Labor & Employment Law Update

On October 19, 2016, the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit reversed a District Court’s Rule 12(b) (6) dismissal of two plaintiffs’ retaliation claims brought under Title VII and the Illinois Human Rights Act. In Volling and Springer v. Kurtz Paramedic Services, Inc., Case No. 15-3572, two Emergency Medical Technicians (EMTs) alleged that their employer and its new subcontractor refused to hire them because they had reported and/or supported claims of sex discrimination and sexual harassment against the employer’s previous subcontractor to the ...

On October 11, 2016, the Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) issued the final rule creating procedures for handling whistleblower complaints under the Affordable Care Act (ACA).  The ACA prohibits employers from retaliating against employees who report alleged violations of the act’s health coverage reforms or who receives a premium subsidy or tax credit for purchasing individual health coverage through a state or federal exchange. A covered employer can receive a penalty if an employee receives a tax-credit or premium subsidy for coverage through an ...

On October 25, 2016, the Cook County Minimum Wage Ordinance (CCMWO) became immediately effective, on the heels of the county’s Paid Sick Leave Ordinance. The CCMWO provides the following significant requirements:

1. Covered Employees are those who work at least two (2) hours in any particular two (2) week period physically within the county’s geographic boundaries, including compensated travel time for business activities.
2. Covered Employers include individuals who employ at least one Covered Employee AND (1) maintain a business facility within the county’s ...

This past June, our blog reported on the Seventh Circuit’s decision in Lewis v. Epic Sys. Corp., 823 F.3d 1147 (7^th Cir. 2016), which found that the Federal Arbitration Act does not require enforcement of an arbitration agreement based on the employee’s right under the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA) to engage in protected concerted activity. Specifically, in Lewis the Seventh Circuit held that employment arbitration agreements that include class action waivers violate the NLRA and cannot be enforced. This was the first time that a circuit court had ...

On September 7, 2015, President Obama signed Executive Order 13706 requiring federal contractors to provide paid sick leave to their employees – up to 7 days annually. The leave is related to an employee’s own illness or injury, including, domestic violence, sexual assault and stalking absences, and for family care for same. The Department of Labor published its Final Rule just over a year later on September 30, 2016.

Here are the key components:

• The Final Rule applies to any new federal contracts solicited on or after January 1, 2017, replacement contracts (for those that are ...

As we previously reported, OSHA postponed enforcement of its controversial post-accident drug testing rule from August 10, 2016 to November 1, 2016.  Now, with the November 1, 2016 deadline approaching, OSHA has extended its stay on enforcing the post-drug testing rule until December 1, 2016.

OSHA initially delayed enforcement of the rule until November 1, 2016 because a lawsuit was filed in July 2016 by numerous parties seeking injunctive relief to prevent enforcement of the rule. OSHA agreed to postpone enforcement of the rule to allow the parties to brief the legal issues ...

The Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) not only provides employment protections and accommodation rights to qualified individuals with disabilities in the workplace, it also requires reasonable accommodations in “places of public accommodation.” Places of public accommodation include businesses that are open to the public and fall within one of 12 categories listed in the ADA, such as restaurants, movie theaters, schools, day care facilities, recreation facilities, and doctors’ offices. The ADA’s mandate extends to newly constructed or altered places of ...

As we previously reported, OSHA postponed enforcement of its controversial post-accident drug testing rule from August 10, 2016 to November 1, 2016.  Now, with the November 1, 2016 deadline approaching, OSHA may extend its stay on enforcing the post-drug testing rule until December 1, 2016.

OSHA initially delayed enforcement of the rule until November 1, 2016 because a lawsuit was filed in July 2016 by numerous parties seeking injunctive relief to prevent enforcement of the rule. OSHA agreed to postpone enforcement of the rule to allow the parties to brief the legal issues ...

The U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) implementation of its Final Overtime Rule and an increase for salaried exempt employees to $913/week is set to go into effect on December 1^st. We want to debunk the myths of what could and could not derail the implementation:

1. New Litigation – On September 20, 2016, two lawsuits were filed to enjoin the new regulation from taking effect: States of Nevada et. al v. U.S. Department of Labor et. al., Case 4:16-cv-00731, Eastern Dist. TX and Plano Chamber of Commerce et. al v. Thomas Perez et. al., Case 4:16-cv-00732, Eastern Dist. TX. Both lawsuits ...

Last week, the Cook County Board passed a paid sick leave ordinance that requires most employers in Cook County to provide paid sick leave for their employees. It will take effect on July 1, 2017 and basically mirrors the requirements of a City of Chicago paid sick leave ordinance that passed earlier this year.

The county ordinance requires a covered employer to provide to eligible employees up to 40 hours (5 work days) of paid sick leave in a 12-month period. The 12-month period begins as soon as the covered employee begins employment or July 1, 2017, whichever is later. 

Coverage ...