Help your HR staff learn about Illinois labor and employment law through a variety of easily accessible Internet sources. Once they've learned how to read the original statutes, they can pursue a more intense study of the state's labor laws by accessing newsletters that provide updates to the statutes and also suggest how employers should respond to changes in the law.

As you design an Illinois labor and employment law education and training program, consider tapping into the following sources:

1. Link to the government websites that help you discover Illinois labor laws.

2. Examine commentaries by labor lawyers in Illinois that inform you about changes to state law.

3. Learn about Illinois employee rights from professionals when you attend seminars.

Action Steps
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Know where to find the primary sources of labor laws in Illinois

Research skills are an essential part of any training program. When you show your HR staff how to research websites to find citations to the labor law statutes, you're teaching them a technique they'll need in order to assist in drafting new HR policy for your company.

I recommend: Use the Department of Labor State of Illinois website to get direct citations to the state's minimum wage laws, Wage Payment and Collection Act and the Labor Arbitration Services Act, to name a few. Mega Law links you to the Illinois Labor Code and the labor rules for government employees. Labor Law Talk tells you how to file a claim under the Illinois Unemployment Insurance Act. The Illinois Department of Employment Security can give you a breakdown of the employment law issues that each government agency handles.

Find articles that Illinois employment law firms publish to shed light on state labor laws

Motivate employees to deepen their understanding of Illinois labor laws by reviewing the analytical commentaries that well-known attorneys publish on their websites.

I recommend: Read updates on the Illinois Business Law Journal so you'll understand how changes in the political climate can affect employment laws. Chicago-based attorneys Neal and Leroy clarify issues like age discrimination and procedures to follow when litigating Illinois employment lawsuits. Access labor law articles the University of Illinois posts on the Law & Taxation section of its website.

Learn IL employment law by attending seminars given by well-known professionals

Attending seminars is a vital part of Illinois labor and employment law education and training. Not only does your staff get to build relationships with key professionals in the field of Illinois labor laws, but they also get the benefit of sophisticated research those professionals have conducted.

I recommend: Franczek Radelet & Rose host seminars that teach your HR staff about changes to laws like the Family Medical Leave Act. Take a seminar offered by Masuda Funai to learn about the implications of changes in immigration laws. Register for seminars by Arnstein & Lehr that take you step by step through the changes in the Employment Free Choice Act. The Illinois Institute for Continuing Legal Education offers supervisor-level courses in the changing nature of state employment laws.

Labor laws in Illinois help employers protect their businesses through compliance with safety standards, fair hiring practices and work environment. Illinois labor and employment labor law helps both employers and employees have better working relationships in a more productive environment.

Illinois labor and employment law makes working better for everyone. Labor law, although originally intended to improve working conditions for laborers, boosts business owner’s bottom line by increased productivity.

Illinois labor laws deal with job safety, employee foreman ratios, break time, lunch time and safety standards within the work environment. Updated Illinois labor laws meet the demand of new technology and constantly changing work requirements. Understand and comply with employment laws in Illinois to:

1. Stay in compliance with changes to Illinois state labor and employment law.

2. Provide productive work environments for employees through Illinois employment law.

3. Protect your businesses from frivolous lawsuits.

4. Keep productivity high.

Action Steps
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Display Illinois employment law posters in easy to read locations around your facility

Keeping employees informed of their rights and responsibilities under employment law in Illinois keeps them empowered. Illinois labor law posters provide the latest updates or changes in labor law in Illinois.

I recommend: GovDocs and LaborLawCenter carry up to date government recommended Illinois employment law posters for display around your facility.

Protect yourself and your employees by keeping up to date on Illinois labor laws

The only way to guard your company from frivolous lawsuits and keep employees happy is to promote a safe work environment and understand your rights as an employer. Keeping up to date on changes to current laws and how the effect your particular company is vital to a healthy work environment.

I recommend: Visit the Illinois Department of Labor for the latest news in labor and employment law in Illinois. Also check out the laws enforced page for quick reference to enforceable labor laws in the state of Illinois.

Increase productivity by going above and beyond required state of Illinois work laws

Illinois employment law, as in any state, gives guidelines and requirements for what the state considers a safe working environment. Going above the minimum requirements to keep employees happy is a great way to increase their overall productivity.

I recommend: Get information on wages and pay rates as well as the Prevailing Wage Act from the Illinois Department of Labor. HRhero.com is a subscription service offering the latest updates to state by state employment law.

Find labor lawyers in Illinois from a Illinois employment laws firm

Employment law attorneys from Illinois employment law firms help clients understand Illinois employment law. Labor lawyers in Illinois from Illinois employment law firms keep clients informed and in compliance with the latest changes and updates to Illinois employment law.

I recommend: Jackson Lewis of Chicago is there to meet all your employment law questions. Abrahamson, Vorachek and Levinson, also of Chicago, is a boutique firm specializing in employment law since 1985.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Discuss Illinois state employment law changes with your union representative. If you are a non union business, be sure someone in your Human Resources department is in charge of all employment law related issues.
• •  Post Illinois state labor law posters anywhere employees tend to congregate or spend time on breaks. Conference rooms, break rooms, lunch rooms and near time clocks are all great places to for labor law posters.

Illinois labor and employment law news and trends are of great interest to attorneys who practice employment law in Illinois. Employment law attorneys must keep track of the frequent changes in the law that relate to unions and laborers in Illinois. They also need to be familiar with the many procedures and forms related to labor and employment law that may change at any time. Attorneys also need to know what the public thinks about rulings on labor and employment law in Illinois. All of these highly volatile factors can change the way attorneys in labor law do their jobs.

News on employment laws in Illinois generally may be grouped according to the source of information. These include following three categories:

1. Independent sources of news on Illinois labor laws. They provide opinions, as well as hard news, on labor law from many different businesses, individuals and lobby groups. Independent news sources typically consist of blogs, magazines and newspapers.
2. Websites from the Illinois state government. These sites provide official procedures and rulings on Illinois labor law.
3. Labor lawyers. Attorneys that practice labor and employment law in Illinois frequently have inside news on labor law in Illinois.
   

Action Steps
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Study independent sources of news and trends on Illinois employment law

News organizations frequently report on legislative updates on Illinois labor and employment law. Individuals also may keep blogs and journals on labor law in Illinois.

I recommend: Pritzker Legal Research Center at Northwestern University provides news and current events, among other resources, for labor law in Illinois. The Illinois AFL-CIO publishes regular newsletters on Illinois labor law topics.

Review state websites to get official news and other information on Illinois employment laws

Illinois government websites are the best places to get the latest news about Illinois labor and employment law. An Illinois website also may publish the state statutes to help attorneys stay informed on the latest legislation that relates to Illinois labor and employment law.

I recommend: The Illinois Government News Network provides news updates on child labor laws in Illinois. Illinois Department of Labor enforces labor laws in Illinois and has a variety of news on Illinois labor laws.

Get inside news on Illinois work laws from labor lawyers in Illinois

Illinois employment law firms who practice labor and employment law frequently have information on Illinois law that is not available elsewhere. These attorneys may publish newsletters or full length articles on a particular aspect of labor and employment law in Illinois.

I recommend: Schiff Hardin practices in Illinois and has a newsletter on employment and labor law topics. Asonye & Associates offers a variety of articles on labor and employment law in Illinois.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Illinois employment laws are generally guided by federal law, which set the standard work week to 40 hours in 1950. However, some lines of work may be an exception to the 40 hour work week maximum. For example, seasonal work, such as harvesting crops, can require laborers to work 72 hours in a week.

Illinois labor and employment law basics allow employees to be paid what they deserve and employers to protect their businesses. The primary purpose of these laws is to level the playing field between employees and their employers.

Illinois employment laws grant specific rights to collective bargaining organizations, also know as labor unions. Federal laws also control the rights of laborers to organize and generally take precedence over Illinois's state labor laws. Specific classes of employees, such as domestic workers or agricultural laborers, are generally exempted from federal labor laws. Labor and employment law generally may be categorized into the following three groups:

1. Illinois labor laws that deal with wages and benefits. Many states provide a minimum wage that is greater than the federal minimum wage. Illinois laws also may offer other protections to workers that are greater than those specified by federal law.
2. Laws on displaying labor law posters. Illinois has specific requirements on the display of labor and employment laws in the workplace.
3. Workers compensation insurance. Illinois also has laws that specify the amount of insurance that employers must carry in the event that their employees are injured at work.
   

Action Steps
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Learn about IL employment law that regulates minimum wage and overtime

According to Illinois labor law, businesses must pay their employees the federal minimum wage. Overtime laws generally control what an employee should be paid after 40 hours of work in the same week.

I recommend: The American Federation of Labor - Congress of Industrial Organizations provides a current history of minimum wage increases in Illinois. The Illinois Department of Labor has a FAQ on the minimum wage and other labor law issues in Illinois.

Find out how to display posters on Illinois labor laws

Illinois labor law posters keep employees informed of their rights and obligations under federal and state labor laws. Employers must display these posters in the workplace in a visible location where they are easy to read.

I recommend: Labor Law Posters USA specifies the laws that must be posted in the workplace for Illinois. PosterSolution.com provides detailed information on the labor law posting requirements for Illinois.

Provide workers' compensation insurance required by employment laws in Illinois

Workers' compensation insurance in Illinois protects employees and their families in the event of injury or death of an employee while on the job. Government websites, insurance agencies and labor lawyers in Illinois commonly have basic information on workers compensation.

I recommend: The Law Offices of Mark N. Lee is located in Illinois and provides a newsletter with information on workers compensation insurance. Woodruff & Johnson specializes in injury law and provides extensive information on workers' compensation insurance in Illinois.

Tips & Tactics

Helpful advice for making the most of this Guide

• •  Illinois employment law firms will be familiar with the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) of 1938. This federal legislation establishes minimum wages for most workers, along with specific exceptions. The FLSA was amended in 1974 to cover government employees.