Category: Employment Law
New Equal Pay Laws to Take Effect in 2022
Illinois has joined the nationwide trend around the United States of states enacting equal pay laws. Starting in January 2022, the Illinois Equal Pay Act (the “Act”) amendments will take effect. Under the new changes to the Act, originally passed in 2003, employers with more than 100 employees will be required to obtain an “Equal
Emergence of Omicron and its Impact on the Workforce
With the arrival of a new season comes the arrival of a new variant of COVD-19: Omicron. As employers navigate another season of managing the virus’s impact on the workforce, it remains important to stay informed and take precautionary measures surrounding the workplace. Preliminary Information on Omicron As the first death related to the variant
Federal Decision to Impact Vaccine or Frequent Testing Mandate for Employers
The Decision A few months ago, in September, President Biden sought to implement a federal mandate under the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) called the Vaccination and Testing Emergency Temporary Standard (ETS), which would require private business with over 100 employees to require either mandatory COVID-19 vaccines or frequent testing. While the rule was
Illinois Expands Required Sexual Harassment Training Guidelines for Employers
Public Act 101-0221 amended the Illinois Human Rights Act (“IHRA”), requiring all Illinois employers to provide annual sexual harassment prevention training. Furthermore, the IHRA requires restaurants and bars to establish and disseminate a written policy on sexual harassment prevention training and provide “supplemental” sexual harassment prevention training. The Illinois Department of Human Rights (“IDHR”) was
Future of Hybrid Workplaces Unclear As Country Looks Past Pandemic
The COVID-19 pandemic has changed the way people go through their lives, and that is no more evident than in how workers have adapted to the new work-from-home environment. Right now, businesses around the globe are experimenting with several types of hybrid set-ups to determine what works best. For some, the new hybrid workplace may
Guidance for Employers and Employees on Rights and Safety with COVID-19
Guidance for Employers and Employees on Rights and Safety with COVID-19 With many workplaces inching towards a full reopening, and with the recent FDA approval of the first COVID-19 vaccine, the attorneys at Rock Fusco & Connelly, LLC, have prepared an easy-to-use cheat sheet to answer the most common questions asked by employers and employees,
State of New York Labor Decision to Reclassify 1099 Drivers as Independent Contractors
The New York Department of Labor issued the initial holding that Distribution Cooperative Network (“DCN”) was liable for paying tax contributions and benefits to delivery drivers, as they were classified employees. The employer appealed to the Administrative Law Judge, who overruled the initial determination and reclassified delivery drivers of cooperatives as independent contractors. The claimant
Wage Payment & Collection Act: Increased Penalties for Violations
Gov. Pritzker recently signed a bill into law, which makes employers liable for unpaid wages, final compensation, and 5% of the damages of underpayment per month. This differs from the previous 2% penalty of damages for underpayment under the Illinois Wage Payment & Collection Act (“IWPCA”). The IWPCA covers private employers as well as local
Illinois Law 2021 Updates: Attention Employer
A Flurry of Changes to Employment Law With the pandemic increasingly in the rear-view mirror, 2021 stands to be a blockbuster year for changes to employment law. Many of these laws aim to rectify perceived imbalances between workers and their employers. In this edition of the Rock Fusco & Connelly, LLC newsletter, we will explore
Leave Pay for Employees During Military Service
Many businesses employ individuals who must take leave from work for military service. In these instances, employers are often unsure of which federal, state, and local wage laws apply. Fortunately, the Seventh Circuit recently clarified the applicable laws regarding employee compensation during short-term military leave. On February 3, 2021, the Seventh Circuit decided White v.