Category: Employment Law
New York City Enacts Just-Cause Termination Requirements for Fast-Food Employers
The COVID-19 pandemic has brought economic hardships for many industries. However, none have been hit quite as hard as the restaurant industry, including fast-food. In most industrial sectors in the United States, employees are subject to at-will employment contracts, meaning that employees can be terminated without cause. However, this will no longer be the case
What To Do If Employee Tests Positive For COVID-19
As the pool of “essential workers” continues to grow and Illinois continues to move through the phases of Governor J.B. Pritzker’s Plan to Reopen Illinois, it is important that employers establish procedures to prevent the spread of COVID-19 in the event an employee tests positive. Implementing procedures to address this scenario will protect your employees
Illinois Employers Must Provide Sexual Harassment Prevention Training By December 31, 2020
Illinois employers must provide annual sexual harassment prevention training. The Illinois Legislature amended the Illinois Human Rights Act (“IHRA”) to create this requirement, as well as expand the class of persons protected by harassment laws, impose reporting requirements, and limit the use of confidentiality clauses. The law also required the Department of Human Rights (“IDHR”)
COVID-19: Employer Recommendations
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued new guidelines as of April 8, 2020 for employers to use when considering whether employees who have been exposed to COVID-19 should return to the workplace. It is important to note that the CDC has abandoned its previous recommendation that employees stay at home for
Employer Considerations When Forced to Reduce Employees’ Hours Due to COVID-19
With the COVID-19 pandemic imposing significant financial burdens on Illinois businesses, many employers must make difficult decisions to reduce costs in order to remain in business. Although many employers are doing everything in their power to keep their employees employed, with the closure or partial closure of businesses, and a general reduction in work, many
Business Interruption and Civil Authority Insurance
Client Alert: Business Interruption and Civil Authority Insurance Provisions in the Wake of COVID-19 Following the restrictions imposed limiting crowd sizes and shuttering companies’ operations across seemingly every industry, business owners are turning to their insurance coverage policies for guidance in navigating these difficult and uncertain times. One possible aid to business owners facing new
Employee Expense Reimbursement and Remote Working Policies
With COVID-19 forcing many business owners to implement remote working polices, it is important for employers to be aware of their liability for employee expenses while their employees work from home. In short, employers are responsible for reimbursing employees for all expenses directly incurred by the employee while performing services for the employer. In 2018,
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 Appellate Court Ruling Affecting Labor Unions’ Termination of Employees
In a recent case, Dorothy Crawley v. The Board of Education of the City of Chicago, the 1st District Appellate Court ruled that the termination of a Chicago school teacher, who called in sick but in reality, actually went on a vacation, was warranted under the state’s School Code. Although the Defendant submitted a physician’s
Illinois Legislature Approves Bill Targeting Workplace Harassment
This past June the Illinois General Assembly overwhelmingly passed SB75, or the Workplace Transparency Act, which now sits before Governor J.B. Pritzker. Assuming Governor Pritzker signs the bill into law, new limitations and requirements will be placed on employers starting January 1, 2020. Here are a few key take-aways contained in the Act: First, the