Workforce Development Webinar: Exploring Second Chance Employees to Meet Workforce Needs To address the workforce shortages of our Chamber Members, Business Works is hosting a complimentary webinar on second chance employees (those with a past criminal record). Topics will include discussion of area programs in which members can tap to create a pipeline of theseContinue reading
Illinois Back to Business B2B Grant Opens You should have received an announcement from us earlier that the Governor’s Office Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity (DCEO) has announced a $250 million Back to Business (B2B) grant program. It opened Wednesday, August 18th and closes October 11th. We encourage all Members to get their applicationsContinue reading
The NACC’s Business Works presented a webinar on June 15th to unpack the complexities of employer’s navigation of how to set policies regarding vaccines in the workplace. Some key takeaways: It is legal for employers to require employees to get a COVID-19 vaccine. However, many factors go into making vaccines mandatory including the impact onContinue reading
Springfield Session Ends After late night sessions over the Memorial Day weekend, the 2021 General Assembly ended its session (sort of) on Monday, Monday, May 31. The Senate reconvened Tuesday, June 1 at 11:00 and there is talk of the House reconvening at some point in the coming weeks. I will be discussing in detailContinue reading
Biometrics are physical or behavioral human characteristics that can be used to digitally identify a person to grant access to systems, devices, or data. Biometric information can come in an array of technologies including facial or fingerprint recognition, voice scans, and more. Employers have used fingerprint technology recognition for employee shift check-in/out, access to facility spaces, andContinue reading
The NACC is intent on determining the needs of our business community as we are emerging from the gripes of COVID-19 pandemic and the financial aftermath that will follow. It has been a bit of a kaleidoscope to accurately assess your needs with numerous changes in re-opening mitigations, fluctuations in the availability of grants andContinue reading
The Illinois General Assembly is in full swing with over 6,700 bills being introduced over the last several weeks. I have identified some key pieces of legislation that is on the NACC Business Works Committee radar taht could potentially impact our Chamber Members. 9% Prejudgment Interest Bill | HB 3360 This bill would require payment of prejudgment interest (at a rate of 9% a year) in civil cases, including medical malpracticeContinue reading
As most would agree, there is a level of relief that the drama around the Nov. 2020 election is in our rearview mirror. However, we are on the heels of the not so much talked-about April 6th “consolidated election” where we will elect city council members, park district and school district board members, as wellContinue reading
End of Year Member Survey We are keenly concerned with how our business community continues to navigate the challenges brought about by the pandemic. We have sent questionnaires periodically throughout to last 10 months to take a pulse as we moved through different “Restore Illinois Mitigations”. We have created a 2020 End of Year QuestionnaireContinue reading
Federal Stimulus Update We were encouraged to learn last week that a bipartisan group of Senators and Representatives have a new COVID-19 emergency relief framework proposal in play. There has been an agreement between Nancy Pelosi (Speaker of the House) and Mitch McConnell (Senate Majority Leader) that this new legislation should be the framework in which to fund the nextContinue reading
