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Use these links for information from government agencies and vetted third parties about new legislation, best practices, and other business topics. Most recent additions will be at the top of the list. Have a resource you’d like to share with fellow members? Send a link to info@northbrookchamber.org.

  • Cook County Small Business Source provides free business advising, resources, and educational events. Visit their website or check out their most recent newsletter.
  • The Illinois Secure Choice Program Savings Act is a state law that requires businesses that have do not offer or contribute to a qualified retirement plan, have been in business for at least two years, and had five or more Illinois employees in each quarter of the previous calendar year, to register for and facilitate employee enrollment in the Illinois Secure Choice program as a way for employees to save for retirement. Employer support here.
  • Starting a business in Illinois? Check out this 5-step framework to registration requirements provided by the Illinois Secretary of State’s Business Services Department. For detailed information on how to organize domestic corporations, qualifying foreign corporations, domestic limited liability companies, or how to register and protect trademarks and servicemarks, click here for guidebooks from the Illinois Secretary of State.
  • Manufacturers, see new regulatory updates provided by UL Solutions.
  • Advantage Illinois Participation Loan Program information: the State partners with approved lenders to provide a portion of financing to small businesses (<750 employees) with the State’s share being subordinated to the lender and at lower interest rates. Info provided by the Illinois Department of Commerce & Economic Opportunity.
  • SBA Economic Injury Disaster Loans are available to small businesses and nonprofits that suffered economic losses due to severe storms and flooding that occurred Sept. 17-18, 2023 in Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake, McHenry, and Will Counties in Illinois and Lake County in Indiana. Apply by August 20, 2024.
  • Harper College now offers a no-cost series of four training courses to equip warehouse workers with the knowledge and skills to create safer workplaces. The courses are open to businesses with <250 employees as well as unemployed individuals seeking warehouse work. Classes are available live online, on campus, or on site at businesses. Click here for a flyer or visit the Harper College website for more information.
  • The Illinois Dept. of Commerce & Economic Opportunity (DCEO) Regulatory Flexibility Program (RegFlex) helps small businesses navigate the state’s regulatory environment. When requested by 25 interested persons or an association representing 100 persons, RegFlex prepares a small business impact analysis for any rule proposed by a State executive branch agency (requests can be sent to CEO.RegFlex@illinois.gov). In addition, RegFlex publishes the Illinois Regulatory Alert, a weekly description of proposed rules that might affect small businesses (sign up for alerts here). To contact the Regulatory Flexibility Program with your regulation-related questions, email CEO.RegFlex@illinois.gov.
  • Illinois Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Materials – All employers much have every employee review and verify that they have received training on an annual basis.
  • Federal Corporate Transparency Act – New Reporting Requirements in 2024. Thank you to Cheryl Susman ADHD Coaching for the suggestion.
  • Illinois Minimum Wage Requirements
  • Northbrook Single-Use Bag Tax goes into effect 1/1/24. Info for Businesses and Consumers
  • Illinois Back2Business Grant Information — Grants up to $30,000 available to businesses that launched in 2020 or 2021 in designated industries. Applications Open 11/30/23 to 1/11/24.
  • New Illinois Paid Time Off legislation takes effect 3/31/24.
  • Self-Employed Tax Credit Information (SETC) and Employee Retention Credit (ERC) Flyers – Submitted by Kim Rasmussen, Wealthwave: “For chamber members that are sole proprietors, single member LLC’s, or 1099 subcontractors, the SETC is a great opportunity for businesses that did not qualify for the Employee Retention Credit (ERC) due to having less than 5 employees, etc. Also, did you know that only 3.5 million out of 37 million eligible businesses have applied for the ERC? This is a valuable tax credit that has been extended until 2025 something many don’t know. I constantly come across people that believe it was cancelled or ran out of money and so on. See the flyers for more information.”
  • Understanding the Illinois Day and Temporary Labor Services Act — a summary of new requirements affecting employers who use temporary workers for 90 or more days. Thank you to Mark Bernhard, Bernhard Woodwork for the suggestion.