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.
Legal Updates
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 […]
Maintaining a Drug-Free Workplace after Illinois Legalized Marijuana
The Illinois Cannabis Regulation and Tax Act (“Cannabis Act”) legalized the use and possession of recreational cannabis for adults age 21 or older beginning January 1, 2020. The Cannabis Act allows Illinois residents at least 21 years old to possess up to 30 grams of marijuana flower and 5 grams of marijuana concentrate for personal use.
Deciphering Minimum Wage In Illinois Is Not An Easy Task
By now, most Illinois employers know that the minimum wage in Illinois has gone up. Governor JB Pritzker signed legislation providing a path to an Illinois minimum wage of $15.00 by 2025. As of July 1, 2020, Illinois’ minimum wage is $10 per hour but there are exceptions and nuances to the law and some […]
Employers Should Have a COVID-19-Return-to-Work Plan Before Reopening
As more states loosen the COVID-19 Shelter in Place laws and people begin to return to previously sheltered business, it is essential that businesses have a plan for how that return to work will look and, equally important, convey relevant portions of the plan to its employees.
Illinois Requires Written Sexual Harassment Prevention Policies For All Public Contractors
Illinois’ amended COVID-19 Shelter in Place rules permits essential workers, which includes most businesses that contract with the State of Illinois for essential services, including construction and healthcare, to continue to perform their essential functions. For businesses bidding for work with Illinois during this COVID-19 time they must understand and comply with the Illinois Human […]
Illinois Sexual Harassment Prevention Guidelines Are Out
With COVID-19 news taking center stage in our lives, it is easy to push aside Illinois’ new Workplace Transparency Act enacted to protect employees against sexual harassment.
COVID 19 Pandemic-Notice To Insurers-Who To Notify And When
The landscape of insurance coverage in this era of the COVID-19 Pandemic is likely to change as insurance lawsuits are being filed to determine scope of insurance coverage. Meanwhile, in direct response to COVID-19, several states are attempting to modify Commercial General Liability (CGL) Insurance policies through legislation to provide coverage, particularly business interruption insurance, […]
Understanding Money Damages for Trade Secrets Misappropriation under Federal and Illinois Law
Both federal law and the Illinois Trade Secrets Act (765 ILCS 1065/et seq.) allow a person to recover money damages caused by the misappropriation of trade secrets. 765 ILCS 1065/4; 18 U.S.C. § 1836. Generally, a “trade secret” is information kept confidential for economically advantageous reasons. See 765 ILCS 1065/4; 18 U.S.C. § 1839(3). Trade […]
COVID –19 Relief Programs For Small Businesses
Different programs are available to assist small businesses during this COVID-19 disaster which has swept the country. Small businesses employ over 50% of our employed workers, and are straddled with great challenges in trying to navigate this crisis. Various sources are being developed to help small businesses, which may make the difference between survival and […]