At the urging of the Plaintiffs’ bar, the Illinois State Legislature—at the last minute in a lame duck session, passed a draconian and unconstitutional new measure that will harm tort litigants for years to come if it is signed by the Governor and becomes law. Currently, prejudgment interest does not accrue on personal injury claims. […]
General Litigation
Illinois Right to Fire for Political Speech and Conduct
The world watched as thousands marched in protest and others stormed the US Capital Building this past week. The identities of few but the faces of many have been displayed on mainstream media and social media channels. Some with more frequency than others. Some of those faces may belong to your employees.
Employers Can Avoid Penalties for Failing to Comply with Illinois’ Mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training Law
The Illinois Workplace Transparency Act required all employers to train employees on sexual harassment prevention by December 31, 2020, and requires training thereafter on an annual basis. If your company failed to do so, there is still time to comply to avoid penalties.
Mandatory Employee COVID-19 Vaccination Policies Receive Approval from the EEOC
Employers may be able to mandate that employees get a COVID-19 vaccination before returning to the workplace. The EEOC has updated its COVID-19 webpage to include a section regarding guidance on whether an employer-mandated vaccination policy would violate various federal laws. While the EEOC guidance does not directly state that mandatory vaccination policies are lawful, […]
Illinois’ Mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training- Reminder
Time is running out. The Illinois Workplace Transparency Act requires all employers to train employees on sexual harassment prevention by December 31, 2020, and on an annual basis thereafter. This requirement applies to all employers with employees working in the State of Illinois. There is no Covid-19 pandemic response reprieve.
Municipal Authority and Liability During COVID-19 Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has impacted our world in a variety of ways we could have never imagined. Opinions on the danger of the virus and how to deal with it also vary greatly. Perhaps the primary issue in the United States, and other countries, is how to balance public health and safety against the economic […]
The Continuing Evolution Of E-Scooters
Many commuters consider 2018 as “the year of the scooter” with Bird and Lime having started an electric battery-operated scooter service in California late in 2017. With a maximum speed of 15 mph, these short-range electric vehicles consist of a narrow platform on which the rider stands with 1 foot in front of the other […]
BIPA Claims May Be Heard In Federal Court
In a recent decision, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals held that a federal district court could hear certain Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) claims. An issue in many BIPA lawsuits specifically, and in many data privacy lawsuits generally, is whether the court has subject matter jurisdiction to hear the case. The issue is usually […]
Businesses Face Criminal Penalties Yet Gain Protection Under Illinois Mask Rules
On August 11, 2020, Illinois Governor. J.B. Pritzker was successful in a second attempt to criminalize business owners who fail to enforce his mask rules. Under Illinois’ new mask rule, local police and prosecutors may impose criminal fines up to $2,500 to enforce his emergency mask order.
Employers Can Be Fined $2,500 For Failure To Enforce Mask Rules
On August 11, 2020, Illinois Governor. J.B. Pritzker was successful in a second attempt to criminalize business owners who fail to enforce his mask rules. Under Illinois’ new mask rule, local police and prosecutors may impose criminal fines up to $2,500 to enforce his emergency mask order.