Are severance agreements dead? The value of those agreements for employers will be significantly less if employees are free to disparage employers after being paid. Update to Employee Severance Agreements by The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) In recent years, the landscape of employee severance agreements has undergone significant scrutiny and adjustment, particularly with [...]
Understanding the U.S. DOL's New Rule on Independent Contractor Classification The landscape of worker classification in the United States has seen significant shifts over the years, with legal interpretations and regulations evolving to adapt to changing economic realities. One of the pivotal areas in this arena is the classification of workers as either independent [...]
The Paid Leave for All Workers Act has gone into effect this year. If you are an employer, this new law may affect your workforce and policies around paid leave. Starting January 1, 2024, Illinois has become a trailblazer by implementing the Paid Leave for All Workers Act, signed into law by Governor JB [...]
We’ve all been there. Whether you’re a business owner or a manager of a business, firing an employee can be tough. Follow the following six tips to make it easier for everyone to break-up the relationship and reduce the risk of wrongful termination or unfair treatment claims. Tip 1: Before firing an employee Give them [...]
Today’s job market is less than ideal. While the pool of job candidates is large, companies struggle to find manpower to fit their budgets. The solution for many companies is internship programs. Internships are becoming a standard graduation requirement at many colleges and universities with benefits to both employer and student. According to Brian Burnsed, [...]
While politicians in Springfield continue fighting over Illinois’ new minimum wage requirements, the Chicago’s City Council recently approved Mayor Rahm Emanuel’s plan to raise Chicago’s minimum wage to $13.00 per hour by 2019. In an overwhelming 44 to 5 vote, the City Council’s members approved the following gradual increase in minimum wages payable to employees [...]
Effective January 1, 2014, the IRS began classifying automatic gratuities commonly added to bills of large parties in a restaurant as service charges instead of “tips.” According the IRS Revenue Ruling 212-18, gratuities treated as service charges will be classified as regular employee wages and subject to Social Security and Medicare withholdings. More importantly, restaurants [...]
There are federal and state (Illinois) laws small business owners need to know about rest and meal breaks for non-exempt employees- and corresponding compensation. These laws generally address the following questions: Should an employee be paid while on breaks? Are employers required to offer breaks? How long such breaks should be? Federal Laws According to the Fair [...]
The Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003, 820 ILCS 112 et seq., has recently been amended to add a new Section 27. Under the new amendment, any officer or agent of an employer who "willfully and knowingly" permits that employer to evade a final judgment or award of damages, will be considered an employer under the [...]
The IRS announced today the cost of living adjustments affecting the pension plan contribution limitations for tax year 2012. Many of the pension plan limitations for 2012 will increase due to the cost-of-living index adjustment. Some of the important changes are summarized below: The elective deferral (contribution) limit for employees who participate in 401(k), 403(b), most [...]
