Northalsted is Here to Support You!

News about COVID-19 is changing hourly, so the Northalsted Business Alliance (NBA) is working to provide resources for members of the Northalsted community. This webpage contains a variety of useful information. For the most current information, NBA recommends monitoring updates from the US Center for Disease Control (CDC), the Chicago Department of Public Health (CDPH), and the World Health Organization (WHO).

For information on the virus itself and its symptoms, visit WHO’s Q&A page for an accurate understanding.

Please, check back often—we are constantly updating our page with new information and ways to support our community!

Helpful Links

Federal Stimilus Fact Sheets

Fact Sheets From Federal Stimulus Package

Today the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage and Hour Division (WHD) published its first round of implementation guidance pursuant to the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The guidance addresses critical questions such as:

How does an employer count its number of employees to determine coverage?
How can small businesses obtain an exemption?
How does an employer count hours for part-time employees?
How does an employer calculate wages employees are entitled to under the FFCRA?

The initial WHD guidance is available in three-parts:

Questions and Answers

Phase Three Cares Relief

The National Restaurant Association has put together an easy read summary of the CARES Act Summary 3.23.20. This applies to all kinds of businesses, not just restaurants.

The House Small Business Committee (D), proposed emergency programs and enhancements to improve and leverage the tools available at the Small Business Administration (SBA) to support small businesses, and create new tools to address the unprecedented pressure that small businesses face during this crisis.

ILCC Guidance for Mixed Drinks & Cocktails for Takeout/Delivery

ILCC Guidance for Mixed Drinks & Cocktails for Take Out/Delivery

The IRA has discussed the issue of selling pre-mixed cocktails for delivery/carry-out with the Illinois Liquor Control Commission (ILCC).

During this unprecedented time, restaurants and bars would understandably like to pursue as many revenue streams as possible. For those who do not sell beer or wine, or focus exclusively on mixology, selling professionally mixed cocktails is one such possible avenue.

The ILCC is conducting research to determine the viability of revising current regulations while ensuring consumer health and safety. We will continue to engage and keep members updated.

For more information, visit the ILCC website here.

ServSafe Guidance on Safe Delivery/Takeout & Free Food Handler Training

ServSafe Guidance on Safe Delivery and Takeout, Free Food Handler Training

Food safety training and education are more critical now than ever before. With this in mind, ServSafe will be releasing two new free training videos to reinforce safe food handling during the coronavirus outbreak. These are: ServSafe Takeout: COVID-19 Precautions and ServSafe Delivery: COVID-19 Precautions.

Register to watch the free training videos here.

In addition, to support restaurant workers on the front line, ServSafe is making its standard, ANSI-accredited, online ServSafe Food Handler training program available free of charge through April 30, 2020.

Check out the program here.

Small Business Resiliency Fund

Resiliency Fund Pamphlet (PDF) | English – Spanish

Mayor Lightfoot has announced a new $100M economic relief package to support Chicago’s small businesses that are experiencing a temporary loss of revenue as a result of the COVID-19 outbreak. The Chicago Small Business Resiliency Loan Fund is a partnership with the City, the Chicago Community Catalyst Fund, and other private sponsors.

The new fund will provide no- or low- interest loans to severely impacted small businesses over the coming months, targeting historically under-resourced communities with an emphasis on minimizing hardship for those businesses and their employees. The package is designed to provide much-needed cash flow relief for neighborhood entrepreneurs.