Employees presented with a severance agreement should be aware of a National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decision with significant implications. In a February 2023 ruling, the Board deemed confidentiality and non-disparagement provisions in severance agreements unlawful when presented to employees protected by Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA).
The NLRB reasoned that…
In a major victory for workers’ rights, the Chicago City Council has approved an ordinance that will guarantee all workers in the city at least 10 days of paid leave annually. This is a significant expansion of the current paid leave policy, which only requires employers to provide five days of paid sick leave.
The…
In 2022, Illinois significantly restricted the use of non-compete agreements with the passage of the Freedom to Work Act. The Act prohibits non-compete agreements for workers earning less than $75,000 per year (adjusted upwards every five years, capped at $90,000 per year beginning on January 1, 2037), prohibits non-solicitation agreements for workers earning less than…
The state of Illinois has recently passed a new employment law, known as the Illinois All Workers Act, which provides greater protections for workers across the state. The purpose of the law is to address the growing need for fair and just treatment of workers, regardless of their job classification or status as an independent…
Governor J.B. Pritzker recently signed the Paid Leave for Workers Act, which takes effect on January 1, 2024. The Act requires employers to provide eligible employees with paid sick leave and is designed to promote a healthier and more productive workforce by enabling workers to take time off for their own or their family’s health…
The Illinois One Day Rest in Seven Act (ODRISA), which requires employers to provide employees with at least one day of rest per week, has recently been amended. The amendments to the law, which went into effect in 2023, provide greater protection for employees who work more than 40 hours per week and ensure that…
U.S. Supreme Court Rules That Title VII Prevents Sexual Orientation Discrimination
On June 15, 2020, the U.S. Supreme Court made clear, in a 6-3 ruling, that federal law, through Title VII, protects workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
The Court held that “Title VII makes it ‘unlawful … for an employer…
Retaliation for Supporting Another’s Claim of Discrimination is Illegal Unlawful workplace retaliation can take many forms, and an employee may even have a claim for activity outside of work. For example, as explained by the EEOC in his June 2019 press release, an employer can be liable where it prohibits or otherwise harasses an…
Illinois Law Now Requires Employers to Reimburse Employee Expenses The Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act (the “IWPCA”) has long provided protections for employees to ensure their employers timely pay them all the compensation they are owed, including, in some cases, personal liability for the person making the decision to withhold compensation. It was recently…
Illinois has previously provided protections for pregnant women in the workplace. For example, the Illinois Human Rights Act has expressly recognized pregnancy as a protected personal characteristic. But now, with the passage of an amendment to the Illinois Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act (the “Act”), Illinois has increased the rights of nursing mothers in…
