Illinois has a new animal-protection law that will allow courts to evaluate the best interests of the pet when granting custody of a pet in disputes between unmarried parties. Kudos to Governor Pritzker for signing HB 4540, Public Act 14-0613, “Rosie’s Law” into law! Rosie’s Law, also known as the Companion Animal Custody Equity Act, […]
Legal Updates
MORE EMPLOYEES QUALIFY FOR OVERTIME
Beginning soon, more employees will qualify for overtime. The U.S. Department of Labor has increased the number of employee who qualify for non-exempt status, which means an increase of the number of employees who qualify for over-time pay. The next increase will take place on July 1, 2024, followed by another increase on January 1, […]
CHICAGO EMPLOYERS HAVE DOUBLE THE FUN BEGINNING JULY 1, 2024
Expensive changes in the law for employers in Chicago are upon us. On July 1, 2024, a Chicago Ordinance will take effect doubling and expediting the rate at which Chicago employees accrue paid time off. This comes at the same time the Federal Department of Labor is reducing the number of employees who qualify for […]
Illinois Update- Business Interruption Coverage Does Not Include Losses from COVID 19 Pandemic
At the beginning of the COVID-19 Pandemic, two weeks into the Illinois Shelter-In-Place Order, I wrote a blog about insurance coverage for business losses due to the COVID-19 Pandemic. At the time of that blog, more than a billion people were under some sort of quarantine law, and numerous US states and foreign countries had […]
Lessons From Virtual Bench Trials And Evidentiary Hearings
The Covid-19 Pandemic undoubtedly changed the face of litigation. In many Illinois state and almost all federal courts, hearings are done virtually. Everything from routine status hearings, to arguments, to bench trials are done through Zoom, or Teams, or some other virtual computer format. Even as courts are opening to in-person jury trials and other […]
Sexual Harassment Is A Pervasive Problem: Employers Need Policies, Training to Prevent and a Good Employer’s Liability Insurance Policy
By now most of Illinois, if not beyond, is aware that yet another major celebrity (this time a famous Chicago radio host), has been accused of sexual harassment in court pleadings. It has been years since the Me Too movement began, and stories still arise about sexual harassment in the workplace. Still!
James Cook Co- Authors Article: “Business Information and Illinois FOIA Requests”
James Cook, an associate attorney with the Firm, has co- authored an article with his brother, William Cook, about the Freedom of Information Act. The article, “Business Information and Illinois FOIA Requests” is published in this month’s Illinois Bar Journal. The article gives a good overview of FOIA and the related issues facing businesses. McKenna […]
Illinois Businesses Should Look At The Model ABA Rules For Guidance On Virtual Practice
More than a year has passed since businesses moved to a virtual format in the wake of the Covid-19 global pandemic. Covid-19 is still circulating and new strains, including some more virulent strains, are still a concern for much of the world. We can no longer assume that the remote work place is merely a […]
Illinois State Legislature Casts a Dark Shadow Over All Litigants With New Bill Setting 9% Prejudgment Interest To Accrue From Notice Of Injury
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. […]
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.