Employer Law Blog

In order to manage and control rapidly rising healthcare costs, many employers have implemented wellness programs in order to educate employees and encourage greater health awareness. A common feature to most wellness programs includes an annual health risk assessment. Oftentimes, employees are incentivized to complete the assessment either through reduced premium costs or gift cards. In fact, the Affordable Care Act specifically authorizes employers to offer financial incentives for employees to participate in wellness programs, in general, and complete health risk assessments, specifically.

The EEOC recently announced an increase in the penalty for employers who fail to conspicuously post the equal employment opportunity (EEO) notices of rights of employees and job applicants. The penalty per violation has almost doubled as of April 18, 2014, from $110 to $210.

Illinois passed the Employee Classification Act in 2008. It was amended in 2013. (820 ILCS 185/1 et seq.) In a decision issued February 25, 2014, the Illinois Supreme Court rejected a constitutional challenged to the Act.