As of January 1, 2022, Illinois employers are more limited in their ability to bind employees to non-competition and non-solicitation agreements. These changes stem from a recent amendment to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act,...more
3/2/2022
/ Construction Industry ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Contract ,
Employment Litigation ,
Freedom To Work Act ,
Governor Pritzker ,
Minimum Salary ,
New Legislation ,
Non-Compete Agreements ,
Non-Solicitation Agreements ,
Proposed Amendments ,
State Labor Laws
According to a legal opinion posted online on July 26, 2021, the U.S. Department of Justice officially took the position that the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FDCA)—which authorizes an “emergency use authorization” (EUA) for...more
7/29/2021
/ Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Department of Justice (DOJ) ,
Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employer Mandates ,
Employment Litigation ,
Employment Policies ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Exemptions ,
Federal Food Drug and Cosmetic Act (FFDCA) ,
Vaccinations
On March 23, 2021, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed Senate Bill 1480 (SB 1480), which amends the Illinois Human Rights Act to impose robust new restrictions and obligations on employers’ use of background checks in Illinois. The...more
3/31/2021
/ Background Checks ,
Criminal Background Checks ,
Employees ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) ,
Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA) ,
Governor Pritzker ,
Human Rights Act ,
Job Applicants ,
New Legislation ,
State and Local Government ,
State Legislatures
As the COVID-19 resurgence continues, the state of Illinois and the city of Chicago have once again updated guidance for employers. Below is a summary of the most recent mandates and guidance as of November 20, 2020....more
Nearly one year after Governor JB Pritzker signed the Illinois Workplace Transparency Act (WTA), the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) issued much-needed guidance on one of the WTA’s most arduous requirements—the...more
As COVID-19 cases continue to rise locally and across the country, the state of Illinois, the city of Chicago, and Cook County continue to update their guidelines and recommendations for employers. Below is a summary of the...more
As employers open or expand access to workplaces, safety considerations remain paramount during the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. And with the influx of employees returning to worksites, employers should prepare not only for...more
Governor J.B. Pritzker released Restore Illinois, a five-phased plan to reopen the state of Illinois on Tuesday, May 5. In conjunction with this plan, the Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH) issued several resources...more
On April 3, 2020, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued an updated recommendation that all workers and members of the general public should consider using non-medical face masks or face coverings to...more
“Epidemic” Versus “Pandemic”: A Distinction With A Difference -
On March 11, 2020, the World Health Organization (WHO) officially declared the outbreak of the coronavirus (COVID-19) a global pandemic. Previously, the...more
Employers are rightfully concerned about what, if anything, they should be doing to respond to the continued spread of the coronavirus (COVID-19), with confirmed cases in dozens of countries, including the United States. As...more
3/2/2020
/ Anti-Discrimination Policies ,
Best Practices ,
Coronavirus/COVID-19 ,
Employee Handbooks ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Foreign Nationals ,
Infectious Diseases ,
OSHA ,
Policies and Procedures ,
Traveling Employee ,
Workplace Safety
The U.S. Department of Education (DOE) recently launched investigations into at least a half dozen top research institutions for failing to disclose foreign-sourced gifts or contracts. Under section 117 of the Higher...more
2/27/2020
/ China ,
Department of Education ,
Disclosure Requirements ,
Duty to Disclose ,
Educational Assistance Programs ,
Educational Institutions ,
Enforcement Actions ,
Foreign Investment ,
Gifts ,
Government Investigations ,
Government-Owned Corporation ,
Higher Education Act ,
Research and Development
The Illinois legislature engaged in a flurry of recent activity in the area of employee protections. Included below are highlights of new employment laws in place as of January 1, 2020.
Significant Restrictions on...more
2/25/2020
/ Compensation & Benefits ,
Decriminalization of Marijuana ,
Employee Rights ,
Employer Liability Issues ,
Employment Discrimination ,
Employment Litigation ,
Human Rights Act ,
Labor Reform ,
Labor Regulations ,
Labor Relations ,
Salary/Wage History ,
State Labor Laws ,
Wage and Hour