HeplerBroom understands how staying abreast of the latest developments related to COVID-19 is important to your business and planning for the future. We have assembled some of the executive, legislative, and regulatory actions related to COVID-19 that may affect you. Illinois has recently taken a number of actions to manage this public health crisis, which are summarized below.

HUMAN RESOURCES

• Under current law, the One Day in Seven Rest Act (“ODISRA”) requires that employees receive at least 24 consecutive hours of rest in every calendar week. As a response to COVID-19, and in an effort to support employers who require more work to keep up with current demand, the Illinois Department of Labor filed an emergency rule on March 24, 2020, that allows employers to apply for a waiver of ODISRA, subject to specific approval by the Director. This waiver, if granted, allows employees to work seven days per week so long as they volunteer to work and all applicable wage and overtime pay regulations are complied with. Employers cannot mandate that an employee work overtime, nor may they discriminate against an employee who chooses not to do so. Once an employer fills out an application for waiver of ODISRA, that application will be deemed automatically authorized unless the Department contacts the employer within two business days. In order to streamline the process, an employer may seek one permit covering multiple locations, and they should include the estimated number of employees, the location where work will be performed, the duration of the permit (eight week limit), and an explanation of how the request is related to COVID-19. The rule will expire in 150 days, or upon expiration of an emergency declaration.

TAXES

• Illinois has extended the deadline for payment of taxes and filing tax-related paperwork from April 15 to July 15, 2020. By extending this deadline, the Governor hopes that those impacted by COVID-19 will be in a financially better position to pay any obligations they may owe. A public emergency such as the one we are experiencing with COVID-19 is unlike anything any of us has ever experienced. In an effort to continue to keep citizens safe, Illinois has also worked to keep many businesses and services running. Like many, HeplerBroom attorneys are diligently working from their homes to keep both clients and the community at large updated as to executive, legislative, and regulatory actions in the midst of COVID-19.