Legal News & Updates

Robbins Schwartz has pioneered defining the practice of education law as a singular discipline. As we continue to expand our services, we stay involved in the ongoing development and evolution of the law.

Latest Updates & News

Schools and Park Districts Only Granted More Time to Comply with Cook County Paid Leave Ordinance

The Board of Commissioners recently passed a revised version of the Paid Leave Ordinance amendment exempting school districts and park districts from the ordinance’s requirements. Read more about the update in our latest law alert.

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International Women’s Day

Happy International Women’s Day to all the incredible women making a difference worldwide! Your courage, determination, and compassion inspire us all.

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EEOC Issues Fact Sheet on Anti-Arab, Anti-Middle Eastern, Anti-Muslim, and Antisemitic Workplace Discrimination and Harassment

The EEOC recently released a Fact Sheet clarifying the Title VII protections amid the workplace and campus tensions linked to conflict in the Middle East. Learn more about their resource in our most recent law alert.

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Women’s History Month – March 2024

Join us in honoring the strength and grace of women this Women’s History Month.

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Update on Proposed Amendment to Exclude Schools and Park Districts from County Paid Leave Ordinance

The Legislative and Intergovernmental Relations Committee recently deferred voting on the proposed amendment to Paid Leave Ordinance. Read more about the updated in our latest law alert.

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Supreme Court Allows High School Admissions Policy Designed to Promote Diversity

On February 20, 2024, the Supreme Court declined to review whether a Virginia high school’s 2020 revised admissions policy, which aimed at fostering student diversity, constituted racial discrimination. Read more about the revised policy in our latest law alert.

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Data Security Breaches: What You Need to Know about the Recent Amendment to the Illinois Personal Information Protection Act

The Illinois Personal Information Protection Act, which obligates “data collectors” (defined to include any public or private entity, including school districts, colleges, townships, park districts, and other local governmental entities…

DOL Issues Final Rule Raising Salary Test For Overtime Exemption To $47,476

This morning, the United States Department of Labor issued its final rule under the Fair Labor Standard Act (“FLSA”) which, among other things, raises the annual salary test from $23,000…

EEOC Issues New Guidance Document on Leaves of Absence and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA)

On May 9, 2016, the EEOC released a new guidance document addressing leaves of absence as a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). The guidance was issued…

New DOE Guidance on Transgender Students in Schools, Colleges and Universities

On May 13, 2016 the Department of Education Office of Civil Rights (OCR) and Department of Justice Civil Rights Division issued new guidance clarifying the duties of schools, colleges and…

Giving Rectal Diastat During A Seizure Is Not A Reasonable Accommodation

On March 2, 2016, after a two-week trial, Judge Zagel of the United States District Court for the Northern District of Illinois held in United States Department of Justice v. Northern…

Fourth Circuit Appeal Court Directs Trial Court to Defer to OCR Definition of Sex in Deciding Transgender Student’s Restroom Access Request

On April 19, 2016, the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals became the first Appeals Court to address whether or not Title IX requires schools to provide transgender students access to…

Supreme Court Decision Potentially Broadens First Amendment Protections for Public Employees

On April 26, 2016, in Heffernan v. City of Paterson, New Jersey, the United States Supreme Court held that where an employer demoted an employee out of a desire to prevent the…

Planning for Future RIFs: May 10 Deadline for Job Descriptions

While the 2015-2016 teacher RIF season is coming to an end, planning for the 2016-2017 RIF season is just beginning.  In particular, the May 10th deadline for updating your school…

EEOC Institutes New Employee-Friendly Discrimination Charge Procedures

The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) has recently implemented employee-friendly procedures that will impact how an employer responds to charges of discrimination.  The new rules provide that: The EEOC,…