Making Work Better: Employment Law & Workplace Challenges

Most problems in the workplace  likely boil  down to issues with communication ,  whether   it's  a n employee misunderstanding instructions or a   supervisor 's  feedback  not landing  in the right way .  These inconsistencies in communication are what often lead to legal risk.     Your communication style is both how you prefer to receive information and how you deliver it.   By understanding ho...

Free speech in the workplace  isn't  exactly what it sounds like:  rather than  a  broad,  unlimited protection  that allows all employees to say whatever they  want ,   protections vary depending on the type of employer and the specific circumstances .  With social media  blurring the lines between work life and personal life , whether our speech online or "off the clock" is protected under free...

What happens when a prestigious restaurant  comes under fire for workplace abuse? A recent  New York Times  article revealed that  dozens of former employees at Noma,  an award-winning restaurant in Copenhagen  founded by chef Rene Redzepi,  endured extreme physical and mental harassment  and were threatened with being blacklisted if they spoke up.    While employment counselors  Kristen Prinz  an...

AI is becoming  increasingly  prominent in all kinds of industries, and the legal field is no exception.  For lawyers, using AI can   streamline processes  and reduce billing for clients,  but  it can also  pose risks to confidentiality and  damage an attorney's reputation  if mistakes  aren ' t  caught .  Some attorneys have  even  seen potential clients use AI to bu ild their own case  before  t...

In January of 2026, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ("EEOC") voted to rescind its  Enforcement Guidance on Harassment in the Workplace, an over-200-page document from the Biden -era EEOC   that  aimed to interpret  what  constitutes   "workplace harassment" under  federal law .   But  what does it mean that  this guidance has been removed? Is harassment  now lawful?  Are things that  w...

From  increased workplace transparency  to  paid nursing breaks  to  background check requirements ,   many new  laws  and updates to existing legal framework  are  set to go into effect in Illinois at the start of 2026 . As employment attorneys, Katie Rinkus and Hannah  Savaso  are here to help you stay on top of the biggest changes.  In this  epis ode,  we'll  walk yo u thro ugh  what's  changin...

New Year's resolutions are more than just a fun thing for us to think about every January. In fact,  they're  a form of internal negotiation that has the potential to  impact  our lives and the lives of the people around us – and Kristen Prinz and Amit Bindra are here to help you make the most of the new year. Whether we want to make a career change, get more exercise, or achieve some other goal i...

The holiday season is fast approaching, and workplaces can help to keep spirits high by staying clear of potential issues surrounding gift-giving in the office. What may seem like a simple gesture between coworkers can also lead to a variety of legal pitfalls, from discrimination and harassment claims to tax implications. Business counselors Chad Ayers and Christina Hynes Mesco dive into those iss...

Many business leaders think that a healthy workplace culture is important, but they don't always know what it takes to have one. Some companies may simply restate their values at every annual meeting and call it a day. Others may not know what their culture looks like at all. Improving the health of your workplace isn't a one-and-done thing—for as long as your company remains open, learning what i...

It's an unfortunate statistic, but most people have seen or experienced some form of misconduct at work at least once in their careers. As employment attorneys and workplace investigators, Christina Hynes Mesco and Laura Feldman have seen the full gamut of these types of matters and know that even the most cautionary tales can teach us valuable lessons about how to approach these difficult , and o...

It's no secret that the American workplace is constantly changing. The last few years alone have witnessed major trends, from "job hugging" and a focus on mental health at work to Gen Z entering the labor force amidst a backlash against DEI initiatives. Such shifts have left business leaders struggling to navigate their new reality in a way that promotes business, inspires employees, and makes us...

In this thought-provoking episode, employment and business attorney Kristen Prinz speaks with NYU Stern School of Business professor, bestselling author, and podcast host Suzy Welch to discuss her book Becoming You: The Proven Method for Crafting Your Authentic Life and Career . An outgrowth of years of research into human values, Becoming You clarifies what values really are—and what they're not—...

In this eye-opening episode, employment attorneys Kristen Prinz and Christina Hynes Mesco explore the complex dynamics of harassment among senior executives—particularly how it impacts women in top leadership roles. Executives often have fewer avenues for reporting sexual harassment than other employees, and women continue to face disproportionate scrutiny and higher standards of behavior in the w...

Social media can be a great way to stay connected to current events, but we've seen it used more and more frequently as a tool for harassment and retaliation, including in the workplace. The ongoing lawsuit between Blake Lively and Justin Baldoni is just one recent example, which features claims of a social media smear campaign—and the court of public opinion is taking sides. Employment attorneys...

The first 100 days of the new Trump administration have been nothing but unprecedented. From terminating federal agency heads to signing controversial executive orders to the targeting of DEI efforts, both businesses and individual workers are dealing with a lot of change—and likely navigating a lot of confusion.   Prinz's marketing manager Matt Tedeschi welcomes senior associate attorney Mary Cha...

Earlier this year, an amendment to the Illinois Freedom to Work Act invalidated non-compete clauses that would make it more difficult for a veteran or first responder to obtain mental health services. Without timely access to proper mental health care, these groups are at a higher risk of developing conditions like PTSD from their line of work. Partner Amit Bindra unpacks the new amendment with Op...

After the Trump Administration issued an executive order targeting Perkins Coie, we signed on to an amicus brief in support of the firm's lawsuit challenging the order. Since then, the administration has gone after three more firms, making collective action even more necessary to protect the rule of law.   Prinz partners Kristen Prinz and Amit Bindra provide context around the executive orders and...

Business attorney Katie Rinkus welcomes Amy M. Gardner to the mic to discuss common ways they see conflict show up in the workplace. Amy is a certified Career and Career Transitions Coach and Team Development and Leadership Consultant and the co-owner of Apochromatik, which offers team and leadership development programs to help organizations resolve conflict and reach their goals.   One of the pr...

Illinois has seen several new employment laws take effect since the beginning of 2025. Prinz's marketing manager and employment paralegal Matt Tedeschi joins employment attorney and business counselor Katie Rinkus to recap some of the most significant changes and what they mean for both employees and employers.   From minimum wage increases to an expansion of the Illinois Human Rights Act and new...

Are you looking for a new role or hoping to advance beyond your current one? Certified Career Coach and Facilitator Carmelina Piedra joins attorney Katie Rinkus to discuss what you can do to take that next step and succeed!   Carmelina offers a host of tips for those wishing to make a career transition, based on her many years of experience coaching job seekers and professionals in numerous sector...

You're starting a new venture and it's time to finally create your business as a formal legal entity, but what kind of entity do you choose: a corporation, an LLC, something else? Business counselors Katie Rinkus and Kristen Prinz decode the major differences among sole proprietorships, partnerships, corporations, and LLCs, providing insight into the benefits and drawbacks of each.   Katie and Kri...

Business clients routinely ask our attorneys whether their workers are actual employees or instead function as independent contractors (ICs). Drawing upon their expertise as employment and business lawyers, Katie Rinkus and Poonam Lakhani discuss the differences between employees and ICs, and why it's so important for businesses to properly classify their workers.   Katie and Poonam briefly touch...

Business attorney and advisor Katie Rinkus welcomes Corbin Beastrom to the mic to discuss the current reality of remote work. Corbin is founder of Illyrian Group, a fully remote professional search company. But there's a plot twist: he prefers to work most days in an office setting. Katie probes Corbin's own professional path and his current approach to work, before they consider whether fully in-...

Three-time WNBA All-Star Dearica Hamby has sued the WNBA and her former team, the Las Vegas Aces, for pregnancy discrimination. Shortly after securing the Aces' first WNBA Championship and signing a two-year contract extension with the team, Hamby revealed she was pregnant. Within months of her disclosure, Hamby was told she was being traded and losing certain employment-related benefits.   Allegi...

While the Federal Trade Commission's non-compete ban languishes in litigation limbo, various states are continuing to modify their regulation of non-competes. Employment attorneys and business counselors Amit Bindra and Katie Rinkus discuss a variety of recent state-level changes taking place nationwide, from Maine to California. Tune in for a run-down of these developments.   Stay Connected & Lea...