On August 27, 2014, the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals in California rejected FedEx’s argument that its drivers were independent contractors and concluded that they were in fact employees entitled to overtime pay and meal period benefits under California law. The Court ruled that a class of approximately 2,300 delivery drivers may proceed with their class claims […]
Understanding Your FMLA Rights
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) is a federal program that allows employees to take unpaid time off for eligible reasons, with the ability to be reinstated in their current position upon their return. If an employer has a minimum of 50 employees for a minimum of 20 weeks in the current or previous calendar year, […]
Illinois Court Orders Halt to State Deductions from Pensioners’ Benefits
On August 29, 2014, in response to a petition by the State Universities Annuitants Association (SUAA) and others, the Sangamon County Circuit Court ordered Illinois to stop future deductions from retiree’s pension checks for health insurance premiums, and required the State to be prepared to discuss and identify ways to return money that was previously […]
ILLINOIS LAW GRANTS WORKPLACE PROTECTION TO PREGNANT WOMEN AND NEW MOTHERS
House Bill 8, signed into law this (last) week, becomes effective January 1, 2015. It provides new protections in the workplace for pregnant women and new mothers. This law requires specific reasonable accommodations for pregnant women including restrictions on heavy lifting, manual labor, access to places to sit, additional time to recover from pregnancies, a private space […]
Understanding The Basics Of Tipping
Employees working in the service industry often find themselves earning more money in tips, than they do in wages. However, many of these men and women are not fully aware of their legal rights when it comes to their tips. By making themselves knowledgeable and aware of the basics in regards to tips, tip credits, and […]
FLSA Overtime Exemption is Changing for Domestic Service Workers
Effective January 1, 2015, the Fair Labor Standards Act’s overtime exemption for Domestic Service Workers is changing. The Department of Labor has issued a fact sheet which highlights the changes. Once these new changes go into effect, many Domestic Service Workers who were not previously entitled to be paid overtime will be eligible for overtime at a rate of […]
Understanding What Employees Are Exempt From The Federal Overtime Law
Most employers are required to pay their employees overtime, according to federal and state laws, however, these laws often times contain exceptions. With these exceptions, some employees are not qualified to receive overtime pay and are considered “exempt” employees. Businesses that have more than $500,000 in sales each year or is considered an “interstate commerce” (a […]
Illinois Retiree’s Pension Rights
Maduff has been hard at work fighting to preserve Illinois Retiree’s Pension Rights. Last year, the Illinois General Assembly enacted a law – Senate Bill 1313 – requiring that deductions be made from the monthly pension payments of retired public employees. The State started last year by deducting 2% of the monthly payment (1% for those on […]
Illinois Enacts The Job Opportunities For Qualified Applicants Act
On July 19th, Illinois’ Governor Quinn approved to enact the Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act. This law, which will take effect on January 1, 2015, has previously been adopted by Hawaii, Massachusetts, Minnesota and Rhode Island, making Illinois the fifth state to join. The Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act will prohibit private sector employers […]
Understanding Wage Theft
Wage theft has become a popular term these days. What once was believed to be a common problem for low-wage service employees has now become an issue for Americans everywhere. Whether an employee is not receiving their overtime pay, the incorrect pay, or not receiving their pay at all, there is something that can be done […]