On May 24, 2023, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz signed into law the Omnibus Jobs Bill SF 3035 (the “Bill”). The Bill has significant implications for employers with employees in Minnesota and includes numerous changes to Minnesota state law, including a sweeping ban on non-compete agreements; a ban on mandatory employer-sponsored meetings; newly mandated statewide paid sick leave; and expanded protections…

***UPDATE: Governor Pritzker signed the bill into law on August 11, 2023.***

On May 17, 2023, the Illinois legislature passed House Bill 3129 (the “Bill”), which amends the Illinois Equal Pay Act (820 ILCS 112, et. seq.) to require Illinois employers to include pay scale and benefits information in job postings and to post or announce internally to employees all…

On May 8, 2023, the Illinois legislature passed Senate Bill 1515 (the “Amendment”), which would amend the Illinois Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act (820 ILCS § 55) to mandate a specified process employers would need to follow if they choose to take an adverse employment action against an employee after receiving notice from any Employment Eligibility Verification Systems,…

On April 27,2022, the Chicago City Council passed SO2022-665, which broadened the Chicago Human Rights Ordinance (the “Ordinance”) and imposed new requirements on Chicago employers with respect to preventing sexual harassment in the workplace.  Pursuant to the Ordinance, all employees working in Chicago must participate in sexual harassment prevention training and bystander training annually.

Specifically, affected employers are now required…

HB3129 (the “Bill”), which was introduced in the Illinois House of Representatives on February 16, 2013, and passed by the Labor & Commerce Committee on February 28, 2023, would require Illinois employers to include pay scale information in job postings—or face financial consequences.  The Bill defines “pay scale” to mean the salary or hourly wage range that the employer reasonably…

Before closing the book on 2022, we look back at the most significant verdicts issued in trade secret trials this past year.  In 2022, several juries awarded extraordinary verdicts to plaintiffs. These verdicts suggest a growing trend in damages theories and illustrate the importance of expert testimony in both the prosecution and defense of trade secret misappropriation cases.  The cases…

***UPDATE: Mayor Bruce Harrell signed the amendments into law on February 23, 2023.***

Seattle has become the first U.S. city to approve legislation amending city ordinances to prohibit discrimination on the basis of “caste,” including in the context of employment.  The proposals now go before the mayor for signature.

The legislative push was largely driven by discrimination-related concerns with respect…