312.332.7760 (tel.)
312.332.7768 (fax)
jperkoski@rsnlt.com

Practice Areas: Education Law, Labor & Employment, Student Discipline

Joe Perkoski focuses his practice on labor and employment law, representing both public and private employers against claims involving discrimination, wrongful discharge, sexual harassment and labor/management relations issues. Joe has litigated discrimination cases before federal and state courts and agencies. He also has litigated grievance arbitrations and unfair labor practice charges before the Illinois Education Labor Relations Board, the Illinois State and Local Labor Relations Boards and the National Labor Relations Board. Joe's practice also includes the representation of public pension boards, and he is an active member of the National Association of Public Pension Attorneys (NAPPA).

Education

• J.D., The Ohio State University, 1993
• M.A., History, The Ohio State University, 1987
• B.A. with honors, History/Political Science, The Ohio State University, Columbus, Ohio, 1985

Admitted to Practice

• U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit
• U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois
• U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Wisconsin
• U.S. District Court for the Western District of Wisconsin
• Supreme Court of Illinois
• Supreme Court of Wisconsin

Recent Publications

• Are You a Target? Countering Union Organizing Activity in the Educational Workplace, CUPA-HR Journal, Fall/Winter 2005.
• The Catbert Doctrine: Playing on an Employee's Vulnerability in a Transfer Decision Can Be Retaliation Discrimination, RSNLT In Brief (Sept. 2005).
• Contributing author, Labor Relations: Contract Administration Including ULPs, ILLINOIS SCHOOL LAW (Ill. Inst. for CLE, 2005).
• Let Your Fingers Do the Talking: New Law Requires Fingerprint Background Checks for School District Applicants, RSNLT In Brief (August 2004).
• The HIPAA Quagmire: Compliance Guidelines for the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, Illinois Association of School Boards, available at http://www.iasb.com/files/hipaa.htm (last visited Sept. 23, 2003).

Recent Presentations

• Campus Safety and Employee Civil Rights, Community College Conference, Oak Brook, IL (April 2008).
• The Illinois Open Meetings Act and What To Do When You Receive a Freedom of Information Act Request, McHenry County College In-service presentation (Nov. 2007).
• Subcontracting—The Reality of House Bill 1347 and Outsourcing, Breakfast Briefing for Board Members and Superintendents, Oak Brook, IL (Oct. 2007).
• Legislative & Board Governance Update, Fall 2007 School Administrators' Conference, Oak Brook, IL (Sept. 2007).
• Board Governance: Compliance With the Illinois Open Meetings Act, Hawthorn School District No. 73 In-service presentation (June 2007).
• Employment Law Update: The Latest on Employer Record Keeping and Confidentiality Obligations; Developments in the World of the Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the Victims Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA); and Sexual Harassment Investigations - Scenarios Demonstrating Practical Responses to Impractical Situations, 2007 Spring Conference, College and University Professional Association for Human Resources, Illinois Chapter (Illinois CUPA-HR) (April 2007).
• Terminations: Non-Tenured and Tenured Certificated Staff, Evanston-Skokie School District 65 In-service presentation (April 2007).
• Sexual Harassment: Understanding the District's Sexual Harassment Policy, Hawthorn School District 73 In-service (April 2007).
• Managing Employees: The Evaluation, Discipline and Dismissal Process, Prairie State College In-service (March 2007).
• Terminations: Non-Tenured and Tenured Certificated Staff, Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators Conference, Schaumburg, IL (Feb. 2007).
• Employment Law Developments, PACT at DuPage Regional Office of Education, Wheaton, IL (Jan. 2007).
• Public Employee Ethics and Employee Leave Abuse Issues, Illinois College and University Professional Association - Human Resources, Springfield, IL (Oct. 2006).
• Peer Harassment and Employee Confidentiality Agreements and Issues, CUPA-Illinois, Bloomington, IL (June 2006).
• ADA Accommodations and Employer Required Intervention, College and University Professional Association - Human Resources, Illinois CUPA-HR Fall/Winter Conference 2005, Oak Brook, IL (Dec. 2005).
• Attorney Discussion on Tenure Issues, Evaluations, the New ERO and NCLB's Highly Qualified Requirements, Personnel Administrator Round-Up, Vernon Hills, IL (Nov. 2005).