InBriefs

A RIF of ESPs occurs whenever a district decides to decrease the number of ESPs employed by the school board or to discontinue a particular type of support service. A RIF also occurs when a district decides to reduce the hours of an ESP. A district is not obligated to wait until the end of a school year to conduct a RIF of ESPs. Prior to implementing a

EXTRA, EXTRA!!  Read All About Why the Illinois Appellate Court Affirmed a Decision Denying a FOIA Requester Attorney Fees But Imposing a $2,500 Civil Penalty Against the Public Body for Acting in Bad Faith in Responding to the FOIA Request.

On August 16, 2012, Governor Quinn signed HB 4996 into law as Public Act 97-968 ("Act") after the bill passed both houses unanimously. The Act amends the SURS Article of the Pension Code by adding a new provision which significantly limits the ability of community colleges and other SURS-covered employers to employ or re-employ SURS annuitants. The

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In a time of declining property values, it is growing easier and easier for taxpayers in tax appeals to obtain appraisals showing that a property’s actual value is below its assessed value. This is because an increasing number of distressed sales, bankruptcies and foreclosures have given appraisers that specialize in property tax appraisals more and more

Are you concerned about an employee’s post or tweet containing confidential business information or inappropriate comments related to their working conditions? If you are, can you lawfully discipline or discharge this employee pursuant to your social media policy that prohibits this type of conduct? If you do take action, are you vulnerable to an unfair

This In Brief will provide you with a summary of the binding opinions issued by the Public Access Counselor ("PAC") since our March 2011 publication and two recent FOIA cases. Binding Opinions FOIA grants the PAC power to issue binding opinions which the public body that is a party to the binding opinion must either comply with or initiate administrative

In Griggsville-Perry Community Unit School District No. 4 v. Illinois Educational Labor Relations Board, the Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court addressed whether an arbitrator’s award ordering reinstatement of a paraprofessional with back pay and benefits went beyond the negotiated language of the collective bargaining agreement (“CBA”) between the

This In Brief will highlight the upcoming deadlines related to reductions-in-force (“RIF”) of teachers. It specifically addresses the timelines and additional requirements a district may have under SB 7. Timeline for the remainder of 2011-2012 school year: 75 days prior to last school day: The school district must submit sequence of honorable dismissal

Interpreting the state’s “anti-SLAPP” (Strategic Lawsuit Against Public Participation) statute enacted in 2007, the Illinois Supreme Court has opined that the law does not prevent public employees and officials from bringing potentially meritorious defamation lawsuits. The Court’s decision in Sandholm v. Kuecker, 2012 WL 169708 (January 20, 2012), reversed