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Insurance Company Inspections
After binding your coverage, the insurance
carrier(s) providing coverage have the right to inspect your premises and
examine your financial records. Many companies don't, but many do, mainly
so that they know the risk that they were presented on the application
accurately reflects the actual risk they are now covering. Here are some
guidelines for handling company inspectors:
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A company
inspector will almost always call you to set a date and time to meet with
you. If, after a few attempts at setting a meeting, the inspector
cannot make an appointment your company will issue a cancellation notice for
30 days.
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We strongly
advise that you personally meet with the inspector. They will probably
ask some questions that your staff will not be able to answer for them, or
your staff will offer responses that are misinterpreted by the inspector.
Allow them full access to your premises and don't leave mid-inspection or
try to run them off before they've finished. Doing so will almost
guarantee you of getting an unfavorable inspection. Be as helpful and
courteous as possible.
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Have your
premises as clean as possible. Housekeeping is a big concern with
inspectors and a disheveled bar, kitchen or dining room can taint the
overall impression of your establishment in the inspector's mind. If
you can, set the inspection for one of your less busy times of day.
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Have your sales
tax return (ST-1) forms from the last 12 months available. The
inspector will want to double-check the total sales and breakdown that your
agent reported on the application.
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They will
probably double check your liquor license (if you have liquor liability) to
ensure that the business they have listed on the policy matches the business
that is licensed for operation.
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They may also
check for property tax filings (if you have property coverage) to make sure
the property policy protects the person or entity that actually owns the
building.
Liquor Control Commission Inspections
Liquor commissioners have the right to show up
at your business whenever they want and are allowed access to whatever they want
according to most state laws. Failure to comply with them could result in
you or your staff being arrested and/or fined. Here are some tips to be
prepared for a liquor control inspection.
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Liquor Control
personnel will almost always show up unexpectedly. They don't want you
to know they're coming, so they just pop in.
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Your liquor
license must be framed and hung "in plain view, in a conspicuous place" on
the licensed premises.
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In states where
dram shop or liquor liability coverage is mandatory (IL & IA, not MO or IN)
they will look for proof of liquor insurance. The most common forms
being a policy itself or a certificate of insurance.
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You are required
to keep liquor receipts for the last 90 days on premises - they will want to
see these. Alcohol cannot be purchased via retail, it must be bough
wholesale (from a distributor). They'll go through your stock and the
receipts looking for evidence of resale of retail goods.
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Illegal gambling
has been a subject of a number of stings in many states. They'll
search for a record, logbook or advertisement of payouts on gaming machines
and the like.
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In Illinois,
we've heard from our clients and the folks at the Illinois Licensed Beverage
Association that Liquor Control personnel have also been looking for missing
"required postings" during their inspections. Minimum fines are $500.
Below is a list of the various posters you may need to have (depending on
business type and number of employees) and where to get them.
STATE OF ILLINOIS REQUIRED
POSTINGS
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NOTICE TO EMPLOYERS
AND EMPLOYEES
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This poster includes the information needed
for Payment of Wages, Child Labor Law, Minimum Wage Law and the
One Day Rest in Seven Act. It is required for all Illinois
employers.
This poster is available on the Illinois Department of Labor web
page (Download
top
(Español)
Download bottom
(Español)) or by contacting the agency at:
Illinois Department of Labor
Fair Labor Standards Division
160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite C-1300
Chicago, IL 60601
312-793-2800 |
Equal Pay Act of
2003
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The Equal Pay
Act of 2003 prohibits employers with four or more
employees from paying unequal wages to men and women for
doing the same or substantially similar work, requiring equal
skill, effort, and responsibility, under similar working
conditions for the same employer in the same county, except if
the wage difference is based upon a seniority system, a merit
system, a system measuring earnings by quantity or quality of
production, or factors other than gender. |
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This poster is available on the Illinois
Department of Labor web page
(English)
(Español) or by contacting the agency at:
Illinois Department of Labor
Equal Opportunity Workforce Division
160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite C-1300
Chicago, IL 60601
866-EPA-IDOL (866-372-4365) |
Victims' Economic
Security and Safety Act (VESSA)
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The Victims' Economic Security and Safety
Act (VESSA) provides that employers (defined as the State or any
agency of the State; any unit of local government or school
district; or any person that employs at least 50 employees)
may not discharge or discriminate against an employee who is a
victim of domestic violence or who has a family or household
member who is a victim of domestic violence, for taking up to a
total of 12 workweeks of leave from work during any 12-month
period to address the domestic violence.
This poster is available on the Illinois Department of Labor web
page
(English)
(Español) or by contacting the agency at:
Illinois Department of Labor
Equal Opportunity Workforce Division
160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite C-1300
Chicago, IL 60601
312-793-6797 |
Day and Temporary
Labor Service Act
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The Day and Temporary Labor Services Act
(820 ILCS 175/1 et seq) provides for the regulation of day and
temporary labor agencies, establishes worker rights and
protections, specifies the duties and responsibilities of day
and temporary labor agencies and third party clients, sets forth
penalties and enforcement procedures for violations of the law
and requires third party clients that contract with day or
temporary labor agencies to verify that they are registered with
the Department of Labor or face monetary penalties. Every agency
located in or transacting business in Illinois must post in the
public access area of each work location or branch office a
notice provided by the Department of Labor summarizing the
provisions of this Act, along with the toll-free number for
reporting violations and complaints. This notice shall be in
English or any other language generally understood in the locale
of the agency. Agencies must also post in public access areas
any other state or federally mandated postings.
This poster is available on the Illinois Department of Labor web
page
(English)
(Español)
(Polski) or by contacting the agency at:
Illinois Department of Labor
Fair Labor Standards Division
160 N. LaSalle Street, Suite C-1300
Chicago, IL 60601
312-793-2800 |
RIGHT-TO-KNOW
(Toxic Substances Disclosure)
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This poster explains employee rights and
employer responsibilities under the Illinois “Right To Know
Act”. It is required of public sector employees only. It
is NOT required of private employers.
This poster is available on the Illinois Department of Labor web
page (link
to poster) or by contacting the agency at:
Illinois Department of Labor
Safety Inspection & Education Division
One West Old State Capitol Plaza, 3rd Floor
Springfield, IL 62701-1217
217-782-9386 |
WORKERS'
COMPENSATION NOTICE
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Illinois law requires all employers
to post this notice in a prominent place in each workplace. This
one-page poster briefly explains employees’ rights and
responsibilities if there is a work-related injury. It also has
a place to list the employer’s insurance carrier or the person
who administers workers' compensation claims. This information
must be filled-in to be in compliance. You may download this
notice,
(download .PDF) or
(Spanish Version .PDF) , or order by phone or mail. This
poster is available from:
Illinois Workers' Compensation Commission
100 W. Randolph Street Suite 8-200
Chicago, IL 60601
312-814-6611
Toll-free 866/352-3033
www.iwcc.il.gov |
NOTICE TO WORKERS
ABOUT UNEMPLOYMENT INSURANCE BENEFITS
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This
poster explains how to file a claim, benefit amounts and
taxation on benefits. It is required of all Illinois
employers.
This poster is available from:
Illinois Department of Employment Security
401 South State Street, 4th Floor North
Chicago, IL 60605
312-793-4880 or 800-247-4984. |
EMERGENCY CARE FOR
CHOKING
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The poster explains emergency care for
conscious and unconscious choking victims. It has a place to
list an emergency phone number.
While it must be posted in every food service facility,
it could help if your employees eat on the premises. The poster
is available in Spanish.
This poster is available from:
Illinois Department of Public Health
Division of Emergency Medical Services and Highway Safety
525 West Jefferson, 3RD Floor
Springfield, IL 62761
217-785-2080 |
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