Local Government Lowdown

An Evolving Landscape – Public Bodies’ Responsibility to Pay Prevailing Wage to Laborer Landscapers

Public bodies and those who contract with public bodies should be aware of a recent appellate court decision that addressed two topics with respect to the Prevailing Wage Act – the importance of including specific prevailing wage language into contracts… Continue Reading →

2020/05/14

The Adoption Of SOPPA May Provide A Tough Lesson For Schools That Fail To Comply

Recently, the Chicago Tribune reported on a data breach involving student data stored by Pearson Clinical Assessment that may have involved a number of students at Illinois schools. On September 5, 2019, the parent of a student at Indian Prairie School District… Continue Reading →

2019/10/28

School District Not Liable For Cheerleader’s Fumbled Tumble

The Tort Immunity Act is a useful tool for all public entities. Plaintiff attorneys who do not understand its impact often fail to understand that mere negligence is insufficient under the Act. Willful and wanton conduct is the standard for liability in… Continue Reading →

2019/09/05

Illinois Revives “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” With Its Equal Pay Act Amendment

The Illinois Equal Pay Act of 2003 (EPA) already prohibits employers from paying unequal wages to men and women for doing the same or substantially similar work. (820 ILCS 112/1 et seq.) It also prohibits employers from paying African American… Continue Reading →

2019/08/21

The Future Is Now: Artificial Intelligence Can Now Be Used During Job Interviews

In a surprisingly cutting-edge move, the State of Illinois has enacted the Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act. Public Act 101-260 becomes effective January 1, 2020. An employer seeking to record video interviews and use artificial intelligence to analyze job applicant… Continue Reading →

2019/08/14

A Glimpse into the Future for Employers – What to Expect If the Governor Signs Senate Bill 0075

The Illinois legislature recently passed Senate Bill 0075 – a sweeping piece of legislation expected to significantly alter the employment landscape for Illinois employers in 2020. This massive bill, over 195 pages in length, creates the Illinois Workplace Transparency Act… Continue Reading →

2019/07/22

Erik Peck Receives Paul Harris Fellow Recognition Award

We are proud to announce that Erik Peck, partner at Tressler LLP, recently received the Paul Harris Fellow Recognition Award from the LaGrange Rotary Club, the Brookfield Rotary Club and Riverside Rotary Club for his work rebuilding a playground at a… Continue Reading →

2019/07/18

Exercise Of First Amendment Free Speech Does Not Prevent A Probable Cause Arrest

In Nieves v. Bartlett, the United States Supreme Court denied permitting an arrestee, Russell Bartlett, a cause of action for retaliatory arrest against the two arresting police officers. Nieves v. Bartlett, 587 U.S. _____, No. 17-1174 (2019). Bartlett was arrested… Continue Reading →

2019/06/07

Disturbing Statements by Parent to School Employee Not Protected by First Amendment

The Illinois appellate court in The People of the State of Illinois v. Rory John Swenson, 2019 IL App (2d) 160960 (February 28, 2019), affirmed a trial court’s disorderly-conduct conviction of Rory John Swenson (“Defendant”) for charges stemming from his… Continue Reading →

2019/04/09

Hiring Out of State Trained Police Officers

Often when police departments are looking for qualified candidates, many times applicants are certified out of state police officers. Thus, the question is, how does a municipality proceed with such a candidate? The municipality may have the candidate complete the… Continue Reading →

2019/04/04

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