Hinshaw Insights for Employers Alert: Chicago Adopts Significant New Paid Leave Requirements

Chicago employers are facing significant new mandatory paid leave requirements following action by the Chicago City Council late last week. The new ordinance requires both paid leave and paid sick leave accruals, effectively doubling the minimum number of paid leave days from five to ten days annually. 

On our main website, read our Q&A to get all your employer compliance questions answered about the new ordinance.

U.S. Supreme Court Issues Ground-Breaking Decision on Religious Accommodations in the Workplace

On June 29, 2023, the U.S. Supreme Court issued Groff v. Dejoy, a ground-breaking decision that changes a long-recognized standard for religious accommodations in the workplace. This new interpretation effectively expands an employer's obligation to provide religious accommodations. For years, appellate courts recognized an employer's authority to reject a religious accommodation merely by showing it creates a de minimus burden on the employer or co-workers. With this decision, the Court rejected the routine application of the de minimus standard in favor of one where the employer must show the "accommodation would result in substantial increased costs in relation to the conduct of its particular business" if rejected. Now an employer must make an individualized assessment as to the impact of the accommodation, taking into account the employer’s nature, size, and resources. Even where the requested accommodation would result in substantially increased costs, the employer is obligated to evaluate the feasibility of alternative accommodations. More ›

President Biden's American Rescue Plan Would Reinstate and Expand Federally Mandated Paid Sick and FMLA Leave

On January 20, 2021, President Biden announced the principal points of his American Rescue Plan (the Plan), a new COVID-19 relief package that would revive the federal mandate on employers to provide paid sick and paid FMLA leave for certain COVID-19-related absences. On February 1, 2021, Republican lawmakers responded with a competing relief package that does not include those paid leave mandates. As of now, neither side has released a draft of the actual proposed legislation. Much of what we know comes from the announcement released by the Biden administration and a chart from Republican Senators. More ›

DOL Temporary Rule Clarifies Paid Leave Under Families First Coronavirus Response Act

The U.S. Department of Labor issued a Temporary Rule on September 11, 2020, which revises regulations concerning paid sick leave and expanded family medical leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (FFCRA). The rule, which goes into effect on September 16, 2020, was issued in response to the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York's decision in State of New York v. Department of Labor on August 3, 2020, which struck down portions of the FFCRA regulations. More ›

Eleventh Circuit Rejects Retaliation Claim Because HR Manager's Conduct was "Unreasonable" and Not Protected Under Title VII

In Gogel v. Kia Motors Mfg. of Ga., the Eleventh Circuit examined Title VII's opposition clause and the extent to which "oppositional conduct" can be considered so unreasonable that it loses Title VII protection. In this case, Kia fired its HR manager for strongly encouraging an employee to file a discrimination lawsuit against the company. Once terminated, the HR manager sued the company for retaliation, arguing that her actions were protected by Title VII's opposition clause. The court rejected the argument and the claim, handing a victory to employers. More ›

NLRB Announces Three Proposed Rules, ULPs May No Longer Block an Election

On August 12, 2019, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued three proposed amendments to the rules on union representation elections. These three amendments, outlined below, would change the "blocking charge" policy, the voluntary recognition bar, and the rule on contractual representation clauses in the construction industry. More ›

School District Prevails in Title VII Retaliation case Filed by Basketball Coach

A high school girls varsity basketball coach sued a school district for gender discrimination after the school failed to hire her as the boys varsity basketball coach. The court found in favor of the coach and ordered the district to hire her as varsity coach for both the boys and girls basketball teams. More ›

National Labor Relations Board Issues Final Rules on “Quickie” Union Elections

On December 22, 2011, The National Labor Relations Board (the “Board”) is set to publish final amendments to the procedures for union representation elections. These final amendments ( “Amendments”) follow a heated debate with opponents claiming that the changes allow unions to “ambush” employers with union elections and force employees to make quick, uninformed decisions about whether to unionize. Proponents, on the other hand, hailed the Amendments as an effort to end unnecessary litigation and remove unnecessary delays in effectuating an employee’s free choice. Prior to the Amendments, employees have had at least thirty-two (32) days to consider union representation after an election petition is filed. With the Amendments, the regional director has complete authority to set the time-frame for an election, allowing for an election to occur in as little as ten (10) days after an election petition is filed. More ›