Posted on October 17, 2022 in Main

Many workplaces have employees who have flirty, fun relationships with each other. Although a professional might counsel people not to engage in this behavior just to stay on the safe side, as long as everybody consents, this behavior may not be a problem.

But for some, a teasing or light-hearted workplace attitude toward sexual jokes, innuendo, or flirting may be a problem because it opens them up to subtle sexual harassment. Without obvious behaviors that are easy to identify as sexual harassment, victims can struggle to put their finger on why certain behaviors make them uncomfortable. They may feel pressure from their colleagues to “lighten up” or “not make a big deal out of it.” Unfortunately, this can make things worse and eventually lead to the kind of hostile or offensive work environment that the Illinois Human Rights Act prohibits. If you suspect you are the target of sexual harassment, read on to learn about subtle ways sexual harassment may appear, and then learn how you can take action by contacting an Illinois sexual harassment lawyer.

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 Posted on October 16, 2022 in Main

Child support payments may be an important part of your life, long after the divorce, and while most parents are happy to support their children financially, life can sometimes get in the way of being able to pay the same amount of support that you had in recent years. If you have experienced a substantial change in circumstances, such as a job change or loss, you may need to ask a court to modify your child support obligation. It is important to understand when and how child support orders can be modified and an experienced Illinois family lawyer can help.

Why Might a Child Support Order Be Modified?

Parents cannot simply unilaterally change child the amount of their support payments; this would be a drain on state resources and lead to an unacceptable lack of predictability for both parents and children who are dependent on support payments for their well-being. Courts require a “substantial” change in a parent's circumstances before hearing a child support modification petition. These may include, but are not limited to:

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 Posted on October 06, 2022 in Main

Even when a parenting plan has worked well for years, children get older, parents' living and work arrangements change, and everyone may find that an existing parenting plan no longer works. If you are interested in changing your parenting plan - especially if you believe your child's other parent may not agree to the changes - it is important to understand when parenting plans can be modified and what your options may be. Read on to learn more about this important topic, and then contact an Illinois family lawyer for help.

Understand What You Need to Change

Parenting plans in Illinois are made of two separate but important components: The allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time. Parental responsibilities is the term for describing which parent has the authority to make important decisions on behalf of the child regarding healthcare, religious upbringing, education, and extracurricular activities. You and your ex may share parental responsibilities, or you may each make decisions in a particular area. Parenting time is simply the schedule that describes the time each child spends with each parent, including weekend and holiday schedules. Your circumstances may necessitate a change in parental responsibilities, parenting time, or both.

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 Posted on September 30, 2022 in Main

Despite increased cultural awareness of the potential power imbalance inherent in certain workplace relationships, people continue to meet, date, and eventually marry romantic partners at work. The constant close proximity with colleagues, in addition to the challenges people often tackle at work together, create an easy opportunity for close personal relationships to develop

Although these relationships may start consensually and may not violate any workplace agreements or codes of conduct, when they end, the awkwardness and unpleasantness of a personal breakup often carry over into the workplace. Unfortunately, one former partner may continue to act in a sexually aggressive way or make unwanted advances at work. If you are the target of this type of sexual harassment, it is important to know that you are still a victim of unethical behavior that may rise to the level of illegality. Your employer may be responsible for taking action

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 Posted on September 30, 2022 in Kane

Government policy is rarely straightforward, but changes in the law can make it even harder to analyze. Such is the case with Social Security benefits after divorce, the rules around which may change depending on when you were born. Fortunately, however, with the help of a knowledgeable Illinois divorce attorney, you can learn everything you need to know about your Social Security benefits after divorce and how you can negotiate a fair divorce settlement that minimizes the impact of divorce on your retirement plans.

Do I Lose Social Security Benefits if I Get Divorced? 

Although privately owned property like pension accounts and 401(k)s are divisible as marital property in a divorce, government Social Security benefits are not. Even if your spouse depends on your benefits for their own, your benefit payments will not be affected. Rest easy knowing that this portion of your retirement plan is untouched by divorce.

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 Posted on September 27, 2022 in Main

Couples (or one individual partner) often consider divorce long before they actually discuss it or begin the process of finding attorneys and filing for divorce. Being unprepared for a divorce can cause major disruptions in a family's life, and there are many things to consider carefully before officially getting started.

One obstacle that often results in a delay between wanting to get a divorce and actually filing for one is when couples cannot afford to live independently of each other. With home prices and rents rising astronomically over the last year, a couple may feel trapped in their current living situation but also feel as though there are no other options. If this situation sounds familiar to you, you may be surprised to learn that you can actually get divorced even if you are still living in the same house throughout your divorce process and even after the divorce is finalized.

Living Separate and Apart

While Illinois couples need not (and cannot) accuse each other of fault in divorce, such as infidelity or abandonment, they do still have to show that their relationship has ended because of irreconcilable differences. One way this is done is through living separate and apart.

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 Posted on September 26, 2022 in Main

In an effort to address widespread complaints about significant rates of sexual harassment in Illinois restaurants, Governor J.B. Pritzker signed a bill into law in 2019 requiring restaurants to provide sexual harassment prevention training to employees. However, even though most restaurants are meeting their legal training requirements, sexual harassment continues unabated at many institutions.

Restaurants can be particularly difficult workplaces to manage cases of sexual harassment because the atmosphere is often hectic, casual, and friendly. Coworkers frequently date each other and outgoing, flirtatious personalities tend to be drawn to customer-facing roles where tips can be significant. Nevertheless, unwanted sexual attention is something no one should have to deal with at work, and it is possible to draw clear lines between appropriate and inappropriate behavior. If you work at an Illinois restaurant and need help dealing with sexual harassment at work, contact an experienced sexual harassment attorney.

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 Posted on September 14, 2022 in Main

Parents of minor children who are getting divorced in Illinois have so many things they need to take care of before the final divorce verdict is handed down. In addition to issues of property division, spousal support, and child support, they must create a workable parenting plan and make significant adjustments in their living arrangements. It is no wonder that in the chaos and difficulty of making sure the children are well cared for and adjusted that sometimes little details slip by unnoticed.

One area that many divorced parents might leave unaddressed is whether one specific parent has the right to claim their children as a tax dependent on their tax returns in the future. While this may seem like a minor detail, it can have significant financial implications and, if done incorrectly, may have legal implications as well. Read on to learn about how you can resolve this important issue.

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 Posted on September 09, 2022 in Kane

Divorce is fraught with complex issues that must be addressed, and perhaps none more so than the issue of marital asset division. Once an Illinois couple's relationship has irretrievably broken down, neither spouse rarely looks out for the other spouse's well-being. Financial negotiations must be undertaken that are fundamentally zero-sum in nature; what one spouse gets in a divorce, the other spouse must necessarily lose.

It is natural, therefore, for there to be an element of self-preservation in the asset division process. Spouses who are high-income earners are perhaps especially wary of being taken advantage of or losing hard-earned income. When it comes to commissions, bonuses, and other rewards for employee performance, individuals may be wondering whether they get to keep the fruits of their labor or if they must divide it with their spouse.

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 Posted on August 30, 2022 in Main

Most people who choose to end their marriage want to mitigate the hostility, stress, and contention of the divorce process as much as possible. However, they also want to ensure that they will receive the best possible outcome. For many, resolving the divorce through collaborative law is the answer.

An Illinois collaborative divorce is a type of dissolution of marriage that allows couples to end their marriage through negotiation and agreement rather than through litigation. In a collaborative divorce, the parties work with their respective attorneys to reach an agreement on all aspects of their divorce, including child-related issues, property division, and spousal support. Once an agreement is reached, the parties submit the agreement to the court for approval.

Participation Agreements Are at the Heart of the Collaborative Divorce Process

One of the key aspects of a collaborative divorce is the participation agreement. The participation agreement is a contract between the spouses, their attorneys, and any other participants that outlines the terms of the divorce process.

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