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In the service of Education

June 2010: Fifth Circuit Upholds School District's Policy Prohibiting Discussion of Personal Grievances During Open Session of Board Meeting; Implementing National Healthcare: Coverage for Adult Children; Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act of 2008; Where We Are Now: Checking in with Amended FOIA; RSNLT Updates December 2009: Teacher's Request for a Classroom with "Natural Sunlight" Constitutes a Reasonable Accommodation under Americans with Disabilities Act; VESSA Amendments Broaden Reach of Leave Act; Use of Sick Leave for Birth, Adoption Limited to 30 Days; A Primer on Reading And Interpreting Criminal Histories; RSNLT Updates July 2009: The Dangers of Web 2.0 in Educational Institutions; July 1 Deadline for Compliance with Additional AED Requirements for Outdoor Physical Fitness Facilities; Reminder–Special Education Workload Plans and Class Size Limitations Deadline Looming; Legislature Proposes Amendments to Sick Leave Use under The School Code; Collective Bargaining Negotiations: Impasse, The Last Best Offer, and Possible Strike Scenarios; Appellate Court Rules That IELRB Award of Tenure Stands; Firm Doings June 2009: Sweeping 'Transparency' Legislation Overhauls Freedom of Information Act December 2008: No-Bid Energy Contracts Do Not Violate School Competitive Bidding Law; Illinois Courts Take Dim View of Exemption Claims in Trio of 2008 Decisions; Forms of PTELL Tax Extension Reduction Instructions to Make Your County Clerk's Life Easier... June 2008: Supreme Court Rules That Employees Can Pursue Claims of Retaliation Under Federal Civil Rights Laws Even Though Neither Law References Retaliation; The Illinois Whistleblower Act Now Applies to School Districts, Community Colleges and Local Governmental Employees; Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals Rules That the First Amendment Does Not Protect Certain Public Employee Speech; Roadmap to 403(b) Compliance; 409A Requirements Enforced Beginning 2008-2009; Principal Evaluations; RSNLT Calendar November 2007: Legislative Review 2007; Firm Doings September 2007: Legislative Update from the 95th Illinois General Assembly; IRS Issues Long-Awaited 403(B) Plan Regulations; Section 409A and Deferred Compensation of Teachers; Noteworthy Court Decisions; Social Security "No-Match" Letters and New Department of Homeland Security Regulations; New Illinois Law Requires Board Policies for Student Biometric Information; New Changes to Illinois Special Education Regulations Affect Class Size; New Principal Mentoring Program; To Disclaim Or Not to Disclaim: That Is the Question August 2007: High Court Tackles Student Body Diversity Issues, Special Education Rights of Parents and Free Speech Limits in School; Firm Doings April 2007: Designated Special Education Parapros Must Furnish Proof of Compliance with ISBE Qualifications Standards July 1, 2007; Principal Evaluation Follow-Up; New Illinois Privacy Law Protects Against Unauthorized Release of Personal Information; Use Less Paper: Employers Can Now Electronically Sign and Retain I-9 Forms; Public Employers Must Provide Specific Warnings When Investigating Employee Criminal Misconduct; What Employee Speech is "Free?": Seventh Circuit Finds for District Employee Non-Renewal; "Spend a Penny to Save a Penny" on Unemployment Compensation Claims; Courts Address Issue of Retaliatory Discharge - with Different Conclusion; Firm Doings February 2007: Revenue Department: No Charitable Exemption for Provena Covenant Medical Center; Speculation Brews over whether New Faces at PTAB and Cook Board of Review May Affect Tax Appeals; Canvassing the Vote, Take Two... (Aspirin) and Watch for an E-Alert; Cook County Districts Must Confirm Post-Election Their Desire to Have Voter-Approved 2006 Limiting Rate Hikes Be Effective for 2006 Levies; School District Prevails in Challenge to Bond Issue; Firm Doings September 2006: Legislative Newsletter; Firm Doings February 2006: School Board Effort to Add "Intelligent Design" to Science Class Rebuffed on First Amendment Grounds; Schaffer v. Weast: U.S. Supreme Court Addresses Burden of Proof in Special Ed Due Process Hearings; Lawsuit Challenging No Child Left Behind Is Thrown Out; Legislative Developments Involving Students; Firm Doings September 2005: Legislative Newsletter: This Client Newsletter reviews key legislation that emerged from the Spring session of the General Assembly. October 2004: Legislative Newsletter: This newsletter provides a summary review of legislation passed in the Spring Session of the General Assembly. July 2004: Rising Energy Expenditures? The Answer, My Friend, May Be Blowin' in the Wind....; Illinois General Assembly Approves A Cure for Bosch; Leveling the Playing Field in Assessment Cases: Taxing District Access to Evidence of Value in Property Owners' Exclusive Control; Planning for the November Ballot: Rate Referenda, The Batavia Decision and the "Two Question" Conundrum; Firm Doings December 2003: Taxing Districts' Trip to Bankruptcy Court to Protect Tax Revenues Pays Off; Tax Caps May Impede Fast Access to Referendum-Approved Rate Increases; When Does Farm Land Become Residential Property for Assessment Purposes?; Firm Doings September 2003: The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act's Privacy Rule and Its Applicability to Educational Entities September 2003: Legislative Update June 2003: Prayer Protected in Schools; "Must Have" Provisions in Student Handbooks; Student Journalist Proceeding with First Amendment Claim; County Board Member Jailed for Violating Florida's Open Meetings Law November 2002: Legislative Newsletter February 2002: Supreme Court To Rule On Drug Testing Of Students For Extracurricular Activities; Teacher's Race-Based Seating Arrangement Held Unconstitutional; Terms Of Divorce Decree Define Non-Custodial Parent Rights In Special Ed Disputes; ESY Made...Easy? State Board Issues New Guidance Document October 2001: Legislative Review

In the service of Local Governments

July 2006: U.S. Supreme Court OKs Seizure of Private Property for Economic Development; Court Holds That Adjourning Board Meeting Before Citizen Given Chance to Speak Did Not Violate His Constitutional Rights; Court Upholds Massive Fine Against Church for Building Code Violations; Government Officials Beware: Not All Communications with Your Government Attorney Are Protected by the Attorney-Client Privilege; How Safe Are Your Executive Session Recordings?; Take Time Over The Summer to Update Your Applications for Employment; Meeting Attendance by Speakerphone and Regulation of E-mail Communications Between Board Members; Health and Safety Concerns Can Justify Restaurant Closure Prior to Hearing; Another RSNLT Success Before the Illinois Supreme Court: Voting Rights Vindicated in Prominent Case Construing the 1970 Illinois Constitution; Firm Doings November 2004: Set Officials' Salaries for 2005 Terms Now; Law Enforcement Officers Safety Act; Municipalities should adopt "NIMS" Resolution; Police Pension Board Has Right to Deny Village's Participation in Hearing; Court Tells Vendor: No Board Approval, No Payment; Board Retreat Violated Open Meetings Act; Retaining Meeting Agendas on File; Firm Doings December 2003: Board Member's "Time Out" Was Improper; Ethics Reform Bills Become Law; Village Trustee Sues Citizen Who Accused Her During A Televised Board Meeting of Bribe Taking; Public Entities Must Record Closed Sessions; New Law Throws Open Public Buildings for Polling and Electioneers on Election Day; Cancassing Rules to Change; Firm Doings April 2003: Court Allows Removal of Candidates Without Electoral Board Hearing; Advocacy and Referendum Campaigning; Municipality Must Give Owners Time to Repair Property Prior to Demolition; Village's Suit for 9-1-1 Surcharges Dismissed; Ordinance Increasing Fines Prior to Hearing Held Unconstitutional; Police Officer's Pension Benefits Divided Improperly in Divorce; Ordinance Prohibiting Alcohol at Sexually Oriented Businesses Upheld; Elected Officials Called to Active Military Duty May 2002: Condemnation Power Limited; Fines Increased for Failure to Call Before Digging; Open Meetings Act Update; Mayoral Candidate Sues Opponent; Prison Term for Ex-Mayor; Police Officer Denied Line-of-Duty Pension; Knee Injury Was Not "Catastrophic"; Park District Ordinance Challenge Fails; RSNLT Recovers Pension Fund Clients' Money; Firm Doings August 2001: Employee Hiring Tips; Employee Termination Recommendations; Avoid Lawsuits—Re-map Your Wards And Districts Now; Did Your Town Hit The 5,000 Population Mark In The Census? March 2001: Attorney General Ryan Says "No" To Village Plan To Fund School Boundary Change Litigation; Legislature Enacts Police Pension Overhaul; Courts Stop Cities' Efforts To Block Detention Facility And To Impose Fire Code On State University; Gift Ban Act Still Unconstitutional—Supreme Court Appeal Pending

In the service of The Workplace

May 2006: How Specific Is "Specific": Court Hears Case of Non-Renewed Fourth-Year Probationary Teacher; Resident Teachers Are Not Eligible for Tenure after Completion of the 4-Year Program; College Prevails in Arbitration in Dispute over Annual Salary Increase; Legal Protection for Transgendered Employees; Workplace Web Surfing Not Grounds for Termination; Firm Doings June 2005: Two Issues You May Face This Summer: Unemployment Claims and RIF Recalls; The New "Whistleblower": Supreme Court Rules That Title IX Protects Employees from Retaliation for Reporting Sex Discrimination; Take Time Over The Summer to Update Your Applications for Employment; No Child Left Behind Act Requirements for 2005-06; Limitations on Educational Employers' Ability to Subcontract; Governor Signs Extension of ERO; Firm Doings June 2004: Age Discrimination in the Workplace; U.S. Supreme Court Validates Employer's Policy of Not Rehiring Employees Terminated for Misconduct; New EEOC Regulations on Retiree Insurance; RSNLT Obtains Dismissal of ULP Charges Filed Against School District; School District Charged with VESSA Complaint; Collective Bargaining Tip; Firm Doings; RSNLT Attorney Joe Perkoski Featured in HR Publication December 2003: Bizarre Behavior May Be Enough to Notify Employer That Employee Needs FMLA Leave; Frequently Asked Questions about Overtime Pay; Educational Labor Relations Act Amendments; Military Leave Rights for Public Employees Clarified; Employment Applications Must Be Amended; Equal Pay Act of Illinois August 2003: A Review of the Fair Labor Standards Act and the Department of Labor's Proposed Regulatory Changes; Governor Signs Bill Mandating Recording Closed Session Meetings; Family and Medical Leave Act: Calculating the Twelve-Month Period; Subcontracting of Education Support Services; Fine Tuning Your Employment Application Will Help Avoid Legal Claims; Firm Doings January 2003: Mid-Term Bargaining of Health Insurance Benefits; Employees' Rights to Inspect and Append Their Personnel Records; Employers Bear Costs of Labor Condition Applications and H-1B Visas; Compliance With HIPAA Privacy Regulations; Firm Doings June 2002: Seniority System May Trump ADA Accommodation Request; Four-Year Tenure-Track Legislation: Four Years After; Refusal To Hire Applicant Whose Health Was At Risk By Such Employment Is Not ADA Violation; Frequently Asked Questions; Employers May Be Liable For Untimely Hostile Work Environment Claims; Firm Doings December 2001: Expect Significant Employment Law Decisions From The U.S. Supreme Court Next Year; Conducting Effective And Proper Workplace Investigations; Arbitrator Upholds School District's Denial Of Personal "Emergency" Leave For Delayed Flight; School Districts Have A Duty To Prevent Student-On-Teach Harassment; Paying Employees Serving On Active Military Duty; Arbitrator Upholds Haper College's Dismissal Of A Tenured Teacher

In the service of The Built Environment

January 2004: New Ways to Spend Impact Fees; When Construction Change Orders Must Be Publicly Bid; Four Years to File Claims Against Public Entities for Construction Related Injuries; Firm Doings September 2002: Acquiring Property by Condemnation; A Construction Site Two-Gate System Can Prevent Labor Disruptions; District's Use of Building for Storage and Intramural Sports Was A "School Purpose"; Local Fire Officials May Inspect School Buildings And Plans April 2002: Commercial Property Assessment Levels Lowered; Liability to Third Parties in Construction Contracts; Paying Workers the Prevailing Wage; PLAs Could Be Challenged as Violations of Public Bidding Statutes; Preferring Illinois Workers; Firm Doings November 2000: Qualification-Based Selection Of Design Professionals; Unraveling The Procedural Requirements Of Lease Purchase Agreements; Cook County Circuit Court: An Alternative School's Location Is Not Subject To Municipal Zoning Laws; Integrated Pest Management Plans Required By Law

NOTE: This information is intended for informational purposes only and is not intended to be, nor should it be interpreted as, legal advice or opinion. Please contact a member of the firm for specific legal advice that is based upon the facts in your specific case.