Author Archives: mboxerman

Important COVID-19 Guidance For Retail Businesses

Posted on March 13, 2020 by mboxerman

With the expansion of COVID-19 and a renewed emphasis on corporate responsibility, it’s prudent for all businesses—especially those operating in the retail sector—to formulate a plan to address various issues related to COVID-19. Retail businesses face a unique challenge during … Continue reading →

Posted in Franchisee, Franchisor, Franchisor & Distributor Services, Restaurant, Uncategorized | Leave a comment

Update: New Illinois Employment Laws Take Effect in 2020

Posted on September 26, 2019 by mboxerman

Governor J.B. Pritzker has enacted several sweeping employment laws that will take effect starting at the beginning of 2020. A brief summary of the extensive changes are listed below: Workplace Transparency Act The Workplace Transparency Act (WTA) will take effect January … Continue reading →

Posted in Employee Handbook, Employment, Hotel and Casino Employee Safety Act, Illinois Human Rights Act, MeToo, Restaurant, Sexual Harassment, Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act, Workplace Transparency Act | Tagged , , , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Recent Amendment to Illinois Equal Pay Act Prohibits Salary History Questions

Posted on September 12, 2019 by mboxerman

The No Salary History law, which takes effect September 29, 2019, prohibits Illinois employers from asking job applicants about their salary history. The law amends the 2003 Equal Pay Act, which made it illegal to pay employees differently based on their … Continue reading →

Posted in Employment, Equal Pay, Equal Pay Act, Salary, Salary History | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Illinois Employers: Register for Secure Choice by November 1

Posted on September 4, 2019 by mboxerman

In November 2018, Illinois enacted a law requiring employers to provide a state-run retirement program to their private sector employees, known as the Illinois Secure Choice Savings Program Act (Secure Choice). The Illinois legislature describes Secure Choice as a “simple … Continue reading →

Posted in Business and Corporate, Employment, Retirement, Roth IRA, Secure Choice | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Independent Contractors or Employees?: An Über Question

Posted on June 24, 2019 by mboxerman

In an advice memo released on May 14th, theNational Labor Relations Board (NLRB) concluded that Uber drivers are independent contractors, not employees. This classification means that under federal labor laws, Uber drivers will be virtually unable to unionize, participate in workplace … Continue reading →

Posted in Employment, Wages | Tagged , , , , , | Leave a comment

Time’s Up for Sexual Harassment in the Restaurant Industry

Posted on June 13, 2019 by mboxerman

The Time’s Up Legal Defense Fund (Defense Fund), known for providing legal assistance to victims of sexual misconduct, recently started targeting McDonald’s restaurants to pursue sexual harassment claims. On May 21, 2019, the Defense Fund, the American Civil Liberties Union, … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-Harassment, Franchisee, Franchisor, MeToo, Restaurant, Sexual Harassment, Time's Up | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

#MeToo: Proposed Illinois Law Would Require Restaurant Employee Anti-Harassment Training

Posted on April 25, 2019 by mboxerman

On February 15, 2019, Representative Ann M. Williams (D) introduced House Bill 3351, the Restaurant Anti-Harassment Act (the “Bill”). If it is enacted, the Bill would require all restaurants operating in Illinois to have a written sexual harassment training policy … Continue reading →

Posted in Anti-Harassment, Business and Corporate, Employee Handbook, Restaurant, Sexual Harassment | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Minimum Wage Changes in Illinois

Posted on March 22, 2019 by mboxerman

In February, Governor JB Pritzker signed a piece of legislation that will set Illinois on track to reach a statewide minimum wage of $15.00 by 2025. To mitigate the effect this change has on small employers, the law allows employers … Continue reading →

Posted in Employment, Minimum Wage, Wages | Leave a comment

New Year, New and Amended Employment Laws

Posted on March 15, 2019 by mboxerman

Over the past year, the Illinois General Assembly and Chicago City Council have enacted or modified several laws and ordinances that affect employers. Sifting through the specific legal language can be tricky, so we’ve summarized the most important changes that are relevant to employers. … Continue reading →

Posted in Business and Corporate, Employment, Restaurant | Leave a comment

Recent Illinois Supreme Court Ruling Opens Floodgates to Biometric Information Litigation

Posted on February 15, 2019 by mboxerman

In a prior blog post, we advised employers about a once little-known Illinois law, the Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA). The BIPA imposes numerous restrictions on how private entities collect, retain, disclose, and destroy biometric identifiers such as fingerprints, voiceprints, … Continue reading →

Posted in Biometrics, BIPA, Business and Corporate, Class Action | Leave a comment