While the Relief for Restaurants and Other Hard Hit Small Businesses Act of 2022 (H.R. 3807) languishes amid the partisan rancor in Washington DC, the Illinois legislature stepped in to fill the void, at least to an extent. The FY23 Illinois state budget, signed by Governor JB Pritzker back in mid-April, included the appropriation of…
Read More »The Illinois legislature has unanimously passed an amendment to the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) clarifying the meaning of “race” discrimination under the law. The amendment, known as the “CROWN Act,” or the “Create a Respectful and Open Workplace for Natural Hair Act”, will update the definition of “race” under the IHRA so that “race”…
Read More »Last week, Ohio Governor Mike DeWine signed a law making some significant changes to the overtime exemption rules in the Buckeye State. SB47, which the legislature passed last month, exempts certain activities from overtime pay if they are preliminary or postliminary to the principal word activities. For example, traveling to or from the actual place…
Read More »The Illinois Equal Pay Act (IEPA) last changed when Governor Pritzker signed the most recent amendment into law last June – a change that didn’t fully take effect until today, so Illinois employers may need to be reminded of their obligations under the IEPA. As amended, the IEPA requires all private businesses with more than…
Read More »While the federal government hasn’t yet been able to prohibit the use of non-compete clauses in employment arrangements, the trend is growing at the state level with more considering limiting use of the restrictive covenant. Specifically, Iowa and West Virginia – states with republican Governors and legislatures – are both currently in play. The Iowa…
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For two years, Dunkin’ franchisees have had to operate under unprecedented regulatory conditions due to the pandemic – from mandatory store shutdowns to proof-of-vaccination orders. But could the regulatory nightmare finally be coming to an end? It sure looks like it, based on political and coronavirus-immunity trends of late. Still, there will be no shortage…
Read More »Effective January 1, HB 3582 took effect and expanded the types of crimes for which victims are entitled to take leave under the Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA). With enactment of the law, VESSA leave, which was previously limited to sexual or domestic violence, is now available to workers in Illinois who are…
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It’s been a long journey since the coronavirus pandemic reached our shores back in early 2020. Over the course of those first few months, governments ordered non-essential businesses shut, indoor dining was banned and people who left their homes were told to wear masks (even for a solitary jog). Houses of worship were ordered closed;…
Read More »As the nation now awaits the final decision by SCOTUS on these vaccine mandates, more states and cities are imposing their own versions of vaccine-or-mask mandates. In fact, just over the past week or two, New York City, Philadelphia, Washington DC, Boston, and Chicago, have all announced new local vaccine mandates for consumers to enter…
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At one time, omicron was known by most people as a Greek letter. The word literally means “little O.” But today, the word has followed the virus it is named for as a phenomenon that swept the planet. In many ways, governments and business have responded the way they did nearly two years ago, when…
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