Last week, a U.S. District Court Judge in Illinois ruled that an arbitration agreement signed by an Uber driver required arbitration on the issue of whether Uber drivers are employees or independent contractors before the driver could proceed with a […]
Be Careful When Using Biometric Information
July 20, 2017
While not strictly speaking a wage and hour issue, here is a heads-up to any employers that use timekeeping systems featuring biometric security, like a thumbprint or fingerprint scanner: You might want to read this recent Crain’s Chicago Business article […]
We are closely monitoring the U.S. Department of Education’s policy guidance concerning investigations of sexual assaults and sexual violence on school campuses, applicable to both K-12 and higher education institutions throughout the country. Media outlets, including the New York Times, are […]
2016 Cook County Property Tax Assessment Trends
July 11, 2017
For the past eight years, Franczek P.C. has tracked property tax assessment data obtained from the Cook County Assessor’s Office. Our data set begins in the tax year 2009 when the classification ordinance was amended to reduce the assessment levels […]
DOL Brief in Overtime Rules Case Leaves New Uncertainty
July 10, 2017
On June 30, the U.S. Department of Labor filed its long-awaited brief announcing the new administration’s position on the ongoing litigation over the FLSA overtime exemption rules published last May. As readers may recall, the new rules would have increased the […]
The Illinois House voted yesterday to override Governor Rauner’s veto of the budget bill, income tax increase, and the budget implementation bill. The House vote came on the heels of the Illinois Senate’s override vote on Tuesday, July 4th. With […]
The Illinois Department of Transportation (IDOT) recently joined a national campaign to protect endangered monarch butterflies. As of May 2017, IDOT is mowing only 15 feet from the edge of roadways, reducing the total amount of mowed land, allowing milkweed […]
Breakfast After the Bell Explained
July 6, 2017
In August 2016, Governor Rauner signed Public Act 099—0850 creating the “Breakfast After the Bell” program. Historically, schools have provided breakfast prior to the start of the school day. However, the traditional model may discourage student participation due to stigma, transportation, […]