While there are federal laws in place to protect employees from various types of discrimination in the workplace, there are also anti-discrimination laws in the state of Illinois that are in place order to further protect employees from workplace discrimination. In the state of Illinois, employers are required to abide by the following federal laws: Fair Labor Standards Act […]
When an employee requires an accommodation in order to perform his job duties, an employer is generally required to engage in a discussion with the employee (called the “interactive process” in legalese). However, the law is far from clear as to when an employer (or an employee) has met the obligation to discuss with an employee about […]
Last week President Obama announced via Huffington Post proposed changes to the overtime regulations. We discussed this proposal in our previous blog post here. The announcement focused on the changes to the salary threshold employees would need to be paid to be non-exempt (not paid overtime). Last week, the Department of Labor (the agency in charge […]
Most companies have a process in which an employee must follow when he or she has a workplace concern. Typically, the first person that your concern must be addressed to is your direct supervisor. While many people feel comfortable speaking with their supervisor, many others may not, especially when it comes to addressing concerns like workplace […]
Most jobs, in most states, are considered at-will employment. While this is a common practice, many employees do not understand what at-will employment really means. What Is At-Will Employment? At-will employment means that your employment is exactly that, at will, and your employer can terminate your employment at any time, for any reason. However, the […]
The white collar exemptions to overtime pay — the Administrative, Professional, and Executive Exemptions — require among other things that the relevant worker be paid a fix minimum per week. Currently that salary must be at least $23,660 per year (we discussed this issue in more detail here). When that regulation was originally passed, $23,000 went a lot […]
Employees often sign non-compete agreements as a matter of course when they take a job. They then work for a period of time for the employer without concern about the non-compete agreement. At some point the employee leaves the job. Whether this is because she saw a better opportunity, was no longer happy at the […]
This common workplace issue is increasingly becoming a problem for employees everywhere. Wage theft may occur when an employee does not receive the incorrect pay or may not be receiving their pay at all. No matter the situation, there is something that can be done about it. What Is Wage Theft? Wage theft is defined as the […]
Every employee is entitled to his or her rights. However, there are occasions in which employers overlook your employee rights, especially when it comes to discrimination. If you feel that you have been discriminated against, you are facing termination due to discrimination, or termination due to filing a discrimination claim; it is critical that you take […]
When facing a violation of your employment rights, such as harassment, discrimination, or wage and overtime theft, it is critical to know who you can turn to for help. This is why finding an experienced and professional employment attorney is a must. Here are some helpful tips to consider when choosing an employment attorney: Only hire an […]
