The Protect Illinoisans from Unfair Medical Debt bill will require Illinois hospitals to take a much more active role in limiting consumers’ medical debt. The bill puts into place four primary requirements designed to reduce the medical debt burden of individuals receiving care. These requirements will apply to services provided on or after June 29, 2024.
Illinois recently amended its Equal Pay Act to require employers with 15 or more workers to include pay and benefits information for each covered job posting. There is, however, a delayed start date: This amendment will take effect on January 1, 2025.
Numerous states—including Wisconsin, Illinois, Kentucky and Oklahoma—have been busy finalizing rulemaking and legislation that create or amend professional practice standards to incorporate telehealth. What have these states been up to over the last month?
Numerous states—including Illinois, Hawaii, Tennessee, Montana, New Hampshire and Indiana—have been busy finalizing rulemaking and legislation impacting interstate compacts, professional practice standards and COVID-19 licensure flexibilities. What have these states been up to over the last month?
The Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA) was signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker on March 13, 2023, ensuring that all workers in Illinois receive 40 hours of paid time off annually for any purpose. The law will become effective on January 1, 2024, requiring employers to utilize the remaining months of 2023 to ensure they are equipped to comply with the new legislation.
Illinois has joined Maine and Nevada as the third state to implement such a measure.
The new Chicago Ordinance on sexual harassment, effective July 1, 2022, requires that an employer maintaining a business facility within the geographic boundaries of Chicago must have a written policy—including a conspicuously displayed notice poster in English and Spanish—documenting the prohibition of sexual harassment.
As of January 1, 2022, a new Illinois law governing restrictive covenants (Public Act 102-0358) is in effect. This law outlines the requirements for valid noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements, and enforcement of those covenants. It applies to all agreements entered into on or after January 1.
On August 26, 2021, Illinois Governor J.B. Pritzker issued Executive Order 2021-20 (the Order). The Order mandates that all individuals in Illinois who are at least two years old and who are medically able must wear face coverings indoors and in other specified settings.
In addition, the Order mandates COVID-19 vaccination for certain professionals in healthcare and education, as well as for students and state employees, subject to certain exemptions which require regular COVID-19 testing.
Illinois has enacted a new law governing restrictive covenants: Public Act 102-0358. This law outlines the requirements for valid noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements, and enforcement of those covenants. It will apply to all agreements entered into on or after January 1, 2022.
According to McDermott’s Brian Mead and Barrick Bollman, the legislation allows an employee to recover costs and reasonable attorney’s fees if the employee prevails in an action seeking to enforce a noncompetition or nonsolicitation agreement. The legislation also requires that employers advise employees, in writing, to consult with counsel before entering into a noncompetition or nonsolicitation agreement, and that employees be afforded 14 days to review the covenant before signing.
The federal Pandemic Unemployment Assistance program extends relief to workers and employees who don’t have access to state benefits, but it will almost certainly put pressure on gig economy companies to start paying into state unemployment insurance funds as government resources continue to diminish due to COVID-19, attorneys say.
Michelle S. Strowhiro, partner at McDermott Will & Emery, said, “To the extent that, post-COVID, we want to maintain unemployment benefits for those traditionally not eligible, … we’d have to contemplate a way that additional funding could be accessed for the long term.”
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