Dollar General Stores learn a hard lesson about the cost of failing to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act.

On September 16, 2016, a federal jury awarded a teenage ex-employee of the chain, Dollar General Stores, more than $277,566.00 in back pay and compensatory damages for her former employer’s violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

The teenager was a cashier who was an …

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Illinois Freedom to Work Act Bans Non-Competes for Low-Wage Earners

Illinois lawmakers are on a roll with expanding employee rights. On the heels of enacting several important laws for employees in the past few months, including the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights Act and the Child Bereavement Leave Act, our State has continued this positive trend, this time with …

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Newly Proposed Congressional Bill Targets Wage Gap

Just after returning from summer recess, Congress is off to a promising start with exciting proposed legislation for employees. On September 15, 2016, Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton, democratic delegate from the District of Columbia, introduced the Pay Equity for All Act of 2016 (H.R. 6030). The Bill aims to narrow the wage gap for …

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Under What Circumstances are Job-Related Medical Inquiries Allowed

We’ve all been hearing a lot this campaign season about the relative health conditions of the candidates for President of the United States.  We have been privy to letters from doctors attesting to the well-being of both candidates as well as significant commentary about whether those letters are true and accurate.  Everyone, from …

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Our Firm participated in a pediatric cancer fundraiser which was truly inspiring. 

As many of you know, we represent a lot of employees who need medical leave for various reasons.  Federal law gives certain employees the right to 12 weeks of unpaid medical leave to care for themselves, their spouse or children.  Some employers are more generous than this and the federal …

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Illinois Passes Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights Act

As Summer nears its close, we celebrate another advancement for Illinois employees.  Notably, on August 12, 2016, Illinois passed the Domestic Workers’ Bill of Rights Act.  This new law gives employment rights to nannies, housekeepers, caretakers, and other domestic workers.  This Act comes just weeks after Illinois adopted the Child Bereavement Leave Act.  Hence, our home …

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Illinois Expands Leave Protections for Employees

We are pleased to report that on Friday, July 29, 2016, Illinois enacted the Child Bereavement Leave Act, which took immediate effect as new law, expanding leave protections for Illinois employees by allowing qualifying employees to elect ten days of unpaid bereavement leave upon suffering the death of a child.

This law is a major stride forward …

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There has been a lot of buzz over the last week about recent reactions to the sexual harassment suit which Gretchen Carlson filed against Fox News and its former chairman, Roger Ailes.  In case you missed it, a quick recap: Ms. Carlson filed a lawsuit against Fox and Ailes alleging that Ailes sexually harassed her in the newsroom, including “ogling” …

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Can you believe in 2016 that it is still legal under federal law to discriminate against someone at work because of their sexual orientation discrimination?  Us either.

I have a bulletin Board above my desk.  For years now (I can’t remember how many) I’ve had a bumper sticker pinned to it that says, “Pass ENDA now.”  ENDA is a bill that …

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Professors alleging tenure discrimination face uphill battle.

Lately that the firm has seen a big increase in academic clients claiming tenure discrimination.  And as a result, I’ve spent a lot of time looking at how courts apply state and federal anti-discrimination statutes to academic employers.  There is a frustrating but very obvious trend of courts giving colleges and universities wide …

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