December 1, 2023

This Week in Illinois

ELC Testifies at IDOL Hearing on Proposed Rule for Paid Leave for All Workers Act

The Illinois Department of Labor's (IDOL) proposed rule to implement the Paid Leave for All Workers Act was published in the November 3, 2023 Illinois Register.

The Department held a public hearing yesterday on the proposed rule. Jay Shattuck, representing the Illinois Chamber’s Employment Law Council, was the only business group to provide oral testimony. Brad Cole from the Illinois Municipal League offered concerns from the perspective of Illinois municipalities.

Shattuck noted that the Chamber is still in the process of reviewing the proposed rule and receiving input from our members about the proposal. He stated, “this is a complicated law the Department is being asked to enforce in an environment where there are as many different ways employers provide paid time off as there are employers.”

We will be scheduling a virtual meeting to assist us in preparing our comments that are due December 18th. If you have any suggestions, concerns or thoughts we should consider in our comments, please contact us at your earliest convenience. IDOL is hosting webinars for employers. Information on upcoming webinars can be found here. Also, IDOL has established a FAQ page for additional assistance for employers.

For more information about Paid Leave for all, please contact ELC Executive Director Aaron Harris. For more information about joining the ELC, please contact Danielle Blake.

BIPA Win in Illinois Supreme Court

Earlier this week, the Illinois Supreme Court held that the Biometric Information Privacy Act “excludes from its protections the biometric information of health care workers where that information is collected, used, or stored for health care treatment, payment, or operations, as those functions are defined by HIPPA. A health care worker’s biometric information, used to permit access to medication dispending stations for patient care . . . is exempt from [BIPA’s] protections.” Mosby, 2013 IL 129081, ¶ 54 (citing 740 ILCS 14/10).

Special thank you to John Adams at EimerStahl for drafting the Chamber’s amicus brief for this case. Agreeing with the defendants, the Court adopted the reasoning from the Chamber's brief.

Meta Hosts Data Center Ribbon Cutting Event in DeKalb

On Wednesday, Senior Vice President of Government Affairs Clark Kaericher attended Meta’s Dekalb Data Center grand opening with Governor Pritzker and legislators including State Senator Sue Rezin, State Representatives Lance Yednock and Jeff Keicher.

This 2.3 million sq foot facility, run entirely on renewable energy, is a huge win for Meta and for Illinois. It is also proof of the real-world impact of legislation and public policy. This building broke ground in 2020, one year after the passage of Rebuild Illinois with its data center incentives championed by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. As a result of that law, Illinois is the 3rd biggest market in America for data centers and the 5th largest in the world.

We applaud Meta for their investment in Illinois and lawmakers for passing incentives to encourage development in our state. As the next legislative session begins in a little more than a month, we look forward to getting to work on the next policy initiatives to make Illinois the best place to live and work in the country.

New Illinois Chamber President & CEO Lou Sandoval Speaks with Statewide Media

It's been a busy first week for Illinois Chamber President and CEO Lou Sandoval as he met with a variety of members of the media. Sandoval, whose first day heading the Chamber was November 27th, spoke on topics ranging from his business-owner background to an expansion of the Chamber's longtime mission.

Read the articles from the Illinoize here and the Daily Line here.

Illinois Chamber Joins US Chamber Open Letter to State Leaders on Artificial Intelligence

Recently, the Illinois Chamber joined more than 60 state and local chambers across the country in signing the US Chamber's open letter to State leaders on AI. The letter raises concerns over a patchwork of state-level proposals to regulate AI that could slow the technology’s benefits and stifle innovation.

Provided below is a portion of the letter.

AI technologies, especially those with generative capabilities, have recently entered the public consciousness and have brought a new age of possibility for businesses and workers, with the potential to solve some of society’s most pressing challenges.

AI is developing quickly, as are the opportunities it brings to revolutionize industries, attract investment, and create new jobs. However, we are concerned that a patchwork of state-level proposals to regulate artificial intelligence could slow realization of these benefits and stifle innovation by making compliance complex and onerous, especially for small businesses that stand to benefit the most from the productivity boosts associated with AI.

A federal framework is the best option to provide American businesses with the certainty they need to invest in AI development and adoption, and our workforce is prepared to transition to an AI-empowered economy. While there are roles for states to promote adoption of AI within schools, businesses, and government entities, the federal government should take the lead in developing a comprehensive framework for regulating AI. This is not an easy task, but federal agencies, leading technology companies, and other critical stakeholders including researchers are working in a collaborative manner alongside U.S. allies to establish governance frameworks for AI.

On behalf of chambers of commerce and business voices across the U.S., the undersigned urge state leaders to embrace the benefits of artificial intelligence (“AI”) for their states, and to study whether legal gaps exist before pushing for new regulatory frameworks. States should conduct assessments of existing laws to identify those that already protect consumers from harm and that work as well for AI as for other technologies. States should also identify AI use cases that can make government more efficient and improve service delivery and constituent engagement. Finally, states should consider how to strengthen support for computer science education and digital skilling initiatives to ensure that American businesses can attract employees prepared to use AI technologies to improve their professional experience and increase their productivity.

View the full letter and co-signers here.

$13 Million Investment in Job Training and Economic Development Program Announced

Governor Pritzker and the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) announced an additional $13 million investment in the Job Training and Economic Development Program (JTED) for workforce training and wrap-around services that will bolster equitable workforce recovery for Illinoisans struggling to gain meaningful employment. As part of Illinois’ workforce recovery efforts, JTED grants focus on helping increase employment among workers and industries hardest hit by COVID-19. Grantees will be selected through a competitive Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO) process.

In the second round of the program, JTED will address the economic impacts experienced by employers and individuals who are underemployed, unemployed, or underrepresented, including youth who have one or more barriers to employment which are identified as risk factors. Priority populations include immigrants and refugees, justice-involved individuals, and rural residents.

JTED funding will continue to focus on hard hit sectors which have seen a labor shortage since the onset of the pandemic – such as manufacturing, agriculture, information technology, transportation distribution and logistics, architecture and construction, healthcare, and hospitality and tourism.

Eligible applicants include employers, private nonprofit organizations, federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act administrative entities, Community Action Agencies, industry associations, and public or private educational institutions that have demonstrated expertise and effectiveness in administering workforce development programs.

Eligible entities can apply for grants between $250,000 to $750,000. Applications will be accepted until January 10 at 5:00 p.m. To view the NOFO and apply for the grant, please visit the DCEO website.

Business Relief: $25 Million Available in B2B Grants for New Businesses

The Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) today announced $25 million in available grant funding through the Back to Business (B2B) NewBiz program. Following state recovery programming for businesses totaling $1.5 billion, the latest American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA)-funded opportunity is designed to provide additional support for businesses in hard-hit sectors who launched during the pandemic. Businesses that launched in 2020 or 2021 and remain in operation have faced significant impacts during the pandemic, but they have not been eligible for other federal or state relief programming since they were not operational prior to the pandemic.

To provide hands-on support and raise awareness about the program, the State has mobilized a network of nearly 100 community navigators across Illinois. Applicants are encouraged to visit b2bnewbiz.com to learn more and apply. 

Applications are open from November 30 through January 11, 2024, and awards are expected to be made several weeks after the deadline date. All eligible applicants will receive a grant as long as the business meets eligibility requirements and submits proper documentation and attestations.

To qualify for the B2B NewBiz program, businesses must have launched between January 2020 and December 2021 and be in an industry that was particularly impacted by the pandemic (As outlined here), or a business that was started by an individual or individuals that became unemployed during the pandemic. Eligible funding amounts are based on when the business was established and whether the business is home-based or operating out of a “brick-and-mortar” establishment.

Learn more here.

Session Update

The House and Senate both returned to Springfield last month for the conclusion of veto session. Per HJR 45, both chambers will return to Springfield on January 16th at the call of the Speaker and Senate President. The 2024 Spring session calendar is now available. Click to view the House and Senate calendars.

This Week: 10th Annual Illinois Chamber New Laws Forum

The New Laws Forum focuses on the new laws and legal developments that will affect ALL Illinois employers in 2024 and beyond. The forum features Illinois attorneys and experts speaking about Illinois laws – as well as representatives from government agencies talking about the latest changes and your peers, a panel of Senior HR professionals discussing how the laws have and will affect their businesses. It's already been a busy year, and more regulation is coming.

When: December 5, 2023 | 8:30 am – 4:30 pm

Where: Doubletree Hilton l 3003 Corporate West Drive

Lisle, IL 60532

Register Here.

Save the Date: Chamber Day 2024

When: Wednesday, April 10, 2024 from 9:30 AM to 1:00 PM CDT

Where: President Abraham Lincoln A Double Tree by Hilton

701 East Adams Street

Springfield, IL 62701