality has opted out of Cook County's minimum wage ordinance, you must follow the state of Illinois' minimum wage law. Employers with tipped employees should take special note that they should pay the higher Illinois tipped wage of $6.00 per hour than the lower Cook County tipped wage of $5.30.
City of Chicago
**
- Previous minimum wage - $13.00
- Previous tipped wage - $6.40
- Minimum wage as of July 1, 2020 - $14.00
- Tipped wage as of July 1, 2020 - $8.40
Click here
for more information on the city of Chicago's minimum wage law.
**
Effective July 1, 2020, small employers (4-20 employees) in the city of Chicago are required to pay employees a minimum wage of $13.50 and a tipped wage of $8.10
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City of Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance Now in Effect
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The city of Chicago's Fair Workweek Ordinance goes into effect today - Wednesday, July 1, 2020. Employees are covered by the ordinance if they work in one of seven “covered” industries (Building Services, Healthcare, Hotels, Manufacturing, Restaurants, Retail, and Warehouse Services), they make less than $26/hour or $50,000/year, and the employer has at least 100 employees globally (250 employees and 30 locations for a restaurant).
Restaurants with less than 250 employees and less than 30 global locations are exempt from this ordinance. Unless your restaurant has 30 or more locations globally, your restaurant is exempt from this ordinance. Franchisees with 3 or fewer locations owned by one employer are also exempted
Covered employees are given:
- Advance notice of work schedule (10 days beginning July 1, 2020)
- Right to decline previously unscheduled hours
- 1 hour of Predictability Pay for any shift change within 10 days
- Right to rest by declining work hours less than 10 hours after the end of previous day’s shift
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City of Chicago Announces $56M Grant to Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership to Bolster Contact Tracing
Yesterday, Mayor Lightfoot and the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH) announced the City has awarded a $56 million grant to Chicago Cook Workforce Partnership (The Partnership), in collaboration with the University of Illinois at Chicago School of Public Health, NORC at the University of Chicago, Malcolm X College – one of the City Colleges of Chicago – and Sinai Urban Health Institute, to carry out contact tracing services in Chicago, with an effort based in communities most impacted by the COVID-19 pandemic.
These organizations will lead a health-equity based approach to further contain the spread of COVID-19, which will include disbursing 85% of the total grant funding to community organizations in areas of high economic hardship to train and certify a 600-person workforce that will support contact tracing.
The 600 newly created jobs will be hired directly from the communities of high economic hardship that have been adversely impacted by COVID-19.
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Please
visit our website
for the latest COVID-19 updates, in addition to the above resources and information for your business. Updated as of 5:25 p.m. on Wednesday, July 1.
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