Employers Beware: New Illinois Employment Laws
Take Effect on January 1, 2008

By Irving M. Geslewitz and Anne E. Larson

The Illinois legislature and Governor Rod Blagojevich have been busy enacting new laws or amendments to laws that will have a major impact on employers across the state next year. Much Shelist devotes the entire November 2007 issue of the Litigation & Counseling Alert to this important topic.

The following articles provide an overview of these laws and amendments, as well as information on how they will affect Illinois employers, and what steps you should take before they go into effect on January 1, 2008. Click any of the links below or to the left to access the articles.

• Illinois Human Rights Act Amended to Give Employees Direct Access to
  Illinois State Court and Jury Trials in Discrimination Complaints
  
  
• New Illinois Law Provides Penalties for Misclassifying Persons Performing Construction Work as Independent Contractors
  
  
• Smoke Free Illinois Act to Affect All Employers in the State
  
  
• Illinois Prohibits Employers from Enrolling in the Department of Homeland Security's E-Verify Program

Additionally, the federal government has issued a new Form I-9 that all employers should begin using immediately.

• Federal Government Issues New Form I-9

The authors, Irving M. Geslewitz and Anne E. Larson, encourage you to contact them to discuss the implications of these changes for your organization.

Anne E. Larson, Chair of the firm’s Labor & Employment practice group, concentrates her practice on management-side labor and employment matters and tries discrimination, wage and non-competition/trade secrets disputes in state and federal courts throughout the country. Business owners depend on Anne for anti-harassment training and cost-conscious advice on their hiring/firing practices, employee handbooks, and disability and leave issues. Executives rely on her negotiating skills for their compensation and severance agreements. Anne can be reached at 312.521.2728 or alarson@muchshelist.com.

Irving M. Geslewitz, a Principal in the firm's Labor & Employment and Litigation & Dispute Resolution practice groups, has extensive experience in representing employers from a broad spectrum of industries in all aspects of modern employment law, as well as traditional (union-related) labor law concerns. He regularly handles matters ranging from reviewing and helping prepare employment contracts, policies and manuals to representing clients in all types of employment-related litigation in state and federal courts and before administrative agencies. Irv can be reached at 312.521.2414 or igeslewitz@muchshelist.com.

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The Litigation & Counseling Alert contains material of general interest and should not be construed as legal advice or a legal opinion on any specific facts or circumstances. Under professional rules, this alert may be regarded as advertising material.