- Community Associations, Landlord & Tenant Law, Legal Updates
- Illinois
Governor Pritzker issued an Executive Order on March 20, 2020 requiring residents of the State to, with certain exceptions for essential business and activities, stay at home to curb the spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19). The order is in effect from 5:00 p.m. Saturday, March 21, 2020 until Tuesday, April 7, 2020. How does this affect landlords’ and rental property managers’ day-to-day operations?
Under the Executive Order, non-essential business must cease. Essential businesses and operations are encouraged to remain open and functioning. Section 1.9 of the Order allows for individuals to leave their home to provide any services and perform any work necessary to offer, provision, operate, maintain or repair Essential Infrastructure. The definition of Essential Infrastructure includes “building management and maintenance.” Therefore, landlords and rental property managers may continue to provide services to tenants, maintain building operations, and perform maintenance as necessary.
However, management may choose to operate on a reduced work force, having only those employees necessary to the day-to-day operations of the building report to work in person. For instance, only one maintenance personnel may be required at this time if you have notified tenants that only necessary maintenance will be performed during the stay-at-home order. Leasing agents may be able to perform their duties remotely and, therefore, do not need to work in the leasing office. The functions of the doormen may change during this time, including face-to-face contact opening doors, checking tenants in, and delivering food orders to tenants’ doors so that tenants can remain in their Units.
Each building may have a different group of employees that are “essential” to its operation. “Essential” is the key word that landlords and rental property managers must consider in determining who will report to work to maintain the property and serve tenants during this unprecedented time.
KSN is are dedicated to serving our clients by staying abreast of the latest changes as the landscape continues to develop. If your “essential employees” are traveling to work, our law firm can provide you with an appropriate letter, showing that the employee fits within the “Essential Infrastructure” definition of Governor Pritzker’s Executive Order. Do not hesitate to call us. We are working and available to assist you as your legal needs arise. Please call 855-537-0500 or visit www.ksnlaw.com.
Order: https://www2.illinois.gov/IISNews/21288-Gov._Pritzker_Stay_at_Home_Order.pdf
Please note the material contained in this article is for educational and informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is established by your review or receipt of the information contained in this article. You should not act on the information discussed in this article without first obtaining legal advice from an attorney duly licensed to practice law in your State. While KSN has made every effort to include up-to-date information in this article, the law can change quickly. Accordingly, please understand that information discussed in this article may not yet reflect the most recent legal developments. Material is not guaranteed to be correct, complete, or up to date. KSN reserves the right to revise or update the information and statements of law discussed in the article law at any time, without notice, and disclaims any liability for your use of information or statements of law discussed on the article, or the accessibility of the article generally. This article may be considered advertising in some jurisdictions under applicable law/s and/or ethical rules/regulations. © 2020 Kovitz Shifrin Nesbit, A Professional Corporation.
