The new wage laws went into effect on January 1, 2022. On the state level, the minimum wage rose to $12 per hour. For employees who earn tips as part of their wages, the minimum hourly payment is $9.25 per hour, provided that tips get the employee to the $12 rate The hourly rate for Chicago is higher. Here is…
Changes to the Illinois employment law began in 2022 with an upgrade to the minimum wage rates and in January 2023, the One Day Rest in Seven Act (ODRISA) will enhance how the employer/employee relationship emerges in terms of rest and how work is scheduled. Here is what you Need to Know! 1.Chicago Employers Are Responsible for Knowing the Law…
Discrimination is a common occurrence and many of the people who face discrimination do not file a claim. In this blog, we go over 4 reasons why you should not wait to file a charge of discrimination. 1 There is a Time Limit There are anti-discrimination laws that help to define what types of actions are discriminatory. There are also…
Many employers have complied with the new minimum wage laws for Illinois, which went into effect on January 1, 2022. Currently, the minimum wage in Illinois is a tiered system. It raises the base minimum wage to $12 per hour for all employees except those who receive tips and those who are under the age of 18 and who work…
Recently, the Chicago Meat Authority, a Chicago meat processing plant, made the news, but not in a way that had anything to do with meat processing. The company settled a lawsuit against it for $1.1 million. The lawsuit was filed by the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) in February 2018 alleging that the Meat Authority had violated Title VII…
The fair workweek ordinance helps employees to find stability in regular and predictable work schedules. When work schedules are not predictable the employee is compensated. These four facts help to illustrate the power of the Fair Workweek Ordinance in Chicago, IL. 1. Not every employee is covered by the Fair Workweek Ordinance You will need to meet income criteria and…
Most people realize that it is illegal for an employer to discriminate against you because of your actual disability. However, employees may not realize that it is also unlawful to discriminate because an employer thinks you have a disability, or that your condition makes you disabled, even if you do not have a disability or are not disabled. This type…
There are a lot of reasons that someone could lose their job. Perhaps the company was downsizing, or you got in a fight with your boss, or because your boss feels your performance was not sufficient, even if you disagree with his assessment. In general, most reasons for termination are not illegal, even if you do not agree with the…
Contrary to popular belief, actions taken against you that may feel are unfair or wrongful may not be illegal. Actions that are based on illegal employment discrimination may be illegal under employment discrimination laws if two things happen: The person being discriminated against is being treated that way because they are in a “protected class”; and An adverse employment action…
Wrongful termination occurs when an employer fires you for an unlawful reason. Wrongful termination cases often occur because of illegal discrimination or illegal retaliation. This is different from a situation where you might disagree with the employer’s reasons for the termination, and there is no evidence of discrimination or retaliation. In those cases where the termination violates a law, and…