Business Services

of Public Health (CDPH) to communicate updated guidance with the businesses, consumers and employees affected by this crisis. This is a rapidly evolving situation and this page will be updated regularly with new resources. For up-to-date health guidance, please visit www.chicago.gov/coronavirus.

For Businesses

Latest Updates

• On March 15, 2020, Governor Pritzker announced that bars and restaurants across Illinois will close to the public by the end of the day Monday, March 16, 2020. Bars and Restaurants are to remain closed until April 30, 2020.
  
  • Frequently Asked Questions  (Español)

  • Read the 3/16 Press Release

• Until further notice, BACP’s Business Education Workshops and Solution Station Consultations have been cancelled. Details about webinars and additional resources will be posted on this page.

Resources

• The SBA has a broad array of resources available for small business support. Call or email the Illinois District Office or go to sba.gov/il for more information. Local staff stand ready to assist.
  • Chicago Office: 312-353-4528
  • Springfield Branch: 217-747-8249
  • Email: DO@sba.gov

 For Consumers

• BACP urges consumers to submit consumer fraud complaints to BACP via 3-1-1 or at chicago.gov/bacp.
• The Illinois Attorney General’s Office has also warned against COVID-19 scams. Consumers can also submit complaints to the Illinois Attorney General’s Office’s website or by calling the Consumer Fraud Hotline (1-800-386-5438).

For Employees

• BACP, along with the Chicago Department of Public Health, is urging all employers to maintain flexible sick leave policies that allow sick employees to stay home without the fear of the impact this will have on their employment.
• Chicago’s Paid Sick Leave Law requires Chicago employers to allow employees to accrue at least one hour of paid sick leave for each forty hours worked. Furthermore, the law says that employees can use sick time when they or a family member or sick, if their place of business is closed or if their child’s school is closed due to a public health emergency.
• For updated information, please visit chicago.gov/laborstandards.
• The Illinois Department of Employment Security has recently adopted emergency rules to try to make the unemployment insurance system as responsive to the current situation as possible. Please visit their website for more information.