Illinois Implements Act Requiring Certain Small Businesses to Provide Retirement Plans to Employees
The Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act (“Act”) (S.B. 2758, Pub. Act 098-1150), which requires certain small businesses to implement retirement plans for employees, took effect on June 1, 2015. Here are just a few highlights of what Illinois employers need to know about the Act and how it will impact their businesses and employees
Employers’ Duty to Provide Reasonable Accommodations to Pregnant Employees: Recent Developments in Federal and State Law
On July 14, 2014, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) issued new guidance on its interpretation and application of the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (“PDA”). Amongst other things, the EEOC’s guidelines relate to an employer’s obligation to provide reasonable accommodations to pregnant employees. The PDA was a 1978 amendment to Title VII of the Civil Rights
Advising Medical Marijuana Businesses
With the passage and implementation of the Compassionate Use of Medical Cannabis Pilot Program Act, Illinois stands to follow many other states on the path towards legalized marijuana use. However, despite allowing specific uses of marijuana, the federal government still identifies the possession, sale, and production of marijuana as illegal. While the U.S. Department of
When the Bubble Bursts: How Tech Start-Ups Are Hurtling Towards a Crash
At the turn of the 21st century, the internet had become a new market for individuals of all backgrounds and experience to begin online companies. Backed by venture capitalists and millions of dollars, dozens of internet companies such as Amazon, Yahoo, and Google were launched, and the dot-com era was born. These companies would go
Beyond Contract Liability: When a General Contractor Has to Pay a Subcontractor He Never Hired
The general rule concerning contracts holds that the only parties that can be held liable are those that signed the contract. In other words, you or your business generally can’t be held liable for a contract you did not sign. This simple rule is fundamental to contracts in the construction business. A general contractor hires
New Laws for the New Year
With the ringing in of a new year, more than 200 new laws have become effective in Illinois. Below are some of the most important laws which were enacted and what they might mean for you or your business. Pregnancy Discrimination (HB8 / PA 98-1050) Perhaps the biggest new law of the year for businesses
Corporations, Sexual Harassment, and the IGVA
In 2003, the Illinois General Assembly passed the “Gender Violence Act” (“IGVA”). The act stated that any person subjected to gender-related violence as defined by the act could bring a civil action for damages against a “person or persons.” While the Act appears to be relatively straightforward on its face, recent Supreme Court cases such
The Gray Area Of Anti-SLAPP
In 2007, the Illinois General Assembly enacted the Citizen Participation Act. The Act was designed for the quick dismissal of “Strategic Lawsuits Against Public Participation,” or SLAPPs. The General Assembly found that firms, developers, and other entities were using the legal system to attack and bankrupt opponents that took public action against them. A heavily
White Collar Wage Wars
There has been an exponential boom in the amount of cases being filed against corporations. In 2006 and 2007, the likes of Citigroup, UPS, IBM, Sony, and Carnival Cruise Lines paid out over $260 million in settlements for unpaid overtime cases. While overtime lawsuits are not new, multi-million dollar settlements have been in the past
Buyers Beware: Seventh Circuit Holds Asset Purchaser Liable for Target Company’s Fair Labor Standards Act Violations under Successor-in-Interest Liability
In the world of mergers and acquisition law, corporations and their attorneys have long used asset purchases to avoid a target company’s unsavory liabilities. The strategy is relatively straight-forward: by purchasing the target’s assets only, the buyer typically avoids the target’s liabilities, which the buyer would otherwise have to assume in a merger or stock