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
Despite Uncertain Future for Illinois Eviction Moratorium, Rental Assistance Remains
The Illinois Supreme Court announced an amendment to Order M.R. 30370, which extended the temporary stay on certain residential eviction trials and dispositive motions to September 18. The previous order was set to end on September 1. The amended Order also includes provisions that exempt cases where rental assistance is clearly not viable and there
Truck Driver Shortage Causing Consumer Prices to Rise
Truck driver shortages often increase the costs of goods and hurt the economy. Approximately 70% of all consumer goods are transported by truck and, right now, the trucking industry is in desperate need of new drivers: 60,000 to be precise. According to the American Trucking Association (“ATA”), that is the number of drivers that are
Remote Notarizations Permitted Under New Illinois Law
On July 26, 2021, SB2664 was signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker as Public Act 102-160. This major revision of the Illinois Notary Public Act (“INPA”) authorizes the use of both Remote Ink Notarizations (“RIN”) and Remote Online Notarizations (“RON”) in real estate transactions. The INPA sets forth the details required for the notary
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,