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
Property Tax Appeals Update
Our real estate tax team at Rock Fusco & Connelly, LLC continues to work hard fighting to keep your property tax bills as low as possible. We’re proud to announce that our real estate tax appeals throughout the 2020 session resulted in a sum total of $2,653,584 in tax dollar savings for our commercial and
Inflation Begins Hitting Consumer Purses
Prices of online goods have now risen for an unprecedented 15 consecutive months, just after what was a record-setting period of declines. Inflation is hitting all different types of products, including pet products, non-prescription drugs, clothing, furniture, and flower arrangements. The rise in digital sticker prices across the industry means online commerce transactions are soon
Illinois Launches New Rental Assistance Program
The Illinois Supreme Court issued an order on September 13, 2021, directing that information on a new $60 million Court-Based Rental Assistance Program (“CBRAP”) be provided to litigants in eviction courts across the state. Up to 12 months of past-due rent and three months of future rent per applicant can be paid for by the program. The new court-based relief
President Biden Announces Sweeping Pandemic Regulatory Measures
On September 9, 2021, President Biden announced a “Path Out of the Pandemic,” detailing the regulatory powers and actions his administration will use to increase the number of vaccinated Americans. Currently, the outlined plan is advisory, while agencies develop more-detailed policies regarding compliance with certain directives. The plan provides the following: Employers of more than
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
Is Your Estate Plan Up to Date? A 2021 Checklist to Review
Estate planning is essential to ensure a smooth transition after you pass. Estate planning is a dynamic process that evolves throughout one’s life and changes as your needs and wishes change. It’s a good idea to update your estate plan every few years, especially if you’ve experienced any significant life changes, such as marriage, divorce,
COVID-19 Vaccine Mandate
President Joe Biden announced on September 9, 2021 a series of proposals to combat the COVID-19 pandemic more aggressively, including plans for a new rule requiring employers with 100 or more employees to mandate that their workers be vaccinated or undergo weekly testing. The items outlined are strategies and do not have formal regulations behind
U.S. Cybersecurity Office Adds Single-Factor Authentication to List of Bad Practices
The U.S. Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Agency (CISA) has added the use of single-factor authentication to their list of Bad Practices. Single-factor authentication is a common low-security method of accessing a computer system. “Single-factor” refers to the verifying of the user’s identity with only one method, typically a username and password. It is considered the lowest
Changes to Illinois’ Scott’s Law
Illinois’ “Scott’s Law” – otherwise known as the “Move Over” Law – was mandated in 2017 in order to provide more safety to vehicles displaying flashing emergency lights, including commercial trucks and cars. The law mandates vehicles approaching another vehicle displaying alternative flashing lights to move over and slow down for stopped emergency or maintenance