COVID-19 Resources for Small Business

The Village updates this page regularly as news of new opportunities are posted. 

A summary of financial resources, with links to apply for various funding, is now found on the COVID-19 Financial Assistance page. 

[UPDATE June 24, 2020]

Information for All Mount Prospect Businesses

The State of Illinois has announced a move to Phase 4 of Restore Illinois will likely occur on June 26. This phase, "Revitalization", means gatherings of 50 people or fewer are allowed, restaurants and bars reopen, travel resumes, child care and schools reopen under guidance from the Illinois Department of Public Health. Face coverings and social distancing shall continue to be the norm. 

Visit the Phase 4 Guidelines page for more information, which includes guidelines by business type.  

Phase 3 remains in effect until May 29. View the State guidelines for Phase 3 of Restore Illinois for all business types in the Common Guidelines for All Phase 3 Business and Operations.

Overview of Guidelines Applicable to All Business Types

Both Phase 3 and Phase 4 include guidelines below that are applicable to all businesses. 

•  All employees who can work from home should continue to do so. 
• Customers and Employees with COVID-19 symptoms should self-isolate (stay home) until: both 72 hours has passed with no fever and at least 10 days passed since symptoms first appeared. 
• Customers entering a business should wear face coverings over their nose and mouth, including when services are being provided, if practical.
• Employees working within 6 feet of a customer or another employee should wear a face covering over their nose and mouth.
• Entry signage should be installed including face covering requirements, social distancing guidelines, and cleaning protocols. Multiple languages is encouraged. 
• Clean and disinfect common areas and high touch surfaces (door knobs, railings, etc.) often - every 2 hours for high traffic areas.
• Employees should wash their hands often, with soap, paper towels, and hand sanitizer made available by the employer.
• Shared work/customer stations such as chairs, tables, etc. should be disinfected after each customer/employee use. Fitting rooms must be disinfected after each use or be closed.
• Single use items should be used (menus, towels, etc.) or sanitized between each customer if shared (capes, robes). Any shared equipment, workstations, or reusable articles must be sanitized after use, or single-use articles may be used and disposed of as an alternative.
• Employees should continue to limit non-essential business travel. CDC guidelines should be followed for those that do travel.
• Employers should provide reasonable accommodation for COVID-19 vulnerable employees.
• Employers should make temperature checks available for employees and encourage their use. Information on COVID-19 symptoms should be posted to educate employees. Follow state guidelines on contact, isolation/quarantine, and return to work policies.
• Employers should follow minimum guidelines for cleaning and disinfecting per the state based on their business type. Common areas (restrooms, door handles, railings, etc.) should be cleaned frequently (every 2 hours for high traffic areas).
• Any external supplier, vendor, or non-customer visitor should wait in a designated area and be asked if they are experiencing any symptoms of COVID-19. If practical, employer should check the temperature of the visitor using a thermal/infrared camera or touchless thermometer. Employer should keep a log of all external vendors who enter the premises. Any visitor, vendor, etc. should be wearing a face covering while in the facility or building.  

The State Executive Order also notes: 

Businesses must follow guidance provided or published by: the Office of the Governor, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity, and State and local law enforcement regarding whether they qualify as Essential; and the Illinois Department of Public Health, local public health departments, and the Workplace Rights Bureau of the Office of the Illinois Attorney General with respect to Social Distancing Requirements. Pursuant to Section 25(b) of the Whistleblower Act, 740 ILCS 174, businesses are prohibited from retaliating against an employee for disclosing information where the employee has reasonable cause to believe that the information discloses a violation of this Order.

Village Modifications to Local Ordinances

The Village has implemented the following in response to the State Executive Order (2020-10) and subsequent orders prohibiting gatherings of 10 or more people. 

• In addition to the new al fresco dining rules which went into place on May 29, restaurants may still offer take-out food via pick up (with adequate social distancing measures), delivery (either own service or 3rd party service such as DoorDash or GrubHub) and via drive-thru. Some have implemented "curbside" service as well. Dine-in at any restaurant is prohibited. 
• Restaurants with a Class "F" or Class "S8" liquor license may sell beer and wine as part of take-out food service. Only Basset certified employees shall be able to sell directly to or deliver to the patron sealed and packaged beer and wine.  Delivery services  such as GrubHub, Uber Eats, or DoorDash will not be permitted to deliver alcohol under this Order.  All beer and wine must be in the original sealed container. Beer must be sold in six (6), twelve (12) or twenty-four (24) packs. Only 22 oz. or larger bottles of beer may be sold individually. Only a BASSETT certified staff member can hand off beer and wine to the customer, who must show a valid ID to verify age. 
• As of June 2, the Governor has signed into law a bill allowing "cocktails to go", expiring June 2, 2021. Strict guidelines set by the Illinois Liquor Commission shall be adhered; see this memo for details. They include type of container, sealing, labeling and delivery regulations. These privileges are extended to all Class “F”, “Class S-7” and “Class S-8” liquor licenses in Mount Prospect. The Village’s Health Department will be monitoring the compliance of these guidelines which go into effect immediately. 
• Restaurants with questions about take-out or alcohol sales restrictions may contact the Village at 847-818-5300 or email Doreen Jarosz, Executive Assistant to the Village Manager.
• The Village is maintaining a list of restaurants offering food for take-out and for outdoor dining.  To be included or update your listing, email us.

Village Tax Payment Extensions

The following payment extensions for Mount Prospect businesses are now in effect. 

The due date of payment for the below-listed locally collected taxes is extended to July 20, 2020. We encourage all the businesses to file their monthly return (paperwork) in a timely manner by the due date, and mail the due payments on or before the extended due date. The below table defines the extended due dates for each type of tax for each month. The extension is granted for March, April, and May reporting periods. 

Liquor Licenses: The regular liquor license renewal date for the year 2020 is April 30, 2020. All existing liquor licenses are renewed without a charge for six months and will expire on October 31, 2020. In October 2020, Village will assess the situation and determine renewal fees for the remainder of the year. 

Other Tax Extensions

Internal Revenue Service (IRS) COVID-19 resource page, including information on the Federal tax deadline extension. 

State of Illinois Department of Revenue COVID-19 resource page, including information on the State tax deadline extension.

Get Hired IL Program

The Get Hired IL program works to connecting employers looking for workers, to workers looking for work. 
Have you lost your job as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic? Are you looking for candidates to fill open positions? This website aims to assist!

Additional Support

SCORE | All in-person events have been suspended, but online support is available, such as remote mentoring.  Additional SCORE links: How Businesses Can Prepare for Coronavirus, The Coronavirus Economic Impact: Will Business Interruption Insurance Help (& What Are My Other Options)?  and a Crisis Communications Planning Checklist. 

Facebook | Facebook has announced they will be awarding cash grants and ad credits to 30,000 small businesses. The program has not yet opened to applications, but you may sign up to stay posted on this news. 

Centers for Disease Control (CDC) | A key source in keeping your workforce healthy, the CDC has specific guidelines for business owners. 

Business Event Calendar 

MPEI's Business Event Calendar contains a list of events - usually at no charge - that are of interest to entrepreneurs. This calendar updates often due to the COVID-19 impact on in-person events and the related increase in demand for webinars. Note that at this time, the events listed here are web-based.

Other MPEI Offerings

• MPEI E-Newsletter. An informative email newsletter filled with articles of interest to small business owners, is delivered straight to your inbox. Never miss an upcoming business event, sign up today!
• MPEI Podcasts. Entertaining and enlightening, these brief interviews feature our Access to Advisors business owners. Accessible anytime, anywhere.

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Our Team:

Nellie Beckner, Assistant Village Manager, Village of Mount Prospect, 847/818-5305

Joe Collier, Business Reference Librarian, Mount Prospect Public Library, 847/253-5675

Dawn Fletcher-Collins, Director, Mount Prospect Chamber of Commerce, 847/398-6616