By Gillian B. Lepore, Sara Fowler, Megan P. Toth, Tracy M. Billows, and Joshua D. Seidman
Seyfarth Synopsis: A bill that would provide paid leave for all workers in Illinois is awaiting Governor Pritzker’s signature. If signed into law, the bill would provide up to 40 hours of paid leave for eligible employees, effective January
Continue Reading If Pain (Or Anything Else), Yes Gain—Part 104: Illinois to Become Third State to Enact Paid Leave Law
By Danielle Kays and James Nasiri
Seyfarth Synopsis: On October 17, 2022, the U.S. District Court for the Western District of Washington granted Microsoft’s motion for summary judgment on the plaintiffs’ unique class action claims in a case entitled Vance v. Microsoft Corp. The plaintiffs, and Illinois residents, uploaded several pictures of themselves to popular photo-sharing site Flickr, which then
Continue Reading Washington Federal Court Awards Important BIPA WinBy Danielle Kays and James Nasiri
Seyfarth Synopsis: On September 22, 2022, the Illinois Supreme Court heard oral arguments in an Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (“BIPA”) case entitled Tims v. Black Horse Carriers, Inc. Following an Illinois appellate court’s decision that a one-year limitations period applies to certain sections of the Act while a five-year period applies to other
Continue Reading Illinois Supreme Court Hears Arguments on the Proper Limitations Period for BIPA Claims in Tims v. Black Horse Carriers
By Adam R. Young, Melissa A. Ortega, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: On October 28, 2021, an amendment to the Illinois Health Care Right of Conscience Act passed the Illinois General Assembly and made its way to Governor Pritzker’s desk. The amendment creates a COVID-19 carve-out, but it will not go into effect until June 1,
Continue Reading A Swing and a Miss: Right to Conscience Objections to COVID-19 Vaccinations to Endure Until June 2022
By James L. Curtis, Adam R. Young, and Craig B. Simonsen
Seyfarth Synopsis: Labelling the Delta-variant surge as the “Pandemic of the Unvaccinated,” on August 26, 2021, Illinois Governor J.B. Prtizker announced that Illinois residents must wear masks indoors, and that school and health care staff must be vaccinated.
Cook County and the City of Chicago both had
Continue Reading Illinois Governor Announces Mask Mandate for All Indoor Settings, Regardless of Vaccination
By Sara Fowler
Seyfarth Synopsis: On April 21, 2021, the Chicago City Council unanimously passed an ordinance prohibiting retaliation against any employee who takes leave from work to get a COVID-19 vaccine, and requiring any employer that mandates its employees receive the vaccine to provide up to four hours of paid time off per dose.
Effective April 21, 2021,
Continue Reading The No Penalty Shot: Chicago Passes Vaccine Anti-Retaliation Ordinance
By Ada W. Dolph
Seyfarth Synopsis: Seyfarth has been working closely with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce to advance Illinois House Bill 559, sponsored by House Representatives Jim Durkin, Dan Caulkins, and Thomas M. Bennett. The bill has advanced out of Committee and is anticipated to be up for a vote this week. Seyfarth and the Chamber urge
Continue Reading Illinois Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA) Legislative Alert: Contact Your Legislator Today to Urge Passage of House Bill 559 Amending BIPA
By Danielle R. Rabie, Megan P. Toth, and Erin Dougherty Foley
Seyfarth Synopsis: On February 19th and 26th, 2021, Illinois legislatures introduced new bills that, if passed, would get rid of at-will employment, only allowing employers to terminate employees for just-cause, and require severance pay for terminated employees, effective January 1, 2022.
On February 19th and February 26th,
Continue Reading An End to At-Will Employment in Illinois? Newly Introduced Legislation Seeks to do Just That
By Pamela Q. Devata and Jennifer L. Mora
Seyfarth Synopsis: Illinois currently has a ban-the-box law restricting employers from asking about criminal history generally until after an interview and the state’s Human Rights Act makes it unlawful for an employer to take action against an applicant or employee based solely on the fact that the person has been arrested for
Continue Reading Illinois Set to Provide Enhanced Employment Protections to Ex-Offenders
By Thomas M. Horan and Erin Dougherty Foley
Seyfarth Synopsis: Effective January 1, 2020, the Illinois Workplace Transparency Act (WTA) amended the Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA) to, among other items, require all employers in Illinois to provide annual sexual harassment prevention training to all employees, and further require additional, industry-specific sexual harassment prevention training for restaurants and bars. The
Continue Reading IDHR Releases Guidance on Workplace Transparency Act Compliance, Promises Model Training In February