Legal News

A federal court in Pennsylvania recently ruled that a former employee presented sufficient evidence to warrant a jury trial on a claim she was retaliated against after she resigned. The decision serves as a good reminder that anti-retaliation...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

Several years ago, a trend was emerging that consisted of third-party, private marketplaces where employers could have their employees purchase health care with an “allowance” of sorts. This “allowance” could be facilitated by an employer that set up...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

The state of California recently passed legislation that amends the definition of race under the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (the California State statute that prohibits employment discrimination, among other things) to include “traits...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

In case you missed it, on July 1, 2019, the Chicago and Cook County Minimum Wages increased as follows: · Chicago: $13.00 per hour for non-tipped employees and $6.40 for tipped employees. · O’Hare and Midway Airport Certified Service Providers:...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

Did you know that when a private sector employer has evidence that a union has lost support from a majority of its bargaining unit members, the employer can refuse to recognize the union as their bargaining representative? In 2001, the National Labor...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

Pre-employment drug screening for marijuana is starting to create exposure for employers. In several states, including Connecticut, Maine and Massachusetts, courts have ruled that employees have a valid claim against an employer for terminating or...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

Illinois recently enacted a Collective Bargaining Freedom Act which bars local governments from establishing “right-to-work” (“RTW”) laws or zones. This most recent piece of legislation serves as a timely reminder of the differing responses by states...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

The New York Times recently published an article discussing trends in the area of unlawful age discrimination occurring at a time when the U.S. has the lowest unemployment rate in half a century. New York Times writer Patricia Cohen details, how...By: SmithAmundsen LLC

Organized labor wasted no time in securing Governor Pritzker’s signature on legislation that undoubtedly calls for the Illinois prevailing wage rate to fall in lock step with the area union contracts....By: SmithAmundsen LLC