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Employment Law

Must we pay premium during unpaid leave?

09/17/2010
Q. I am a small employer with a group medical plan. If an employee takes an approved unpaid leave of absence, am I required to continue my premium subsidy during the unpaid leave? We have 22 employees and aren’t required to comply with FMLA.

What are the new rules for nursing mothers?

09/16/2010
Q. Could you give us some guidance on our requirement to provide breaks for nursing mothers?

Must we provide health insurance coverage for employees’ adult children?

09/16/2010
Q. How does the new health care reform law affect coverage for adult dependent children under a group health plan?

How will Illinois’ wage law change next year?

09/16/2010
Q. How are employees affected by the amendment to the Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act?

When it comes to discrimination, the customer isn’t always right

09/16/2010
Employment discrimination has been illegal for decades, but prejudice lives on. Even if bigoted customers insist on discriminating because of race, employers must still comply with the law.

WIU settles with coach who was fired after cancer diagnosis

09/16/2010
Western Illinois University has settled a wrongful discharge claim with former head football coach Don Patterson, who lost his job after learning he had cancer.

EEOC looks at last-chance agreements barring lawsuits

09/16/2010

Steven Whitlow, an employee at a Cognis plant in Kankakee, signed a last-chance agreement that forfeited his right to file charges against Cognis with any civil rights commission or government authority. Later, Whitlow rescinded his agreement, stating that he did not want to waive his civil rights. When Cognis terminated him, he filed a complaint with the EEOC.

Document specific reasoning behind differing punishments

09/16/2010
Many employers keep their disciplinary policies vaguely worded because they want some flexibility in dealing with employee behavior. That’s fine as long as you carefully document why you are punishing one employee more harshly than another.

EEOC dragging its feet? Don’t get complacent

09/16/2010

The EEOC often takes its sweet time preparing cases for litigation. Don’t let the foot-dragging lull you into inaction! Treat the case as if it will eventually end up in court. Gather any documentary evidence now before it disappears or employees who know the details retire or quit.

Caution government supervisors: You could be personally liable for FMLA violations

09/16/2010
Supervisors and managers who work for private employers have long been held personally liable for FMLA violations in which they participate. Now supervisors and managers who work for government agencies are also liable.