Employees have a legal right to work in conditions that are free from any harassment that is motivated by illegal reasons such as race or gender. Whether it is sexual harassment, verbal abuse on racial or some form of physical bullying, the harassment needs to stop now. Harassment is not always a clear cut issue to all parties involved. The…
Perhaps you are working for a Mobile Phone Service and before hiring you, they ask you to sign a non-compete clause on your hiring contract. This may seem strange though it isn’t uncommon. However, there are some critical things to note about non-compete agreements, in particular for those living in the state of Illinois that is unique compared to most…
As a boss, you already know the pressure and the stress of running your company. It is a daily battle to make deadlines, achieve goals, motivate employees and provide income for them to feed their families. When one of your employees files a discrimination claim against you, you must address this quickly with an employment law attorney. But there are…
Telecommuting increased close to 80 percent just between 2005 and 2012, and an estimated 30 million people now report working from home at least once per week. App Developer Magazine featured an interesting article recently on how dynamics in the workplace are changing as more and more people are telecommuting, and how this changes employment law as it relates to employer-employee relationships…
All of us expect to be treated with dignity and respect at our place of employment and state and federal laws protect us from discriminatory action by our employers. Employment laws prohibit discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, disability, and genetic information. Workplace Discrimination Furthermore, employees may not be retaliated against for making good faith…
Along with negotiations over salary and benefits, employees may also bargain over non-compete clauses, which may limit their ability to work for “competitors” should they choose to move on from the company. Prospective employees should understand Illinois has laws pertaining to these agreements and restriction that may make them unreasonable and unenforceable. The ultimate decision of whether the agreement is…
An Orland Park man recently filed an employment discrimination lawsuit against an area Chick-Fil-A restaurant alleging the fast food company denied him employment due to his disability despite references vouching for his capabilities. The claim, filed on December 23, 2016, claims the plaintiff’s work coach spoke with the restaurant about hiring the man but was told the eatery was not interested in…
New legislation recently took effect allowing certain ex-offenders to work in state institutions like schools and park districts a certain amount of years after their conviction and jail terms. Like many other laws taking effect this year, the law is a significant and progressive move designed at strengthening the power workers have to help provide for themselves and their families during difficult…
In 2017, more than 200 new laws are set to take effect in Illinois, many of them aimed at improving the quality of life for workers across the state and aid in their upward mobility in a rapidly changing economy. However, one law slated to take effect early this year has been pushed back to 2018 to allow businesses to prepare and…
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently announced Wal-Mart Stores, Inc. settled an employment discrimination case with a former store clerk for $75,000 over allegations the company failed to accommodate a protected class. The plaintiff, a worker in the Hodgkins, Illinois store, battled cancer and needed simple, modest accommodations to allow her to perform her job but the defendant subsequently rescinded…