Last week, the Illinois House Labor & Commerce Committee approved an amendment to the Employment Contract Act to provide that an employer may not require employees and applicants to “waive, arbitrate, or otherwise diminish any future claim, right, or benefit to which the person would otherwise be entitled under State or federal law.” By its […]
Category Archives: Employment
EEO-1 Wage Data Freeze Lifted
A recent ruling unfreezes the release of wage and hour data on EEO-1 forms.
Complying With New Overtime Regulations
Today in our series on emerging employment legislation, we focus on proposed changes to overtime regulations.
Mandatory Retirement Plans For Small Business
Small businesses are now required to offer mandatory retirement plans to their employees. Here’s what’s new in Illinois right now: The Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act (Secure Choice Savings Act) requires certain Illinois employers to offer retirement benefits with a state-run payroll-deduction Roth IRA. Employers must comply if they meet all of the following […]
New Illinois Employment Laws Call For A Handbook Refresh In 2019
New developments in Illinois employment laws are a reason for human resources departments to revisit employee handbooks.
The Art of Accommodating Religion While Respecting LGBTQ Rights at Work – Are Your Company’s Practices the Next ‘Masterpiece’?
The U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling last week in Masterpiece Cakeshop Ltd. v. Colorado Civil Rights Commission did not answer the question on everyone’s mind: can a person claim exemption from laws prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation based on that person’s religious beliefs? As a result, the decision will likely further mobilize advocates […]
Private Arbitration is Not Always a Home Run for Employers
Last week, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled in Epic Systems Corp. v. Lewis that workers can be barred from pursuing class action lawsuits against their employers if they’ve signed arbitration agreements limiting their right to pursue workplace claims on an individual basis only. Many employer advocates call the Epic Systems ruling a “strike three” pitch […]
Get Well Soon! Complying with the Chicago and Cook County Paid Sick Leave Ordinances
If you’re a Chicagoland employer of as few as one employee who provides employees only vacation time (or no paid time at all) to cover absence when family health and emergency situations strike, come July 1, 2017 you may be breaking the law. What to do? Call your employment lawyer in the morning and follow her prescription. Here’s what to discuss during your office visit.
Suffering from I-9 Pain? New Updates Make It Easier
The task of verifying identity and work authorization for new hires in the U.S. should go more smoothly with the new update to the I-9 Form. U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) recently announced new changes that will make the process easier.
What Executives, Independent Contractors and Freelancers Need to Know About Non-Compete Agreements in Illinois
We cover key points that Chicago and Illinois executives, independent contractors & freelancers need to consider when reviewing non compete agreements.