Pritzker signs bill making it easier for Chicago Teachers Union to walk out on students

By Mailee Smith

04/08/2021

A new law gives the Chicago Teachers Union more leverage in contract negotiations, and more opportunities to go on strike. Eight of the nation’s 10 largest school districts prohibit teacher strikes.

TAGS: COVID-19, CTU: Chicago Teachers Union, JB Pritzker, strike

Two Illinois border states revoke governors’ mask mandates

By Laura Bianchi

04/08/2021

High courts in Wisconsin and Michigan have both ruled governors cannot repeatedly issue disaster declarations as a basis for mask mandates and other orders without legislative approval. A year into the pandemic, Illinois’ governor is still doing it.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker, lockdown, Michigan, reopen, Wisconsin

Biden corporate tax plan would push Illinois rates to No. 5

By Ann Miller

04/02/2021

Combine the corporate tax rate President Joe Biden wants to fund his infrastructure plan with Illinois’ tax, and the resulting rate would be 35.4% – fifth highest in the nation and second in the Midwest.

TAGS: corporate income tax, COVID-19, JB Pritzker, Joe Biden, small business

35% of Illinois’ small businesses are closed a year into COVID-19 restrictions

By Bryce Hill

03/29/2021

More small businesses have closed in Illinois than in any other Midwestern state, except Michigan. Taxing them more as they struggle is the wrong move.

TAGS: COVID-19, jobs, lockdown, small business, unemployment

Illinois Senate committee passes bill to help nursing shortage

By Ann Miller

03/24/2021

Sen. Feigenholtz’s Senate Bill 2068 would add Illinois to 34 other states participating in the Nurse Licensure Compact. Career moves, volunteer work and pandemic relief would all benefit.

TAGS: COVID-19, emergency, Nurse Licensure Compact

Pritzker adds another phase before getting Illinois to full reopening

By Patrick Andriesen

03/19/2021

Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker and his public health chief decided their five-phase plan to lift COVID-19 restrictions needed another phase. The new phase calls for more places to open after more older residents are vaccinated, but with mask mandates.

TAGS: COVID-19, JB Pritzker, reopen, restrictions

552K Illinoisans getting or seeking unemployment benefits a year into COVID-19

By Brad Weisenstein

03/18/2021

A year into COVID-19 and 552,000 Illinois workers are still in need of jobs. Despite that, Gov. J.B. Pritzker is asking for as much as $2 billion in new taxes on the small businesses that create most Illinois jobs.

TAGS: COVID-19, IDES: Illinois Department of Employment Security, JB Pritzker, jobs, unemployment

Hollowed out: Small businesses reflect on one year into a pandemic

By Hilary Gowins

03/18/2021

The pandemic has affected everyone, but the economic fallout has been especially devastating for specific groups. In addition to retailers, restaurant owners and other small business owners, women, working mothers and Black Illinoisans suffered the worst in terms of job losses.

TAGS: COVID-19, jobs, lockdown, recession, small business

Black Illinoisans twice as likely to have lost jobs in 2020

By Bryce Hill

03/15/2021

Revised figures show 2020 job losses were worse for Black Illinoisans than originally thought. The worst year of job losses in state history disproportionately affected minority Illinoisans.

TAGS: COVID-19, jobs, restrictions, unemployment

Restrictions ease, but Chicago cites 5 bars, restaurants over COVID rules

By Laura Bianchi

03/11/2021

Chicago Mayor Lori Lightfoot is allowing bars and restaurants to be open later and increase capacity, but city inspectors are looking for COVID-19 rules violations. Five restaurants and bars were just cited.

TAGS: Chicago, COVID-19, Lori Lightfoot, regulations