Let’s face it—many people in the workplace are not prepared to deal with an employee going through gender identity issues, including transitioning from one gender to the other and/or undergoing preparation for a sexual reassignment surgery. In Illinois, it is illegal to discriminate in the terms and conditions of employment on the basis of gender…
Discrimination and/or harassment on the basis of sexual orientation creates unique levels of stress for the victim. Not only must the employee stand up for her/his rights in the workplace but now he/she must also unequivocally declare their sexual orientation. Our firm has counseled and represented employees in numerous instances of workplace discrimination and/or harassment…
With the changing dynamic of the American family, more and more workers are faced with family responsibilities that require time off from work or a flexible work schedule. The Family Medical Leave Act is the federal law that allows employees to take time off to care for their own serious medical condition or to care…
Pregnancy discrimination complaints are on the rise. An employer cannot refuse to hire a pregnant woman because of her pregnancy, because of a pregnancy-related condition, or because of the prejudices of co-workers, clients, or customers. Similarly, an employer cannot discriminate against a pregnant woman in the terms and conditions of employment because of her pregnancy….
Bullying is defined as “a systematic campaign of interpersonal destruction that jeopardizes your health, your career, and the job you once loved”. Bullying is a non-physical, non-homicidal form of violence, and because it is violent and abusive, emotional harm frequently results. You may not be the first person to have noticed that you were bullied….
Sex and gender discrimination and harassment are prohibited by various laws. Our firm is especially committed to enforcing the rights of employees who have been subjected to discriminatory decisions in the workplace as a result of stereotypes and erroneous assumptions about their abilities and performance, which are based upon sex and/or gender, such as cases involving…
Sexual harassment includes conduct such as unwelcome sexual advances, requests for sexual favors, and other verbal and physical harassment that is sexual in nature. Both male and female employees are protected from sexual harassment, regardless of whether the harasser is the same or opposite sex (e.g. a man can be sexually harassed by another man)….
In Illinois, harassment and discrimination with regard to hiring, termination, promotion, compensation, and other terms and conditions of employment is prohibited on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, race, color, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, order of protection status, marital status, physical or mental disability, military status, or unfavorable discharge from military service….
Social Media Guidelines for Employees The use of social media as legal evidence is a growing trend. Lawyers are increasingly scouring the internet and social media websites for comments, photos, videos and other information that can discredit or reflect badly for the other side. Do you have blogs, personal websites, or accounts on social networking…
Wage & Payment Issues The Obama administration has promised an uptick in DOL enforcement actions against employers who violate various laws that govern payment of wages, record-keeping, and child labor. We have been receiving calls from employees who have not been paid for working during lunch, are not being paid overtime, or are not being…
