The Illinois Department of Labor (IDOL) is reminding statewide employers that it is rigorously enforcing the new Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA), protecting victims of domestic violence and their family members from discrimination at work. To remind everyone of the new law and protections it offers, Illinois Governor Pat Quinn has designated October as Domestic...

Federal OSHA (Occupational Safety and Health Administration) has approved Illinois' request to establish its own state-run OSHA program for public sector employees. New Jersey, Connecticut, New York and the Virgin Islands were also recently granted permission to assume public sector OSHA compliance. In the case of Illinois, some 1 million workers will be affected at the state, municipal...

The State of Illinois has released a new notice entitled "Your Rights Under Illinois Employment Laws." The new notice consolidates and incorporates three other notices: "Equal Pay for Equal Work," "Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act" and "Notice to Employers and Employees." The issuing agency has mandated that all employers update the three...

Illinois will join California, Massachusetts and Connecticut on July 1 when its minimum wage rises from $7.75 to $8.00 an hour. Three states have higher minimum wages: Washington is tops at $8.55 an hour, followed by Oregon at $8.40 and Vermont at $8.06. Some exemptions to the $8 rate in Illinois include tipped employees, who must be paid $4.80 an hour (up from $4.65) starting July 1;...

The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently brought high-profile lawsuits against Kmart and a beverage distributor in Illinois for disability claims. Kmart allegedly fired a store greeter for using a cane, while Beverage Solutions Inc. reportedly denied leave and then fired a customer service representative who needed time off to care for severely blocked arteries. "It...

Nebraska Governor Dave Heineman has signed into law a bill (LB 403) requiring public employers (i.e., state agencies and political subdivisions) and contractors to register with and use the federal government's E-Verify program to determine the employment eligibility of new hires starting October 1. Public contractors are defined as "any contractor or his or her subcontractor who is...