When married couples with children divorce, they must address more than asset division and other property issues. They must also address how they plan to raise their children as a divorced couple. In Illinois, child custody involves two main components. The allocation of parental responsibilities is the allocation of significant decision-making responsibilities. Parenting time is the time each parent spends with the child. Read on to learn about how parenting time can impact child support payments in a DuPage County divorce.

Do I Pay Less If I Have More Parenting Time?

Child-related expenses can quickly add up and child support helps unmarried, or divorced parents share financial responsibility for their children.

In Illinois, child support payment amounts are based on the parents’ respective net incomes. The amount a parent pays is almost exclusively based on the parents’ financial circumstances. The parent with the greater amount of parenting time is expected to make his or her financial contribution to the child by caring for the child and meeting the child’s basic needs. The parent with less parenting time is expected to make his or her financial contribution to the child through child support payments.

Being the victim of sexual harassment is already bad enough. People not believing you is even worse. Despite it being illegal, many people still face sexual harassment and discrimination at work. The harassment may come in the form of requests for sexual favors, derogatory comments about a person’s sexuality, offensive statements about someone’s body, or unwanted touching. Any form of sexual harassment is unacceptable. No one should have to tolerate being sexually harassed at work.

Employers Have a Legal Obligation to Investigate and Address Sexual Harassment

Did you know that per state and federal law, employers have to address sexual harassment? If you reported sexual harassment or discrimination to your manager and nothing was done, do not give up. Take the following steps:

• Report the harassment according to your company policy – Most companies have policies and procedures for reporting sexual harassment. Follow your company guidelines. If the person who is harassing you is the person you are supposed to report harassment to, you may have to go over that person’s head to the next supervisor.
• Keep records of everything – Write down every instance of harassment in a notebook or electronic document not connected to your work computer. Record what was said by who, who was witness to the harassing behavior, and how you responded. Make sure you also keep track of the times you have reported the harassment.
• Contact a lawyer for help – If nothing is done to remedy the situation, you may want to contact a sexual harassment lawyer. Your attorney can help you take the next steps. You can also file a complaint with the Illinois Department of Human Rights and/or Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC).

It is Illegal for Employers to Retaliate Against Someone for Reporting Sexual Harassment

If you are like many people, you may be nervous to file a sexual harassment lawsuit for fear of retaliation. Fortunately, federal and state laws protect workers against retaliation. Your employer cannot decrease your pay, fire you, give you less desirable work duties, or take another action against you out of revenge. If the employer does retaliate against you, you may have a valid unlawful retaliation lawsuit. You could be entitled to monetary damages.

 Divorce can be daunting for anyone. Most spouses considering divorce are only vaguely aware of what the divorce process involves. They may also be juggling feelings of regret, anger, and sadness which can make the divorce process even more intimidating. Fortunately, you do not have to handle divorce on your own. An experienced divorce lawyer can guide you through the process, offering the legal advocacy you need during this difficult time.

However, no two divorce lawyers are the same. It is important that the divorce lawyer you choose has the skills and experience needed to handle your particular situation effectively. As you vet potential divorce lawyers, consider the following questions:

 Sexual harassment is a form of illegal discrimination. While unlawful, sexual harassment continues to occur in DuPage County and throughout Illinois. Workplace sexual harassment falls into two broad categories: Quid pro quo harassment and hostile work environment.

Many people are unsure of what types of behaviors constitute sexual harassment. Some victims of sexual harassment convince themselves that they are overreacting or misunderstanding the situation. To be clear, anyone who feels threatened, offended, insulted, or demeaned at work should speak up. Even if the behavior has not yet crossed the line into sexual harassment, it is likely to escalate in the future, so it is best to report the behavior right away. That being said, people who have been victims of sexual harassment at work often experience the same types of feelings.  

Red Flags You Are a Victim of Sexual Harassment

Sexual harassment can take countless forms. You may be a victim of sexual harassment if:

Many people assume that money is the answer to all of their problems. However, in reality, money can often make life more complicated. This is certainly the case when it comes to divorce. High net worth divorce cases usually involve a greater number of complex issues legally, financially, and personally. If you and your spouse have amassed considerable wealth and you plan to divorce, keep the following considerations in mind.

Valuing and Classifying Property May Be the Hardest Part of the Property Division Process

Deciding who gets what is often one of the most contentious parts of the divorce process. In a high net worth divorce, many couples also run into challenges valuing assets and identifying assets as marital or non-marital. Real estate, investments, business interests, and other complex assets should be professionally valued before spouses begin negotiating a property division settlement. Assets will also need to be classified as marital property belonging to both spouses or non-marital property belonging to only one spouse.

The Consequences of Hiding Assets is Even Greater

The consequences of undisclosed income or assets in a high net worth case are often particularly significant. If you suspect that your spouse is not being truthful about finances, you may want to work with a forensic accountant in addition to your lawyer.