(20 ILCS 630/9) (from Ch. 48, par. 2409)

Sec. 9. Eligible businesses.

(a) A business employer is an eligible employer if it enters into a written contract, signed and subscribed to under oath, with the employment administrator for its service delivery area containing assurances that:

(1) funds received by a business shall be used only as permitted under the program;

(2) the business has submitted a plan to the employment administrator (A) describing the duties and proposed compensation of each employee proposed to be hired under the program; and (B) demonstrating that with the funds provided under the program the business is likely to succeed and continue to employ persons hired under the program;

(3) the business will use funds exclusively for compensation and fringe benefits of eligible job applicants and will provide employees hired with these funds with fringe benefits and other terms and conditions of employment comparable to those provided to other employees of the business who do comparable work;

(4) the funds are necessary to allow the business to begin, or to employ additional people, but not to fill positions which would be filled even in the absence of funds from this program;

(5) the business will cooperate with the coordinator in collecting data to assess the result of the program; and

(6) the business is in compliance with all applicable affirmative action, fair labor, health, safety, and environmental standards.

(b) In allocating funds among eligible businesses, the employment administrator shall give priority to businesses which best satisfy the following criteria:

(1) have a high potential for growth and long-term job creation;

(2) are labor intensive;

(3) make high use of local and State resources;

(4) are under ownership of women and minorities;

(4.5) meet the definition of a small business as defined in Section 5 of the Small Business Advisory Act;

(4.10) produce energy conserving materials or services or are involved in development of renewable sources of energy;

(5) have their primary places of business in the State; and

(6) intend to continue the employment of the eligible applicant for at least 6 months of unsubsidized employment.

(c) (Blank).

(d) A business receiving funds under this program shall repay 70% of the amount received for each eligible job applicant employed who does not continue in the employment of the business for at least 6 months beyond the subsidized period unless the employer dismisses an employee for good cause and works with the Employment Administrator to employ and train another person referred by the Employment Administrator. The Employment Administrator shall forward payments received under this subsection to the Coordinator on a monthly basis. The Coordinator shall deposit these payments into the General Revenue Fund.

(Source: P.A. 99-576, eff. 7-15-16.)