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The Illinois Human Rights Act Expands to Protect Employees with Family Responsibilities

Effective January 1, 2025, Illinois employers are prohibited from discriminating against an employee or a prospective employee based on the employee’s “family responsibilities.” Employers cannot make recruitment, hiring, promotion, renewal of employment, training, discharge, discipline, or other employment decisions based on an employees’ actual or perceived personal care responsibilities for a family member. The law references the Employee Sick Leave Act to define “family members” and “personal care.” Family members covered by the Act include: children, stepchildren, spouses, domestic partners,...

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Seventh Circuit Affirms Dismissal Amidst Procedural Pitfalls

On June 9, 2025, the Seventh Circuit affirmed District Court Judge Kennelly’s decision in Anderson v. United Airlines, Inc., denying the plaintiffs’ motion to amend their complaint, dismissing the case. No. 24-1626 (7th Cir. June 9, 2025). If plaintiffs’ appeal had been successful Anderson would have added to a growing list of Seventh Circuit decisions regarding the viability of vaccine mandate claims in the employment realm. However, the Northern District, as affirmed by the Seventh Circuit, dismissed the case before...

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A Call for Comprehensive Fee Shifting for Employment-Law Claims

Access to justice in employment law remains an elusive promise for the vast majority of American workers. While an array of federal and state laws purport to protect workers, the mechanisms for enforcing those rights are often inaccessible, rendering them meaningless. Administrative agencies and state equivalents tasked with investigating discrimination and wage violations, for example, are often chronically underfunded and subject to political erosion. As demonstrated by recent changes at the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and National Labor Relations Board,...

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Supreme Court Bars State Administrative Hurdles for Federal Civil Rights Claims

The U.S. Supreme Court ruled on Friday in the case of Williams v. Washington (No. 23-191) that an Alabama law requiring people to go through the state’s administrative process before filing federal civil rights claims under 42 U.S.C. Section 1983 is unconstitutional. The 5-4 decision found that the law created an unfair barrier to asserting federal rights. The law, upheld by Alabama’s Supreme Court in 2023, required unemployment benefits claimants to complete the state’s appeals process before going to court....

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Supreme Court Rules on FLSA Evidence Standards in Overtime Exemption Case

The U.S. Supreme Court unanimously ruled Wednesday that disputes over Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) exemptions do not require heightened evidence standards. Justice Brett Kavanaugh, writing for the court, rejected employees’ arguments for a “clear and convincing evidence” standard, reaffirming that the preponderance of evidence standard is appropriate in civil litigation unless explicitly altered by statute, constitutional requirements, or precedent involving severe government actions. The case, EMD Sales Inc. v. Carrera, centered on whether a higher standard should apply in...

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Illinois Enacts Freelance Worker Protection Act

Illinois has enacted the Freelance Worker Protection Act (“FWPA”) which provides broad protections for independent contractors. Starting July 1, 2024, independent contractors have been afforded protections for the services or products provided in Illinois. They are also afforded protection if their hiring entity is located within the state of Illinois. To qualify for protection under FWPA, the value of their work must be equal to or greater than $500 in a 120-day period. The Protections Under the FWPA, freelance workers...

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Whitney Barr Joins C&A

The Firm is happy to announce that Whitney Barr joined as an Associate in August 2023. Whitney concentrates her practice in employment litigation and has a passion for employee rights. Prior to joining the firm, Whitney represented eight young women in a high-profile sexual harassment lawsuit against their employer. It was her work on this case that motivated Whitney to focus her practice on advocating for employee rights and defending employees from adverse employment actions. Outside of her law firm...

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Alejandro Caffarelli Named to Super Lawyers Top 100

The Firm is proud to have attorney Alejandro Caffarelli named as one of the 2023 top 100 Illinois lawyers in all practice areas by Super Lawyers, for the second consecutive year. Super Lawyers is a division of the Thompson Reuters Corporation, and each year the company rates attorneys based upon independent research and peer reviews. It goes without saying that this recognition could not have been achieved without the benefit of the Caffarelli & Associates Ltd. team, including Alexis Martin,...

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Amanda Burns Joins C&A

We are pleased to announce that Amanda Burns has joined the firm as an associate. Amanda obtained her J.D. and graduated cum laude from Loyola University Chicago in 2019. While in law school Amanda was an editor on the Loyola University Chicago Law Journal and served as an academic tutor for property and contract courses. Amanda's interest in employment law grew through internships at the Chicago Public Schools Board of Education and the Attorney General's Office where she had hands-on...

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