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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 Posted on August 30, 2022 in Kane

There are many reasons that a parent might want to establish paternity. Maybe the child's natural father is not involved in his or her life, and the parent wants to ensure that he has a legal relationship with his child. Or, the child may be entitled to certain benefits, like insurance or inheritance, that can only be accessed if paternity is legally established. Establishing paternity is also a prerequisite to requesting child support.

Paternity Benefits in Illinois

Whatever the reason, there are a few things that happen when a parent establishes paternity. First, both the child and the father will have a legal relationship with each other. This means that the father will have all of the rights and responsibilities of a parent, including financial responsibility for the child. The father gains the right to petition the court for parental responsibilities and parenting time. Parental responsibilities include making important decisions about the child's welfare, like where they will live, what type of education they will receive, and what their medical care will be. Parenting time is the time that the father spends with the child. This was previously called "visitation" in Illinois.

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 Posted on August 26, 2022 in Main

Federal law defines a hostile work environment as one in which behavior is severe or pervasive enough to create an environment that a reasonable person would find to be hostile. Anything from constantly being asked on a date to unwanted physical contact may lead to a hostile work environment.

Sexual harassment is something no one should tolerate. This blog will explain some common manifestations of hostile work environment harassment and what you can do if you believe you have been a victim.

Examples of Hostile Work Environment Harassment

There are a few things to consider when determining whether or not your workplace is a hostile work environment. The first is whether the behavior in question is unwelcome. If you have made it clear to the person engaging in the behavior that it is unwelcome, and they continue to do it anyway, that is a good indicator that the environment may be hostile.

Sexual harassment often involves:

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 Posted on August 25, 2022 in Kane

Married couples entangle their lives romantically, legally, and financially. Ending a marriage is not as simple as deciding you no longer want to be married. There are seemingly countless issues to contend with. For many people, one of the greatest impediments to getting divorced is their living situation. With record-high inflation and skyrocketing housing costs, many people are unable to afford to move out of a shared home. If you want a divorce but you and your spouse cannot afford separate homes, you may worry that this will hinder the divorce process.

Divorce Grounds in Illinois

Fortunately, spouses are not required to separate before they can get divorced in Illinois. Currently, there is only one ground, or legal justification, for divorce in Illinois: irreconcilable differences. Illinois eliminated fault-based grounds such as adultery and physical abuse in 2016. The requirement that spouses live apart before filing for divorce has also been eliminated.

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 Posted on August 12, 2022 in Main

Millions of adults in the U.S. deal with mental illnesses such as depression, bipolar disorder, generalized anxiety disorder, and schizophrenia. Divorced and unmarried parents often have questions about how mental health can influence the allocation of parental responsibilities and parenting time. Illinois courts make every child custody decision with the child's best interests in mind. So, if a parent suffers from a mental health condition that affects his or her ability to care for the child and keep the child safe, this can certainly influence the court's decision. However, Illinois law clearly states that parental conduct that does not affect the child should not be considered during custody determinations.

Navigating child custody and divorce issues when a parent has a mental illness can be complex and confusing. The best way to receive trustworthy guidance is to speak to a family law attorney experienced in complex child-related issues.

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 Posted on August 12, 2022 in Main

Sexual harassment is considered discrimination. It is prohibited by both Illinois and federal laws. Unfortunately, not everyone complies with the laws designed to keep our workplaces safe. According to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, there were just under 100,000 harassment complaints between 2018 and 2021.

In an effort to combat the ongoing problem of workplace sexual harassment, the city of Chicago has expanded sexual harassment laws and anti-harassment training requirements. Chicago companies are now requiring bystander training that teaches people how to prevent, recognize, and report harassment.

Teaching People to Intervene on Behalf of Sexual Harassment Victims

A bystander is someone who notices potential sexual harassment. For example, an employee may overhear a watercooler conversation in which a worker is making offensive sexual remarks to another employee. Or, a manager may notice that one of his or her subordinates is clearly uncomfortable sitting next to a certain individual during all-staff meetings. Perhaps a female employee goes to another female employee for advice after a male supervisor will not stop asking her out on dates.

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 Posted on July 31, 2022 in Main

For many, being a professional musician is a dream occupation. However, more and more information is being uncovered about the true nature of the music industry. HBO recently released The Idol, which explores the darker side of being a famous musician. The docuseries focuses on sexual harassment, abuse, and manipulation suffered by musicians in pursuit of stardom. The series comes just after former pop sensation R. Kelly was sentenced to 30 years for sex trafficking.

Sexual harassment in the music industry is not a new phenomenon. Fortunately, people are beginning to take sexual harassment allegations seriously. If you were sexually harassed, it is important to take action immediately. If you report the sexual harassment to your employer and the problem is not rectified, the next step may be to take legal action in the form of a sexual harassment claim.

Working in the Music Industry is Less Glamorous Than Many Realize

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