Airdo Werwas, LLC, released its 2025 Employment Law Guide. Employment laws are an ever-changing complexity of rules, regulations, statutes, and case law that stymie even the most sophisticated human resources departments. This challenge is the natural result of constant changes to Federal, State, county, and even local laws that affect each employer differently.
This 2025 Employment Law Guide includes some recent updates, an overview of Federal and Illinois employment laws, some preventative measures all employers can take before problems occur, as well as 26 template policies and forms. This Guide is only one of the many ways we are committed to providing you solutions and getting positive results.
With the re-election of President Trump and Republican majorities in Congress, employers are already experiencing and should anticipate additional abrupt policy changes in employment laws, administrative agency priorities, and enforcement guidance. As such, aspects of this Guide may become outdated as laws, regulations, and agency guidance continue to evolve. Contact our office at (312) 506-4450 or visit us online at www.airdowerwas.com for the most current legal updates and specific guidance regarding your compliance obligations.
To request a hard copy, please email lmartin@airdowerwas.com.
2025 Employment Law Guide: Table of Contents
I. Recent Updates
- Minimum Wage
- State of Illinois Minimum Wage
- Cook County, Illinois Minimum Wage
- Chicago Minimum Wage
- Chicago Tip Credit
- Federal Contractor Minimum Wage
- U.S. Supreme Court Cases
- Redefining Workplace Discrimination
- Conflicting Arbitration and Forum Selection Clauses
- Chevron Deference Gone
- Published Administrative Rules & Guidance
- ON HOLD: Salary Threshold Increase for White Collar Exemptions
- Independent Contractors under FLSA
- ON HOLD: Non-Compete Agreements
- Joint Employers under the NLRA
- “Stay-or-Pay” Provisions under the NLRA
- EEOC on Unlawful Harassment
- OSHA’s Worker Walkaround Representative Designation Process
- Pregnant Workers Fairness Act
- Guidelines for Artificial Intelligence and Worker Well-Being
- Per Diem Expense Payments for Tools and Equipment: FLSA Guidance
- Recent Illinois Updates
- Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA)
- Wage Payment and Collection Act
- Worker Freedom of Speech Act
- Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick Leave Ordinance
- Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA)
- Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA)
- Illinois Pay Transparency
- Illinois Day and Temporary Labor Services Act
- Personnel Record Review Act
- Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act
- Other Recent Updates
- Updates for California Paid Sick Leave
- Paid Family Leave: Updates from New York
- Paid Sick Leave for Pets?
- Holiday Pay in Colorado
- Paid Sick Leave in Alaska, Missouri, and Nebraska
- Paid Prenatal Personal Leave
- Discrimination
- Civil Rights Act of 1964
- Title VII Retaliation
- Section 1981
- Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and the Americans with Disabilities Act Amendments Act (ADAAA)
- Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)
III. Federal Employment Laws
- The Speak Out Act
- Pregnancy Accommodation
- Fair Credit Reporting Act (FCRA)
- Form I-9 and E-Verify
- Federal Arbitration Act (FAA)
- The Fair Labor Standards Act
- Equal Pay Act (EPA)
- National Labor Relations Act (NLRA)
- Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA)
- Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (USERRA)
- Whistleblower Protection Act (WPA)
- Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification (WARN) Act
- Ministerial Exceptions
- Church Autonomy Doctrine
- Illinois Employment Laws
- Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA)
- Illinois Human Rights Act (IHRA)
- Pregnancy Accommodation and Nursing Mothers
- Religious Freedom and Marriage Fairness Act
- Job Opportunities for Qualified Applicants Act
- Workplace Transparency Act (WTA)
- Employee Credit Privacy Act (ECPA)
- Veterans Preference in Private Employment Act
- Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act
- Illinois Wage Payment and Collection Act
- Illinois Day and Temporary Labor Services Act
- Artificial Intelligence Video Interview Act
- Illinois Equal Pay Act (IEPA)
- One Day Rest in Seven Act (ODRISA)
- Personnel Record Review Act
- Employee Sick Leave Act
- Illinois Freelance Worker Protection Act
- Biometric Information Privacy Act (BIPA)
- Illinois Family Bereavement Leave Act (FBLA)
- Child Extended Bereavement Leave Act
- Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA)
- Time Off for Official Meetings Act
- Family Military Leave
- Illinois Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act (IL USERRA)
- Civil Air Patrol Leave Act
- Blood Donation and Organ Leave Act
- Voter Leave
- Jury and Witness Duty Leave
- School Visitation Rights Act
- Worker Freedom of Speech Act
- Transportation Benefits Program Act
- Illinois Whistleblower Act
- Illinois Worker Adjustment and Retraining Notification Act
- Chicago Vaccine Anti-Retaliation Ordinance
- Chicago Paid Leave and Paid Sick Leave Ordinance
- Cook County Paid Leave Ordinance
- Chicago Fair Workweek Ordinance
- Evanston Fair Workweek Ordinance
V. Preventative Employment Measures
- Job Postings
- Non-Compete Agreements
- Pre-Employment Screening
- Employee Handbook
- Employer Liability for Employee Actions (Respondeat Superior)
- Email Domains
- Employee Training
- Pay Transparency and Salary History
- Performance Reviews
- Disciplinary Actions
- Harassment Complaints
- Leaves of Absence (LOA)
- Promotions
- Reference Checks
- Severance Agreements
- Government Shutdown
VI. Acronym Glossary
VII. Appendices
- Appendix A: Policy Templates
- Equal Employment Opportunity Policy
- At-Will Policy
- Americans with Disabilities Act Policy
- Sexual Harassment Prevention Policy
- Computer Usage and Technology Policy
- Social Media Policy
- Remote Work Policy
- Drugs and Alcohol Zero Tolerance Policy
- Progressive Discipline Policy
- Whistleblower Policy
- Illinois Pregnancy Rights Policy
- Illinois Breaktime for Nursing Mothers Policy
- Illinois Family Bereavement Leave Policy
- Illinois VESSA Leave Policy
- Appendix B: Form Templates
- Handbook Acknowledgment Template
- Complaint Form Template
- Sick Leave Request Form Template
- FMLA Medical Certification (Employee) Template
- FMLA Medical Certification (Family Member) Template
- Fitness for Duty Form Template
- Image Consent and Release Form
- Confidential Investigation Report
- Employee Performance Planning and Review Form (Example 1)
- Employee Performance Planning and Review Form (Example 2)
- Employee Performance Planning and Review Form (Example 3)
- Employee Performance Planning and Review Form (Example 4)
- Appendix C: Illinois Required Posters and Disclosures
- Illinois All-in-One Employment Poster
- Illinois Paid Leave for All Workers Act Notice
- Illinois Equal Pay Act Pay Transparency Notice
- Illinois Victims’ Economic Security and Safety Act (VESSA) Notice
- Illinois Right to Privacy in the Workplace/E-Verify Notice