Tag Legal

Free Riders or Forced Riders? The U.S. Supreme Court Again Promises to Decide the Constitutionality of “Fair Share Fee” Agreements

On September 29, 2017, the U.S. Supreme Court (“Court”) agreed to hear the case of Janus v. AFSCME, et al., which involves a constitutional challenge to the “fair share fee” provision of the Illinois Public Labor Relations Act (“IPLRA”).  Under… Continue Reading →

New Law Requires Application and Screening of Park District Volunteers

Legislation aimed at preventing child sex offenders from working with or near children at Illinois park districts was recently signed into law.  The Park District Code already prohibits park districts from knowingly employing any person found to be the perpetrator… Continue Reading →

New Law Amends Publication Requirements for Prevailing Wage Determinations

The Prevailing Wage Act, 820 ILCS 130 et seq., requires contractors and subcontractors to pay laborers, workers, and mechanics employed on public works projects “no less than the general prevailing hourly rate as paid for work of a similar character… Continue Reading →

District Court Dismisses Due Process Class Action Against City Of Chicago Relating To Impoundment Ordinance

In 2016, the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals in Bell v. City of Chicago, 835 F.3d 736 (7th Cir. 2016) upheld the City of Chicago’s impoundment ordinance (MCC § 2-14-132) against a facial challenge based upon the Fourth Amendment. Recently,… Continue Reading →

The Supreme Court Addresses the First Amendment in the Realm of Social Media

In today’s age, social media sites are where most people exercise their First Amendment rights. The recent U.S. Supreme Court case of Packingham v. North Carolina, 137 S. Ct. 1730 (2017) is one of the first Supreme Court decisions addressing… Continue Reading →

U.S. Department of Labor Takes Another Crack at the Overtime Rule

As readers may recall, the Obama administration issued new Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”) overtime rules that required employers to pay overtime to employees earning less than $913 per week, which amounts to $47,476 annually. This new rule, scheduled to… Continue Reading →

Court Rules on Title IX and the Equal Protection Clause Regarding Transgender Students’ Right to Choose Their Bathroom

The right of transgender individuals to choose the bathroom of their choice continues to be a contentious topic.  Earlier this year, the Trump Administration revoked guidelines established by the Obama Administration which allowed transgender students to use the bathrooms of… Continue Reading →

IDOL Announces Long-Awaited Update to Prevailing Wage Rates

After a nearly two-year wait, the Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) recently announced an update to the prevailing wage rates.  The new rates are effective for work performed on public works projects on or after June 5, 2017. The Illinois… Continue Reading →

Why Lenders are Immune from Claims of Devaluing Property Tax Bases under the Fair Housing Act

In the wake of the Great Recession, many local governments have suffered from decreased revenues as property values—and property taxes—have plummeted around the country.  Many people blame the banks for plummeting property values through discriminatory lending practices.  Last week, the… Continue Reading →

Illinois Court Rules in Favor of Employer’s Social Media Code of Conduct Policy

Employer regulation of social media activity remains an area fraught with legal risk. The string of decisions issued by the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in recent years sought to limit regulation of a broad range of social media activity,… Continue Reading →

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