Highland Chamber Members, receive member pricing when you choose "Highland Chamber" during registration.

Workplace Reasonable Suspicion Training: Don't be Left in the Haze (Chicago)
07/21/2020

Join Scott Cruz, Labor and Employment attorney at Greensfelder Hemker & Gale PLC, as he conducts this comprehensive seminar that will provide the necessary tools and skills needed to recognize and appropriately handle employees exhibiting signs of impairment or being under the influence of marijuana.

Continuing Education Offered: 3.50 HRCI for approval, 3.50 SHRM for approval, 3.50 HR & Management/Supervision Compliance Certificate, and 3.50 CLE credits per prior request.

The Aging Workforce (Webinar)
07/22/2020

The current economic environment means employees are staying in the workforce longer. Thus, employers are faced with the interesting position to both foster a productive work force, while also mitigating their liability for workplace injuries. Join us for this informative webinar!

Continuing Education Offered: 1.00 HRCI credits for approval, 1.00 SHRM credits for approval, 1.00 CLE credits submitted per attendee request prior to event, 1.00 HR Compliance, 1.00 Management/Supervision Compliance, and 1.00 WC/Safety Compliance Credits.

Navigating the Bermuda Triangle of Leaves (Glen Ellyn)
08/05/2020

Understanding the basics of, as well as the similarities, the distinctions and the interrelationships among the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA) and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act (HIPAA) is critical to your business.Join Scott Cruz, Labor and Employment Attorney at Greensfelder, Hemker & Gale, P.C., for this educational webinar as he walks you through the Bermuda triangle of leaves.

Continuing Education offered: 5.00 HRCI credits, 5.00 SHRM credits, 5.00 CLE credits submitted per attendee request prior to the event, and 5.00 HR & Managment/Supervision Compliance Certificate credits.

Workers' Compensation from the Employer's Perspective (Springfield)
08/18/2020

 

NEW IL Mandatory Anti-Sexual Harassment Training: Train the Trainer (Edwardsville)
08/19/2020

 

Corporate Governance: From Nuts and Bolts to Trending Topics (Chicago)
08/27/2020

 

Third Annual Women in Business Conference
11/13/2020

 

Click here for more information about the 2nd annual Highland Moose Lodge Truck Raffle benefiting the Highland Police Department Shop with a Cop Program.

Highland Health Care Center will be running a school supply drive August 1st - 9th, 2020. Supplies will be given to the Highland Area Christian Services Ministry to distribute as needed. 

Cedarhurst Senior Living of Highland is hosting a food drive to benefit the Highland Area Christian Services Ministry (HACSM) Friday, July 10, 2020 from 10:00 am to 2:00pm.

Canned food and non-perishable items can be dropped off at 220 Field Crossing Drive in Highland. Please see attached flyer for additional information, including a list of the most in demand items.

The U.S. Chamber continues to create, update, and evolve its various guides and resources to continue bringing you and your members the information you need during this difficult time. We encourage you to continue utilizing and sharing the following items as you see fit:

• UPDATED: 
• Reopening Business Digital Resources Center
• Reopening Business Digital Resources Center Toolkit
• Small Business Reopening Playbook
• Main Street Lending Program Guide
• State-by-State Business Reopening Guidance
• Backgrounder on Health Coverage Options
• Backgrounder on Unemployment Insurance Under the CARES Act
• Independent Contractor's Guide to CARES Act Relief
• Coronavirus Emergency Loans Small Business Guide and Checklist
• Temporary Paid Leave and Family Medical Leave Guide
• Economic Injury Disaster Loan (EIDL) Program Guide
• Employee Retention Tax Credit Guide
• Coronavirus Small Business Guide
• Coronavirus Response Toolkit

Big dreams deserve big rewards and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce is partnering with Chase For Business to recognize the very best in American small business.

The Dream Big Awards celebrate the success of small business and honor their contributions to America's economic growth.

The 2020 Dream Big Small Business of the Year will take home a $25,000 cash prize! The deadlione to apply is July 17th!
Eligibility Criteria:
A business must meet the following requirements to be eligible for the Dream Big Awards:

• For-Profit business that operates primarily within the United States
• Have less than 250 employees or gross revenues of less than $20 million in 2018 and 2019
• Provide support (in-kind and/or financial) to their community

Madison County will place a referendum on the November election ballot giving voters an opportunity to lower a portion of its property tax levy.
... continue reading

The United States Attorney's Office for the Northern District of Illinois announced an agreement with Commonwealth Edison (ComEd) to resolve an ongoing criminal investigation into corrupt lobbying practices. Of particular interest, the deferred prosecution agreement notes that the company was making payments to associates of Public Official A at the same time it was seeking his support for the Future Energy Jobs Act (FEJA). 

For those of you who do not closely follow energy policy, FEJA was the predecessor of the Clean Energy Jobs Act (CEJA) currently being pushed for consideration in Springfield. The Chamber opposes CEJA and strongly believes today's news is yet another reason why CEJA is wrong for Illinois. 

For more on this story read the Chicago Sun-Times groundbreaking article here.
 

Many business groups across the State, including the Illinois Chamber, have called for residents to wear face coverings in public when social distancing cannot be maintained. This is in an effort to reduce the spread of COVID-19 and revitalize the Illinois economy. 
Gov. Pritzker has stated his willingness to once again close sectors of the economy if the virus spread becomes uncontrollable. Business leaders calling for mask use have recognized that a second economic shutdown could have a dire financial impact on the state and its people. 
Other business groups calling for face covering compliance include the Illinois Manufacturers Association (IMA), Illinois Retail Merchant's Association (IRMA),  Associated Beer Distributors of Illinois (ABDI), Chicagoland Chamber of Commerce and many more. 

 

The conclusion of the special session in May was accompanied by the passage of numerous pieces of legislation in the House and Senate. Listed below are key bills that have now been signed into law by the Governor.

• HB64 (Hoffman/Harmon)
  • This bill is the re-appropriation for capital projects and maintains the current infrastructure funding level.  
• HB357 (Harris/Harmon) 
  • This is the budget implementation bill (BIMP). The percentages of income tax collections to be deposited into the income tax refund fund have been lowered. In the case of corporations, the percentage is lowered to 14% from 14.25%.
• HB2174 (Willis/Jones)
  • This bill extends the sunset of a number of regulations by one year. Some of the regulations included are the Telecommunications Article of the Public Utilities Act; and the Transportation Network Providers Act. 
• HB2455 (Hoffman/Holmes) 
  • This bill waived the benefit charges to individual employers due to benefits paid and caused by COVID-19. This change will save employers who had to lay off workers following the pandemic from costly increases. The bill also complied with federal conditions in order to net the state approximately $2 billion in federal funds. 
• SB2052 (Castro/Welch)
  • This bill extends the expiration deadlines for a number of local TIF districts. 
• SB2541 (Steans/Harris)
  • This bill is the renewal of the hospital assessment. The renewed assessment will provide approximately $3.8 billion for Medicaid services, which is an increase of approximately $250 million.

Highland Moose Lodge will be hosting their 23rd annual Phil Power's Memorial Golf Outing on Saturday, September 12, 2020 at Timber Lakes Golf Course. This is an 18 hole, 3 person scramble team format. This is the Moose Lodge's annual fundraiser to help promote Highland Area Charities.

Golf Sponsorships are available at $25/each (more than one is permitted)...

Highland Small Business Employee Appreciation Program

Sponsored by Highland Moose Lodge #2479

Purpose: To help the acknowledge employees of local businesses.

How it works:
Local businesses will nominate one employee (employee of the month type) and email the name with a write up of why the employee was chosen to lodge2479@Wmooseunits.org by the 30th of each month. The lodge will then choose one person that month from the write ups that were turned in. The person that the lodge chooses will receive a $100 Highland Chamber of Commerce gift certificate. Every month a new drawing will be held with new names from local businesses.

Promoting of the program: The Highland Moose Lodge would like each local business to take part in this program. The lodge will put a photo of the winners and their employers in the Chamber newsletter, and local newspapers to inform all the businesses and the community of that month's winner. This will give free advertisement for the business as well.

Other things to know:

• The nominee an employee and not ownership or management.

• Nomination of employee must be accompanied by the reason why they were nominated.

• Nomination must be emailed by the last day of the month.

• Winner will be announced at the 2nd Monday of the month Moose Lodge meeting.