Several new laws approved by the Illinois General Assembly and signed into law this year by Governor JB Pritzker are aimed at protecting and expanding the rights of employees in the state. The new measures’ effect will also be felt by employers, who will likely need to examine their policies and practices in the new year.

National Estate Planning Awareness week was adopted in 2008 by the House of Representatives to help the public understand the importance of estate planning.

In the first definitive ruling on the Federal Trade Commission’s Final Rule banning most noncompete agreements, the Texas federal judge that previously granted a preliminary injunction to temporarily block the Final Rule from taking effect (see our blog post on that ruling) has now entered judgment in the plaintiffs’ favor to “hold unlawful” and “set aside” the rule nationwide under the Administrative Procedure Act (APA).

The key to a successful construction project often lies in how much work you do long before the first shovel of dirt is turned. But where should an owner or developer focus their time and resources for the best possible result?

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a much-debated “Final Rule” earlier this year that banned most noncompete agreement nationwide. On July 3, 2024, a federal judge in Texas issued a preliminary injunction that delays enforcement of the Final Rule against certain plaintiffs, who are seeking to block the rule permanently.

A federal judge in Texas granted a preliminary injunction on June 28, 2024, barring the July 1, 2024, effect of a new U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) overtime regulation that would have increased the salary threshold for automatic overtime eligibility under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA).

In a 9-0 decision, the U.S. Supreme Court recently sided with Starbucks Corp. over the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in a decision that would severely delay the process for the NLRB to obtain preliminary injunctions for employees discharged during labor disputes.

The U.S. Supreme Court recently ruled that a mandatory job transfer might be considered an “adverse employment action” under federal anti-discrimination law. Following this decision, which creates a lesser standard for employees bringing discrimination claims, employers can expect more HR and legal involvement in job transfers so as to not run afoul of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

In an expected but still potentially paradigm-shifting move for employers, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) has issued a “Final Rule” banning most noncompete agreements nationwide.

The U.S. Department of Energy recently released the first federal blueprint to decarbonize the building sector, which accounts for over a third of the nation’s planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions.