Illinois Workplace Rights

Springfield Spring Roundup: Illinois Workplace Rights Expand

Employment

The Illinois Legislature wrapped its Spring 2019 session by sending several bills poised to substantially alter the workplace to Governor J.B. Pritzker’s desk.

The laws expected to be enacted include:

  • A law amending the Equal Pay Act to ban employers from asking applicants to disclose their prior salary history. See our prior article about it here.
    • A law that decriminalizes recreational marijuana use, at least at the state level (marijuana remains an unlawful controlled substance under federal law) – a move likely to pose special recruitment and disciplinary challenges for employers who, as a matter of policy, conduct drug testing or, as federal contractors, must conform to Drug Free Workplace Act requirements.
    • A law amending the Illinois Human Rights Act to extend its anti-discrimination provisions to virtually all Illinois employers with as few as one worker. See our prior article about it here.

    We will continue to track these efforts, as well as those coming out of the Chicago City Council, throughout the summer. With the Pritzker and Lightfoot administrations still in their early days, we can reasonably expect more action before year’s end.

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    Gary Savine is an Illinois employment lawyer and founder of Savine Employment Law, Ltd. in Chicago. Gary regularly advises human resources professionals on recently enacted employment laws.

    Gary Savine speaks on Wage & Hour Compliance and Workplace Investigations.

    In the coming months, our HR clients will have two new opportunities to hear Gary speak live on fostering a legally compliant workplace, as part of the Financial Poise Webinar series, “HR, Talent Management & Employment Law Boot Camp 2019.”

    On June 5, 2019, Gary will be a featured panelist on the Webinar entitled “Show Them the Money: Wage and Hour Compliance.”

    On August 7, 2019, Gary will be a featured panelist on the Webinar entitled “I Know What You Did Last Summer: Workplace Investigations.”

    More information, and instructions for registration, can be found here.

    Gary Savine is the Co-Founder of Savine Employment Law, Ltd. in Chicago. We help Illinois employers clear away compliance confusion and conflict and manage their workplace profitably.

    For assistance with your employment matter, contact us today!

    We’re here to help with all your employment legal needs.

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