Illinois Employment Attorney

Employment law attorneys represent employees in disputes against their employers. These lawyers only work with employees and do not work with employers or corporations.

They provide support for their clients by developing a legal strategy for their cases and representing them in court. They also answer questions and provide information about local employment and labor laws.

Employment lawyers in Illinois handle a variety of different case types. These include wrongful termination, discrimination, harassment, wage theft, and more.

Because Illinois is an at-will state, employers can generally terminate employees at any time – without warning and for any reason. However, some exceptions to this rule could be grounds for a wrongful termination case.

These exceptions include cases of discriminatory termination, as well as retaliation for exercising your rights in the workplace. For example, it is illegal to fire an employee for reporting harassment or safety violations in the workplace or for taking legally guaranteed time off. A breach of a legal employment contract could also be grounds for a wrongful termination lawsuit.

New employment laws took effect in Illinois on January 1st, 2024. The minimum wage for non-tipped workers increased to $14 per hour, while the minimum wage for tipped workers increased to $8.40 per hour.

Additionally, the Paid Leave for All Workers Act took effect, which requires most Illinois employers to provide their employees with up to 40 hours of paid leave for the year. This leave can be used for any purpose.

The state has also expanded leave rights for bereavement in specific situations. Families of those lost to violent crimes or parents of children lost to suicide and homicide are now entitled to expanded unpaid leave options.

The One Day Rest in Seven Act specifies how long employees in Illinois can work without a break. All employees in Illinois are entitled to at least 24 hours of time off every seven consecutive days.

However, employers can request a relaxation from the Illinois Department of Labor that allows employees to volunteer to work a seventh day.

Employees are also guaranteed one meal break for each 7.5-hour shift, which must start 5 hours or less after the start of the shift. Employees are guaranteed a second meal break for shifts that are 12 hours or longer. Employers should also provide reasonable restroom breaks independent of meal breaks.

The state of Illinois has been incrementally increasing the minimum wage each year starting in 2020. As of 2024, the minimum wage is $14 per hour for non-tipped employees and $8.40 per hour for tipped employees.

The minimum wage will increase again on January 1st, 2025, to $15 per hour for non-tipped employees and $9 per hour for tipped employees. This is the final minimum wage increase currently scheduled.