Lawsuits against state can be filed in only two counties under measure signed by Gov. J.B. Pritzker
On June 6, 2023, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker signed into law a measure that could make it more difficult for Illinois citizens to challenge their state’s laws. The bill requires lawsuits that challenge the constitutionality of either Gov. Pritzker’s executive orders or the state legislature’s laws to be filed only in Cook County or Sangamon
Work Remote Doesn’t Work
Jamie Dimon, JPMorgan Chase & Co’s CEO, along with David Soloman, Goldman Sachs Group Inc. CEO, made it clear in an interview conducted by CNBC in January, that working from home doesn’t work for younger staff or bosses. Amongst the industrywide slowdown in finance and increasing signs of a recession, many industries are looking to
Documenting Employee Performance Central To Fending Off Potential Lawsuits
In January, 2023, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals decided Bragg v. Munster Medical Research Foundation Inc., d/b/a Community Hospital, which highlighted the significant impact that documenting performance can have in an employment discrimination case. After completing a 90-day orientation program for newly licensed nurses, the plaintiff, Catrina Bragg, was denied a full-time position as
US Department Of Labor To Tighten Independent Contractor Rules
This spring, the US Department of Labor is expected to tighten the classifications of employees. Small businesses that have been using loopholes to designate their workers as “gig workers,” or workers who do temporary or freelance work, such as independent contractors who are engaged on an informal or on-demand basis rather than regular employees, could
Property Tax Update 2/27/2023
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. Below are key updates on the 2022 session. Cook County: First installment property tax bills have been mailed out. The due date for payment this year was pushed back
New IRS Tax Brackets Take Effect in 2023
Higher federal income tax brackets and standard deductions are now in effect. These measures give Americans a chance to increase their take-home pay in 2023 and shield more of their income from the Internal Revenue Service. The increase in tax brackets is intended to avoid a phenomenon known as “bracket creep,” which happens when taxpayers
Paid Leave for All Workers Act
The Illinois General Assembly recently passed Senate Bill 208 or the “Paid Leave for All Workers Act.” The Act will take effect on January 1, 2024 and provides that employers provide all employees a minimum of 40 hours of paid leave during a 12-month period. The intent of the Act is to establish a minimum
FTC Proposes Ban of Noncompete Clauses
On January 5, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) proposed banning noncompete clauses in employee contracts. According to the FTC, this change could strengthen employees’ negotiating powers and could increase wages in the United States by nearly $300 billion. A study conducted in 2015 by the Journal of Law and Economics found that out of
Safe-T Act On Hold
The Safety, Accountability, Fairness, and Equality-Today Act, colloquially known as the SAFE-T Act, was set to make Illinois the first state in the country to forbid judges from forcing certain criminal defendants to pay cash bail to be released from jail while they await trial. On December 28, Kankakee County Circuit Court Judge Thomas Cunnington
New Illinois Laws: 2023
Several other new and interesting laws went into effect in the State of Illinois at the stroke of midnight on January 1, 2023. Here are some highlights: Food Preparation: HB 00209 This law bans latex gloves for the use of handling and preparing food. Food Delivery Services: HB 03205 Through this law, a third-party delivery