By Sara Zorich – SmithAmundsen LLC – www.salawus.com Last week the “Border Security, Economic Opportunity, and Immigration Modernization Act” (S. 744) was introduced.  Since then, there have been a series of congressional hearings to discuss the provisions of the Act.  It is clear from the hearings that there are strong opinions on the bill from many communities that would be affected.  In general, the bill ...

By Nancy E. Joerg, Esq., Managing Shareholder – St. Charles Office, Wessels Sherman Joerg Liszka Laverty Seneczko P.C., St. Charles, Illinois, (630) 377-1554, najoerg@wesselssherman.com, www.wesselssherman.com Recently I wrote an article announcing the alarming and aggressive new IDES audit policy.   The article has “gone viral,” and I am getting calls from Illinois business owners, accountants, controllers ...

The American workforce is growing heavier, softer and more sluggish than at any time in history. The U.S. ingloriously leads the world in the obesity stakes and epidemic levels of chronic and degenerative health conditions which are threatening the nation’s capacity to field a globally competitive workforce. American employers have risen to their nation’s health challenge. Driven to divert the double threat ...

by Rebecca Dobbs Bush – SmithAmundsen LLC – www.salawus.com While most of us have had just about enough when it comes to discussing Health Care Reform, the discussions aren’t even close to being over.  The most anticipated provisions, the individual and employer mandates, are scheduled to take effect January 1, 2014. Many employers are focused on more of an internal analysis – evaluating whether they need t ...

by Karuna Brunk – SmithAmundsen LLC – www.salawus.com The Department of Labor (DOL) issued a statement regarding expanded protection to military families.  Hidden in the discussion of military families and DOL’s commitment to those who serve was a single statement about added regulations to the Family Medical Leave Act for airline flight crew employees. In fact, on February 5, 2013, DOL issued a final rule ...

By: Matthew Horn, Esq., SmithAmundsen LLC, mhorn@salawus.com A recent decision out of the United States Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, KS Energy Services, LLC v. Solis, Case No. 11-2427, greatly impacts how OSHA will determine soil types and enforce trench sloping and benching regulations set forth in 29 C.F.R. 1926.652(a)(1).  All contractors performing work in trenches should be aware of this d ...

By Daniel E. Murphy, Managing Partner-Murphy & Murphy, 39 South LaSalle Street, Suite 720,        Chicago, IL 60603, 312.267.6900, d.murphy@murphymurphylaw.com. Businesses faced with the prospect of defending or instituting a lawsuit or a series or class of lawsuits bear both the risk of outcome of the litigation as well as the risk of attorney’s fees. Effectively managing those risks may include consid ...

New e-guide demystifies the process of pursuing contracts with the government and other large enterprises. When I talk with small business owners about their growth plans, the conversation often involves going after new types of customers.  But there’s one potential customer type that isn’t on the radar of many small businesses, even though it should be – local, state and federal government agencies. Did yo ...