Author: Rock Fusco Connelly LLC
Eviction Moratorium to Be Phased Out, Rental Relief Program Begins
At the end of May, Governor Pritzker signed a bill that expands rental assistance for Illinois households. The new law creates a $1.5 Billion rental relief program to aid families and individuals with unpaid rental debt from the COVID-19 pandemic. Pritzker’s eviction moratorium went into effect in March of 2020 and has prevented mass evictions
Chicago Employers Must Permit Time Off For COVID-19 Vaccination
In April, the City of Chicago enacted the Chicago COVID-19 Vaccine Anti-Retaliation Ordinance (the “Ordinance”). The Ordinance affords workers certain protections designed to safeguard access to a COVID-19 vaccination by restricting the conduct of employers, defined “any person or entity that engages in the services of one or more individual for payment.” The Ordinance establishes
Things to Know about PPP Loan Forgiveness
The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”), a key component of federal relief efforts during the COVID-19 pandemic, has been utilized by many small businesses to cover payroll and other expenses via low-interest loans. Two rounds of PPP loans were disbursed over the course the pandemic, most recently in March of 2021. As the crisis nears its
New CDC Guidelines: No Mask for the Fully Vaccinated
On May 13, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (the “CDC”) released new COVID-19 guidelines for those who are fully vaccinated. If you have been fully vaccinated, the CDC is now saying that you can resume activities that you did prior to the pandemic. You can also resume activities without wearing a mask or
Biden Administration Begins to Implement Sweeping Anti-Money Laundering and Counterterrorism Changes
Several critical – but often overlooked – provisions of the 2021 National Defense Authorization Act (the “NDAA”) will begin to take shape in the coming months. Aside from allocating the annual defense budget, this year’s NDAA contained the Anti-Money Laundering Act of 2020 (“AMLA”), the Corporate Transparency Act (“CTA”), the Combatting Russian Money Laundering Act
California’s AB-5 is “Clearly Detrimental” to the Trucking Industry
A recent California court decision may have far-reaching implications on the trucking industry, not just in California, but also nationwide. In the wake of that decision, the California Trucking Association (the “CTA”), a trade association representing motor carriers that hire independent contractors who are owner-operators, has vowed to continue its fight against the State of
Property Tax Appeals, Exemptions & Incentives
Our real estate tax team at Rock Fusco & Connelly continues to work hard fighting to keep your property tax bills as low as possible. As the 2021 appeal session gets underway, we wanted to give you an update on where we are in the 2020 appeal session, what to expect in 2021, and dates
Hospitality Industry Loses COVID-19 Lawsuit Against State of Illinois
Hospitality jobs in Illinois have declined nearly 52 percent since the pandemic began, according to new data, as lawsuits continue against the governor’s orders to close nonessential businesses. While leisure and hospitality jobs were hit the hardest, the number of small businesses open in Illinois overall has fallen by about 36.5 percent, as of March
Proposed Changes to Biometric Information Privacy Act
Illinois lawmakers have introduced House Bill 559 to add new provisions to the Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”). However, there is debate over whether the changes would gut BIPA’s power. BIPA requires private entities to inform persons in writing about the purpose of any biometric information collection, use, or storage. Biometric data includes fingerprint technology,
Federal Judge Rules CDC’s Pandemic Eviction Moratorium Unconstitutional
A federal judge in Texas ruled late last month that the Center of Disease Control’s (“CDC”) eviction moratorium to let people stay in their homes despite their lost income during the coronavirus pandemic is unconstitutional. With millions of tenants throughout the United States behind on rent, this ruling could potentially have severe consequences for millions