Court Decision on Stay-at-Home, IMA Sourcing Center, WC rules
I hope that you are all staying safe and enjoying the spring weather as much as possible. There are three important developments that I wanted to highlight for you this morning.
 
Clay County Stay-at-Home Lawsuit : Late yesterday, a judge in downstate Illinois issued a temporary restraining order blocking Governor Pritzker’s stay-at-home order from being enforced exclusively for one state lawmaker who filed the suit. It’s important to note that this TRO only applies to State Representative Darren Bailey and does not impact Illinois businesses or other residents. Other individuals and businesses could file suit using this order as a precedent. The lawsuit challenged the Governor’s ability to extend an emergency order past the initial 30-day period allowed under the Emergency Management Act. Illinois appealed the lower court’s ruling and a hearing is scheduled for May 4, 2020.
 
There have been various news stories that have used inaccurate information when reporting on this court case and the injunction.  This TRO only applies to a single individual and does not invalidate the Executive Order for all of Illinois.
 
IMA Manufacturing Sourcing Center : Beginning today, IMA members can visit the Manufacturing Sourcing Center website for a list of companies that are selling masks, face shields, clothing, sanitizer, thermometers, and other equipment needed to operate. The IMA created this resource center in an effort to help employers comply with the new Executive Order taking effect on May 1, 2020, that requires employers to provide protective masks to their employees who cannot be appropriately distanced. Additionally, individuals need to wear masks in public when they cannot distance and at all times in indoor stores.
 
If your company would like to be added to this supplier list, please click here and complete the form.
 
Workers’ Compensation Rules Repealed : The IMA achieved a significant victory yesterday when the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission formally withdrew their emergency rules creating a presumption that the workplace was the cause of a COVID-19 infection. The Commission’s action came after the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association and Illinois Retail Merchants Association filed a lawsuit and won a temporary restraining order blocking the rules from taking effect. According to the National Council on Compensation Insurance (NCCI), this emergency rulemaking could have increased costs by $4.4 billion on Illinois employers. While this was a tremendous win in court for manufacturers, the IMA expects this battle to continue in the General Assembly
 
Be well.
Mark Denzler
President & CEO
Illinois Manufacturers' Association