Employer Law Blog

Under the FMLA, an employer must not –

Interfere with, restrain or deny the exercise of, or attempt to exercise, an employee’s FMLA rights [29 U.S.C. § 2615(a)(1)], or
Discharge or discriminate against an individual for opposing any unlawful practice under the FMLA [29 U.S.C. § 2615(a)(2) and (b)].

Employee evaluations are not fun. But, they can be important for many reasons. A properly executed evaluation can benefit both the employer and the employee by increasing efficiency and productivity and providing valuable and constructive feedback to the employee. It can also help an employee feel engaged in their work and connected to the organization.

On January 1, 2014, Illinois became the 21st state in the U.S. to legalize use of marijuana for medicinal purposes, at least during the four year pilot program. This new law raises a number of questions for Illinois employers, many of them currently unanswered. There are no Illinois court cases interpreting this new law, so we are in uncharted waters for the time being.