New Laws for Small Businesses in 2022 From salary and benefits, to the hiring process, to non-compete agreements, an array of new state legislation that affects small businesses in one way or another has taken effect as of the first of the new year, 2022. The legislation focused non-compete agreements…
George Bellas advises on E-Commerce There is no doubt that e-commerce sales have grown tremendously over the last 20-plus years. That is in part because online purchases are taxed differently than in person sales, and small businesses have noticed the advantages of this system. The setup is quite simple: a…
Illinois Freedom to Work Act Illinois Employers who want to protect their business and trade secrets by using restrictive employment contracts will find new hoops to jump through. The enforcement of non-compete and non-solicit agreements, designed to erect roadblocks to prevent former employees from gaining an unfair advantage due to…
Illinois Cannabis Business Market Licenses for a legal cannabis business have been a hot topic lately, and now the the Illinois Supreme Court has made its first ruling related to the byzantine process of obtaining a license for a legalized cannabis business in the state, and it seems likely to…
COVID Rules for Residential Evictions RESIDENTIAL EVICTION UPDATE – August 27, 2021 – SCOTUS weighs in. Finally, some clarity to the situation by the source least expected – the U.S. Supreme Court (“SCOTUS”). It has been a tortured road for Landlords during the COVID-19 Pandemic as the story is told…
Considerations for Starting a Small Business Recently, we ran a post What to consider when Starting a Small Business, Part One about some of the early steps in starting a small business—deciding you’re ready, figuring out what type of business you want to start, surveying your competitors, and figuring out the…
Are you thinking about starting a small business? It can be an exciting and challenging endeavor, although it’s more likely to succeed if you plan ahead, take it step by step, and surround yourself with trusted, experienced advisers. Of course, such an important endeavor – not to mention a life…
Business interruption insurance & COVID Should business interruption insurance cover losses due to the COVID-19 shutdowns, even if said insurance policy contains a virus exclusion? A bar and restaurant based in Park Ridge and a former jewelry store in Chicago have gone to the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals to…
Drop the Mask in your business? After a year of employee and customer mask requirements being a no-brainer for small businesses, the CDC’s recent change in guidance that those who have become fully vaccinated against COVID-19 need not wear masks in many public settings has required business owners to put…
The Illinois Housing Development Authority (IHDA) and the City of Chicago Department of Housing (DOH) have each announced separate Emergency Rental Assistance Programs. Both programs will be funded using the federal COVID-19 relief funds. Owners with non-paying residents in Chicago can apply to both agencies for assistance, but will only…