What steps must a business take in Illinois to ensure compliance with applicable employment laws?
In Illinois, businesses must comply with a variety of employment laws
This includes minimum wage, anti-discrimination, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). To ensure compliance, businesses should take the following steps:
- Develop and implement written policies and procedures that comply with state and federal employment laws. This should include creating an employee handbook that outlines company policies on issues such as compensation, benefits, and anti-discrimination.
- Train employees and managers on the company's policies and procedures related to employment law. This should include providing anti-discrimination training and training on the ADA.
- Conduct periodic audits to ensure compliance with applicable employment laws. This should include reviewing wage and hour practices, employee classifications, and compliance with the ADA.
- Maintain accurate and complete employee records, including employment contracts, payroll records, and personnel files.
- Seek legal advice from a licensed attorney if there are any questions about compliance with employment laws or if a lawsuit is filed against the company.
Note that there may be limitations or exceptions to these recommendations depending on the specific situation. For example, businesses with fewer than 15 employees may be exempt from certain anti-discrimination laws. Additionally, businesses should consider seeking advice from a licensed attorney to ensure compliance with any state or local laws that may not be covered by federal law.
Overall, businesses in Illinois should prioritize developing policies and procedures that comply with employment laws, training employees on these policies, conducting periodic audits, maintaining accurate employee records, and seeking legal advice when necessary to ensure compliance with applicable employment laws.