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The emergence of COVID-19 has created new federal emergency sick and family leave requirements. We answer frequently asked questions in this post.

Recently, the US Department of Labor (DOL) published its final overtime rule, which changed exemption levels for white collar employees. You can find it in full on the DOL’s website. The final rule became effective January 1, 2020, which gave employers very little time to review and adjust the pay of their exempt workforce to comply with the law. For those who may still be catching up, here’s what you need to know...

Providing a safe working environment includes managing pandemics, like Coronavirus. Marketplace Morning Report (2/10/20) explores how to raise health as a topic in the workplace to keep all employees informed and safe.

Illinois employers still have time to dust off their strategies for complying with paid sick time laws, including special duties that trigger only during public health emergencies, but they must act quickly or face a costly absenteeism crisis.

On January 1, 2020, recreational cannabis use became legal in the State of Illinois. But as we previously reported here, Illinois’ new cannabis law raised questions about whether employers could continue workplace cannabis testing under circumstances previously taken for granted, including pre-employment and random testing. On December 4, 2019, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law Public Act 101-593 (The “Amendments”) in an apparent attempt to answer those questions and include certain new protections for workplace drug testing. Today’s post describes these amendments and identifies what employers should do now.

As we polish off the last of the Thanksgiving turkey, we’re reminded that for some, particularly those suffering from holiday-triggered depression and Seasonal Affective Disorder, the holiday season can induce a psychological decline that leaves them unable to work. And as a recent federal appeals court ruling points out, this decline may trigger FMLA rights, even if the affected employee never specifically asks for leave.

An employment lawyer can help with unpaid wage claims, often with better and faster results than by filing a claim with the IDOL or USDOL on your own. Some of the benefits to workers include: reduced waiting times, increased recovery of unpaid wages and the support of an advocate who knows if there are other violations by the employer and can help protect a worker from retaliation by the employer. For employers, hiring an attorney to help the company comply with wage laws can prevent negative PR and improve the bottom line.

The weekend’s news from McDonald’s that the board ousted CEO Steve Easterbrook for conducting what is described in the press as a “consensual relationship” in the workplace is a topic we'll review in today's post along with what tools are available to companies to manage workplace dating.