A famous Chicago restaurant, Signature Room, shut down operations and released a statement to employees and the public the same day the restaurant closed its doors permanently. Unite Here, the union representing over a hundred Signature Room workers has filed a lawsuit against Signature Room management, claiming that the restaurant violated state laws regarding layoffs and restaurant closures. Illinois state law requires employers to provide workers a 60-day notice of mass layoffs and store shutdowns, and workers state that they were shocked and betrayed by the abrupt store closure with no provided no warning. Many workers have been at the restaurant long-term, with some employees having 30 years of experience at Signature Room. The restaurant’s closure announcements stated that the company was unable to overcome economic hardships and other challenges related to the pandemic.
See "Unionized workers at Chicago’s Signature Room file a lawsuit alleging labor law violations after the restaurant abruptly closed with no notice", David Roeder, Chicago Sun Times, October 3, 2023