Illinois

Major Illinois employers reported widespread layoffs. Here’s the list

Published

6 months ago

July 13, 2025

Major Illinois employers reported widespread layoffs. Here’s the list

In June, companies reported plans for nearly 1,800 layoffs in the state, according to the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity as part of the Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act.

Companies undergoing layoffs include both national and local giants, according to a compilation of WARN notices in June 2025. Following is a summary of the layoffs.

Job-seeking websites to layoff employees in Illinois

CareerBuilder LLC and Monster Worldwide LLC, located at 200 N. LaSalle Street in Chicago, announced June 24 the company is selling parts of its businesses and filing for bankruptcy. The companies, which merged in 2024, submitted a WARN notice June 5. The closing will put 390 workers out of a job permanently beginning Aug. 4.

Company set to lay off 32 workers in Illinois

Group 1001 Resources, located at 250 S. NW Highway, Suite 302 in Park Ridge, announced June 25 it will lay off 32 workers between Oct. 1 and Dec. 16. The company, which provides annuity contracts and life insurance policies, will lay off 25 employees in October and seven in December, according to the WARN notice.

Design group to close Shorewood plant

IG Design Group Americas announced in June the paper manufacturing company had filed for bankruptcy and submitted a WARN notice June 27. Closing its Shorewood distribution center, 150 workers will be laid off Aug. 26, according to the state.

Meat packing center shuts doors in Illinois

Kankakee County saw 274 workers laid off after Momence Packing Company, owned by Johnsonville LLC, shut its doors. Located at 332 W. North Street in Momence, the company reported the closure June 2, with layoffs effective immediately. A Johnsonville spokesperson said operations will be moved to three other plants in Wisconsin and Texas.

The Colorado-based fashion credit card company reported June 3 it will lay off workers across multiple remote Illinois locations in Lake, Cook and Will counties due to company restructuring. Layoffs are scheduled to take place Aug. 16, when seven employees will lose their jobs, according to the WARN notice.

A supplemental WARN notice filed June 26 states the company will lay off 13 more workers Sept. 13: one from Lake County, one from Kane County and 11 from Cook County.

OSF OnCall Urgent Care to lay off 24 at Illinois locations

OSF HealthCare reported in a June 16 WARN notice it will close two of its on-call urgent care centers in Champaign, eliminating a combined 24 jobs from the locations at 2710 N. Prospect Avenue and 2043 South Neil St. Layoffs are scheduled to take place from Aug. 8 to Aug. 22, according to the WARN notice.

More restructuring to come for OSF in Illinois

In addition to shuttering the doors of two urgent care centers, OSF HealthCare also reported layoffs at the OSF Cardiovascular Institute and Medical Group in Urbana and the OSF Healthcare Heart of Mary Medical Center in Urbana, along with the OSF Healthcare Medical Group in Champaign. As a result, 97 employees are set to lose their jobs in August, according to the WARN notice. The move comes after the local health care giant cited losses of $361 million and a decline in the use of multiple services, leading to a decision to merge its Urbana and Danville locations into one hospital with two campuses.

Strategix Management lays off Joliet workers

The Washington D.C.-based business management consulting firm submitted a WARN notice June 4, announcing the permanent layoffs of 91 workers as a result of closing its Joliet Job Corps Center location at 1101 Mills Road.

Franklin Park plastic film company to lay off 48 in Illinois

Transcendia, a specialty film and commercial printing manufacturer, will close its location at 9201 W. Belmont Avenue in Franklin Park. The company on June 6 reported the layoffs of 48 workers, who will be phased out monthly through the end of the year: seven in August, 15 in September, seven in October, eight in November and 11 in December.

Tyson to move 259 from Rochelle location in Illinois

The Tyson Foods distribution center at 600 Wiscold Drive filed a WARN notice June 13 that it will lay off 259 employees – but, according to the company, no job losses are expected as affected workers will be offered positions with Lineage, which will acquire the Rochelle warehouse as part of a $247 million deal with Tyson Foods including three other sites across the U.S.

The transition will begin Aug. 15.

Janitorial service to lay off 184 in Pontiac, Illinois

Vonachen Group, a commercial cleaning service, reported June 5 it would lay off 184 employees July 5 in Pontiac. A loss of contract caused the permanent layoffs, according to the WARN notice.

More layoffs for research company in Illinois

The American Institutes for Research, which conducts behavioral and social science studies, began conducting layoffs in March. The company filed a supplemental WARN notice June 12 of additional layoffs that would impact three employees in July at its Chicago center, located at 10 S. Riverside Plaza, Suite 600.

Dana Tofig, managing director of corporate communications, told the Journal Star in an email the American Institutes for Research has made the “difficult but necessary” decision to reduce its workforce by more than 30% since March, spurred by cuts to federally funded research by the U.S. government that Tofig wrote bring significant challenges.

“AIR has been around for nearly 80 years, and, in that time, there have been moments when we have had to make changes and shift priorities to align with the needs of our clients and the communities we serve,” Tofig stated. “This is one of those moments, and we remain steadfast in our commitment to generating and using evidence to improve lives and increase opportunities for all.”

The organization also addressed the funding cuts in March in a statement on X.

“Like many organizations, the American Institutes for Research (AIR) has had to make difficult decisions in response to recent federal funding cuts, including reducing our workforce by 18%.”

Illinois-based clean energy company to lay off 80

LanzaTech Global, headquartered at 8045 Lamon Avenue in Skokie, began laying off workers in June to cut operating expenses as a result of revenue declines. The carbon recycling company filed a WARN notice in May and a supplemental WARN notice June 10, stating 80 more workers will lose their jobs on Aug. 13 or within two weeks after.

LanzaTech Chief People Officer Chad Thompson told the Journal Star layoffs are an “unfortunate thing,” but the company does not generally comment further on job losses.

Vehicle manufacturing company cutting 130 more

Magna Exteriors, which manufactures, designs and assembles vehicles, began laying off workers in February 2023, according to a WARN notice filed by the company. A supplemental notice was filed June 16, 2025. announcing Magna Exteriors will lay off another 130 employees from its location at 675 Corporate Parkway in Belvidere, starting Aug. 22 and ending no later than Sept. 5.

Layoff updates for Chicago-based confectionery company

Mars Wrigley, located at 2019 N. Oak Park Avenue in Chicago, began layoffs in July 2024 after announcing it would move most operations out of its Chicago plant back in 2022. The company filed another WARN notice in June 2025 providing updates on the status of 49 remaining affected workers. For 39 people, Aug. 29 will be their last working day, while the other 10 will continue until mid-June 2026, when the property will have a new owner.

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Illinois

Ex-husband charged in Tepe murders, held in Illinois jail

Published

12 hours ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Ex-husband charged in Tepe murders, held in Illinois jail

The ex-husband of a woman found shot to death with her current husband Dec. 30 in Columbus’ Weinland Park neighborhood has been charged with murder in the deaths.

Michael David McKee, 39, of Chicago, faces two counts of murder, according to Franklin County Municipal Court documents.

According to online court records, a warrant was issued Jan. 10 for McKee’s arrest. Winnebago County (Illinois) Sheriff’s Office records indicate he was booked into jail there shortly before noon local time. He will remain there until authorities extradite him back to Franklin County.

Winnebago County court records show McKee is scheduled for a hearing there on Jan. 12, likely an extradition hearing to begin the process of his return to Ohio.

Monique Tepe, 39, and Spencer Tepe, 37, died Dec. 30, just after their five-year wedding anniversary, after being found shot inside their home on the 1400 block of North 4th Street in Weinland Park. The couple’s two young children, both under the age of 5, were found physically unhurt inside the home.

Columbus homicide detectives identified McKee through neighborhood video surveillance, police alleged in court documents. They tracked the suspect “to a vehicle which arrived just prior to the homicides and left shortly after.” They found the vehicle in Rockford, Illinois, and found evidence that McKee had the vehicle before and after the killings.

Columbus police have not publicly identified a potential motive in the couple’s deaths.

In a statement released after McKee’s arrest, the Tepe family thanked Columbus police for their “tireless” work to find the suspect.

“Nothing can undo the devastating loss of two lives taken far too soon,” the Tepe family said. “We thank the community for the continued support, prayers and compassion shown throughout this tragedy. As the case proceeds, we trust the justice system to hold the person responsible fully accountable.

“Monique and Spencer remain at the center of our hearts, and we carry forward their love as we surround and protect the two children they leave behind,” the statement said. “We will continue to honor their lives and the light they brought into this world.”

McKee and Monique married in 2015, according to Franklin County Domestic Court records. She filed for divorce in May 2017 with the formal divorce decree being issued about a month later. Court filings indicate the divorce was amicable. Monique did not share any children with McKee, whom the divorce filings identify as living in Virginia at the time.

Around 9 a.m. on Dec. 30, coworkers of Spencer’s from the dentistry office where he worked in Athens called Columbus police after Spencer did not show up for work and no one could reach Spencer or Monique by phone.

An officer went to do a well-being check but went to a home on Summit Street instead of the Tepe home, according to Columbus police body camera video. About 40 minutes after that check, friends of the Tepes found them dead in their home.

Police have focused the investigation on the window of time between 2 a.m. and 5 a.m. Dec. 30, which is when they believe the couple was killed. On Jan. 5, detectives released video from a security camera showing a person walking in an alley near the Tepes’ home during that time frame, calling the person a “person of interest.”

That person is now believed to be McKee.

Medical licensure databases show McKee has active licenses in both Illinois and California. He is identified as working as a vascular surgeon in a practice in the Rockford area, the same area where his vehicle was found.

McKee went to medical school at Ohio State University and has family in the Zanesville area, according to publicly available information.

A public visitation for the Tepes will be held from noon to 3 p.m. Jan. 11 at the Schoedinger Northwest funeral home on Zollinger Road in Upper Arlington. An additional gathering for a celebration of life will occur from 3:30 to 6 p.m. at Due Amici in Columbus.

Reporter Bethany Bruner can be reached at bbruner@dispatch.com.

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Illinois

Iconic Illinois House Featured in ‘Home Alone’ Set to Be Restored to ’90s Design, Project Manager Says

Published

1 day ago

January 10, 2026

Press Room

Iconic Illinois House Featured in ‘Home Alone’ Set to Be Restored to ’90s Design, Project Manager Says

Home Alone fans were devastated when the house featured in the movie was recently put up for sale and the interiors didn’t match the ones seen in the 1990 classic. Now the property, which can be found in suburban Winnetka outside Chicago, is set to undergo another major renovation, this time transforming it back to […]

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Illinois

As ACA tax credit debate continues in Congress, Illinois sees slight decrease in enrollment

Published

2 days ago

January 9, 2026

Press Room

As ACA tax credit debate continues in Congress, Illinois sees slight decrease in enrollment

Illinois is on track to have slightly fewer people enrolled in the Affordable Care Act marketplace this year following the expiration of enhanced tax subsidies that were at the center of last year’s federal government shutdown.

The 4% decrease in enrollment is, so far, less severe than what many experts and advocates had anticipated, especially since enrollees in Illinois were expected to see an average increase of 78% in their monthly premiums. Anywhere from 2 to 4 million people across the country were expected to become uninsured if the tax credits weren’t extended.

As of Jan. 4, Get Covered Illinois, the state-run marketplace, reported 445,335 Illinois residents had signed up for an Obamacare health insurance plan. People had to enroll in a plan by Dec. 31 so coverage could start by the first of the year, but enrollment is open through Jan. 15.

In 2025, a record 465,985 people across the state enrolled in the ACA, according to data from the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services.

Get Covered Illinois did not provide further comment on enrollment figures.

Kathy Waligora, deputy director of external affairs at the Chicago-based EverThrive Illinois, which advocates for health care reform, said she was encouraged that the enrollment decline was minimal and that so many people actively chose a plan for this year.

While almost half of those enrolled by Jan. 4 were automatically re-enrolled in a plan, another 38% renewed by actively making a plan selection, according to Get Covered Illinois. About 13% of enrollees are new to the marketplace.

“Illinois has done a great job in sort of deploying navigators and marketing and all of these different resources to reach folks across Illinois and the data shows that was effective,” Waligora said.

Waligora said she worries about the people who were automatically enrolled in their plan, saying it’s unclear if individuals will be prepared to pay the likely higher monthly premiums.

Waligora said more data — such as how many individuals will get financial assistance for this year and what that looks like by region — is needed to assess the full impact of the expiration of the tax credits. She remained hopeful that there could still be a chance for the subsidies to be reinstated and extended for the coming years.

“I think that this should have been done in June, not September, not October, certainly not January,” Waligora said. “But it is good to see progress on this issue, and I sincerely hope that the Senate will take it up.”

This week, Republican lawmakers broke away from their leadership in the House and passed legislation to extend the subsidies, but the Senate isn’t required to take up the bill and has been working on an alternative plan, the Associated Press reported. Some Republicans have argued that Congress should consider a plan that would lower insurance costs for more Americans, not just those who use the marketplace.

Waligora is a leader in the Protect Our Care Illinois Coalition, which has been among the advocates pushing for the extension of the tax credits so plans could remain affordable. Many advocates worried people could become uninsured if they couldn’t afford the ACA plans.

In Illinois, about 85% of enrollees benefited from the subsidies, according to an analysis from KFF, a San Francisco-based health policy organization.

U.S. Rep. Raja Krishnamoorthi, who earlier this week visited the Cook County Health Bronzeville Health Center to talk about the tax credits, said any decline is concerning and cast blame on Republicans. Krishnamoorthi is a Democrat.

“Their failure has driven up costs and forced families across Illinois to reconsider or lose coverage,” he said Friday in a statement.

The enhanced tax credits date back to the COVID-19 pandemic when they were used to make the ACA plans more affordable by offering deeper levels of financial assistance and offering reduced benefits to middle-class enrollees that phase out as a person’s income rises.

Those subsidies had continued until they expired at the end of last year. Democrats wanted them extended but Congress was unable to come up with a resolution.

Last year, there was a 17% increase in enrollment in Illinois compared to 2024, mirroring a national trend of more people turning to the ACA for health insurance.

Across the country, there were 24.3 million people getting health insurance through the ACA, an increase from the 11.4 million people who were enrolled in 2020, according to federal data.

This year was the first time Illinois residents enrolled in Obamacare through a state-run marketplace.

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