It is important to know the difference between what is appropriate behavior for work and what should be saved for post work conversations. Being approached by another employee or higher in the workplace up can put you in an awkward situation if they say the wrong thing or if their comments are taken the wrong […]
Adverse Actions And Retaliation In The Workplace
From wrongful termination, to discrimination, employees have the potential to become a victim of adverse actions and retaliation in the workplace. Luckily, however, there are many state and federal laws that protect employees from employer retaliation. What Is Retaliation? Retaliation is when an employer takes an adverse action against an employee that negatively affects their employment, but only when […]
Recognizing Wage Theft In The Workplace
Although it may not seem like a big issue to some, wage theft is the most common employment violation that occurs in the workplace across the nation. There are laws set in place in the state of Illinois to ensure employers do not take advantage of their employees, one being wages. It is required for […]
Understanding Tipping Laws As An Employee
Although there are endless amounts of employees who are tipped on a monthly basis, many do not understand tipping laws and how they can protect them. the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) specifically provides a section entitled for employees to be protected if they are tipped more than 30 dollars a month. We here at […]
Handling Discrimination and Harassment Claims
When running a successful business, one of the most important practices and policies to have in place is an effective, efficient and proactive complaint procedure. Be Respectful: When a complaint is brought to your attention, it is important to ensure that they are treated with both respect and consideration. You must take every claim seriously. […]
When Does my Employer Have to Pay me and What do I do if They are not Doing it on Time?
Many employment laws and regulations are designed to ensure employers don’t take advantage of their employees. Some of those laws include when and how your employer should pay its employees. In Illinois, an employer must pay an employee by check or in the discretion of the employee by direct deposit or a debit card (subject to very strict guidelines). […]
Employee/Employer: When Hiring An Employment Attorney Can Be A Good Idea
Lawsuits are becoming more and more common in today’s workplace. Whether you are an employee, or an employer, it is important to know whom you can trust in the event you need to file or defend a lawsuit. Employee Issues Failure to pay proper wages or overtime (“Wage Theft”) as well as deprivation of rights like Family Medical […]
10 Ways a Small Business Can Control Unemployment Insurance
As we outlined in a previous blog post Employer Basics: Unemployment Insurance in Illinois, an established employer must pay a percentage of each employee’s wages, up to an annual base of $12,690, into the State’s Unemployment Fund and that percentage can range from 0.55% to 7.75%. This difference can be significant, a multiple of more than 14 times, […]
Employee Misclassifications: What You Should Know
On October 19, 2016, we posted a blog about the Chicago Minimum Wage law which became effective July 1, 2015, with an hourly wage of $10.00, increased to $10.50 July 1, 2016, and continues to increase incrementally each year into the future. The Chicago law also imposes very substantial penalties on employers who violate it, […]
Sexual Harassment Claims and McDonald’s
On Wednesday, October 15th, fifteen employees from the world’s largest burger chain, McDonald’s, filed charges with the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, on behalf of the victims by the Fight for $15 movement, alleging they were all victims of sexual harassment while on the job, in as many as 8 states, including Illinois. From being verbally […]