Earlier this week, Governor Bruce Rauner signed a new law requiring Illinois elementary schools and daycare centers to test their drinking water sources for lead contamination and notify parents of the results of that testing. Public Act 99-992 comes in response […]
The Final Four Binding PAC Opinions of 2016 Remind School Districts of FOIA and OMA Requirements
January 20, 2017
In the final days of the year, the Illinois Public Access Counselor (PAC) issued four binding opinions that reiterate the requirements of both the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Open Meetings Act (OMA). Below is a discussion of […]
At the end of 2016, the Illinois appellate court reversed and remanded a PTAB decision that excluded one party’s evidence because the appraiser who authored the appraisal died prior to the hearing. The case at issue, 1411 North State Condominium v. […]
Federal Court Strikes Down Lincolnshire’s “Right to Work” Ordinance
January 13, 2017
Last week, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois held that the Village of Lincolnshire’s municipal ordinance regulating union activities was invalid under federal law. The ruling is a defeat for Governor Bruce Rauner in his efforts to work […]
New Guidance Issued by the Department of Education on the Rights of Students with Disabilities
January 11, 2017
At the end of last month, the Department of Education released three new sets of guidance on the federal civil rights laws that govern students with disabilities. All three offer valuable information about current and evolving issues regarding disability accommodation. […]
Matter of Dhanasar: A New Standard for National Interest Waivers in the United States
January 10, 2017
On December 27, 2016, the AAO issued a decision that modifies the standards for granting a National Interest Waiver (NIW) in Matter of Dhanasar. This decision will impact thousands of applicants seeking U.S. permanent residency based solely upon the importance of […]
So Long, Secretary Perez: DOL Head’s Goodbye Message
January 9, 2017
Last week, outgoing Secretary of Labor Thomas Perez released a farewell “Memorandum to the American People.” It mostly reads as a recap of the DOL’s news releases over the past several years, touting various DOL initiatives and advocating for further […]
OT Exemption Rules Lawsuit Will Proceed Despite Appeal
January 4, 2017
Judge Amos Mazzant of the U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Texas has decided that he will not halt the lawsuit challenging the U.S. DOL’s new overtime exemption rules pending a ruling from the 5th Circuit Court of Appeals […]