News & Articles

Force Majeure and COVID-19

Force Majeure and COVID-19 With governments around the world imposing travel bans and quarantines in an attempt to slow the spread of COVID-19 pandemic the ability of parties to perform in accordance with the terms of a contract, and the liability that may result from the inability to perform under the terms of a contract

Recent Amendment to Illinois Cannabis Act Helps to Provide Clarification to Employers

When the Illinois legislature enacted legislation to legalize recreational marijuana effective January 1, 2020, employers were left with uncertainty as to how they could create and enforce reasonable zero tolerance or drug free workplace policies. The dilemma was that the Illinois Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act prevented employers from discriminating against employees for

New Federal Overtime Rules

The first major change in federal overtime rules in over 15 years took effect January 1, 2020. The recent change, which was implemented by the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”), increased the salary test for overtime eligibility under the federal Fair Labor Standards Act from $23,660 to $35,568 or $646 per week.  According to the

The Do’s and Don’ts of Protecting Yourself Against a Ransomware Attack

Although ransomware is thought to attack high-profile victims like large businesses, hospitals, and police stations, ransomware has become increasingly prevalent in small businesses and home computers. Ransomware is a form of malware that encrypts a computer’s files, rendering the files unusable. The ransomware then holds the files “hostage,” forcing the victim to pay a ransom,

Illinois’ New Retainage Law

New amendments to the Illinois Contractor Prompt Payment Act (“Act”) were recently passed into law. This new portion of the law specifically concerns the percentage of funds an owner is entitled by contract to withhold from payments to the contractor (or which the contractor can withhold from the subcontractor) until the owner’s obligation to pay

New Illinois Law Imposes Restrictions on Employers Interview Procedures

HB 834, known as the “No Salary History Law” became effective on September 29, 2019. The new law is an effort of the Illinois Legislature to curb the gender pay gap and reduce discrimination in the workplace. First, the new law prohibits employers from screening job applicants based on current or past wages. This means

Illinois’ Legislature Repeal of a 1998 Law to Set Stage for Limitations on Emissions

The Illinois legislature recently passed a law repealing a 1998 law which prohibited Illinois from setting emissions reduction targets beyond those established in the Kyoto Protocol. By repealing the 1998 law, starting January 1, 2020 Illinois law makers are expected to focus on a progressive clean energy bill with the goal of transitioning Illinois to

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