As was widely reported, earlier this year the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a rule banning nearly all noncompete agreements with limited exceptions. The rule was to take effect on September 4, 2024, as we recently...more
Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance
The Fast Laner previously reported the passage of the Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick and Safe Leave Ordinance (Ordinance). The effective date was originally...more
6/12/2024
/ Compliance ,
Local Ordinance ,
Minimum Wage ,
Notice Requirements ,
Paid Leave ,
Paid Time Off (PTO) ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Posting Requirements ,
Safe Leave ,
Sick Leave ,
Wage and Hour
Employers who have not yet filed for an Illinois Equal Pay Act Registration Certificate (EPRC) must do so by March 23, 2024. This only applies to employers who have not filed for an EPRC in the past two years. We previously...more
Effective July 1, 2022, the City of Chicago amended the Chicago Human Rights Ordinance by adding significant sexual harassment prevention requirements for employers, including new employer policy, notice, and training...more
Cook County and Chicago’s annual minimum wage increases go into effect on July 1, 2022. The Chicago minimum wage will increase to $15.40 per hour for employers with 21 or more employees and to $14.50 per hour for employers...more
Amendments to Chicago’s Human Rights Ordinance go into effect on July 1, 2022. The amendments require both substantive changes to sexual harassment policies and new training requirements for employers in Chicago....more
Summer is in full swing and with the beautiful weather comes increases in pay for hourly employees. On July 1, 2021, the minimum wage increased for employers with employees who work in Chicago. The minimum wage in Chicago...more
Happy New Year from Laner Muchin! It is the beginning of a new year, which means a fresh start and increases in minimum wage rates across Illinois and many other states, effective on January 1, 2021. On January 1, 2021, the...more
Based on welcome news that the COVID-19 vaccine may be available to the public in the coming months, many employers are beginning to consider whether mandatory vaccinations can be incorporated into existing strategies to...more
12/24/2020
/ Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Food and Drug Administration (FDA) ,
GINA ,
Infectious Diseases ,
New Guidance ,
NLRB ,
OSHA ,
Popular ,
Religious Accommodation ,
Title VII ,
Vaccinations ,
Workplace Safety
The CDC has issued two significant pieces of COVID-19 guidance in the last few days. On December 4, 2020, the CDC issued guidance recommending universal face masking while indoors and outdoors when social distancing is not...more
The significant increase in COVID-19 cases nationwide has state and local governments implementing safety measures. In some instances, state and local governments are reinstating restrictions that were in place at the...more
12/1/2020
/ Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Response ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
Non-Essential Businesses ,
Operators of Essential Services ,
Public Health Emergency ,
Quarantine ,
Re-Opening Guidelines ,
State and Local Government ,
Workplace Safety
Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that that the City of Chicago is reinstating some restrictions for bars, restaurants, gyms and personal service establishments. Mayor Lightfoot said that it is a precautionary move in response...more
Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that that the City of Chicago is reinstating some restrictions for bars, restaurants, gyms and personal service establishments. Mayor Lightfoot said that it is a precautionary move in response...more
Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that that the City of Chicago is reinstating some restrictions for bars, restaurants, gyms and personal service establishments. Mayor Lightfoot said that it is a precautionary move in response...more
Today, Mayor Lori Lightfoot announced that that the City of Chicago is reinstating some restrictions for bars, restaurants, gyms and personal service establishments. Mayor Lightfoot said that it is a precautionary move in...more
Last week, President Trump signed the Paycheck Protection Program Flexibility Act (the Act) into law which significantly relaxed many requirements of the original Paycheck Protection Act (PPP). The changes come as employers...more
It is that time of year again. Yes, school is “out” and summer has unofficially begun. It also means that the minimum wage will increase across Illinois. On July 1, 2020, the minimum wage will increase in Illinois, Cook...more
On March 27, 2020, President Trump signed $2.2 trillion stimulus package known as the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (“CARES”) Act. The update below focuses on provisions in the CARES Act that are...more
Employers are grappling with how to respond to the novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic. This provides employers with guidance on how to address the impact of COVID-19 on the workplace and what employers can and cannot do....more
3/24/2020
/ Best Management Practices ,
Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Emergency Response ,
Employer Responsibilities ,
Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA) ,
Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) ,
School Closures ,
Shelter-In-Place ,
State of Emergency ,
Unemployment Benefits
Employers, Human Resources and in-house counsel are grappling with how to respond to the Coronavirus (COVID-19). This provides employers with guidance on how to address the impact of the virus on the workplace and what...more
Last week, a federal judge in Chicago rejected the class action claims of Chicago Police Department (CPD) SWAT officers who sued the City for overtime pay for transporting, loading/unloading, and storing equipment that they...more
On July 23, 2019, the Chicago City Council passed the Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance (Ordinance). This is one of the most expansive ordinances of its kind containing a myriad of requirements and penalties for...more
For years the hospitality industry has grappled with complying with a U.S. Department of Labor’s (USDOL) enforcement position that a server cannot spend more than 20% of his or her shift performing non-tipped work....more
2/21/2019
/ Department of Labor (DOL) ,
Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) ,
Field Assistance Bulletins ,
Food Service Workers ,
Hospitality Industry ,
Minimum Wage ,
Restaurant Industry ,
Tip Credit ,
Tipped Employees ,
Tips ,
Wage and Hour
Whether an arbitration agreement is right for your business is not a “one size fits all” answer. Businesses should take a step back and evaluate whether an arbitration agreement is right for them. It starts with your...more
Employers who are covered by the Chicago and/or Cook County Minimum Wage Ordinances should prepare for increases that go into effect next week on July 1, 2018. ...more