Bars and Restaurants Reopening as Part of Phase 3
Governor Pritzker announced that Illinois is planning to move into Phase 3 of his 5-phase plan called Restore Illinois starting on May 29, 2020. As part of Phase 3, the governor has added a provision to allow restaurants to serve outdoor seating so long as the six-foot social distancing requirements are met. Bars and restaurants […] Continue Reading
Compensation for Knowledge Workers in a Work-from-Home Environment
We’ve historically paid people for their work from nine to five. I’m sure this is a carryover from factory work during the Industrial Revolution. We probably have Henry Ford to thank for that. Actually, we probably have unions to thank for it because prior to unions people worked much longer shifts. Unions brought about a […] Continue Reading
Contact Tracking in the Workplace
Over the next few weeks, we expect to see the American economy re-opening. Although it’s not entirely clear what that re-opening will look like, businesses will start calling their employees back to work one way or another. With that re-opening comes concerns about a second spike in COVID cases. Many companies are looking for ways […] Continue Reading
Post-COIVD Workplace Redesign
I recently wrote a blog on how the courts are reorganizing their procedures in preparation for reopening after the pandemic. Now it’s time to tackle our personal workspace. This topic is close to home because, like most small business owners, I am tackling this exact question in my office. How are we going to go […] Continue Reading
Current Plans for Re-Opening the Courts
My practice is primarily located in Kendall, Kane, and DuPage Counties in Illinois. Most courts in my area are closed except for essential cases until the end of the month, but my understanding is that DuPage may be opening as soon as next week (though, only for Zoom hearings). I have received a flurry of […] Continue Reading
Illinois Plan for Reopening the Economy
(The image above was originally published by ABC News, but you can find it virtually everywhere.) A common theme that we’ve been grappling with the last few days is what the plan for reopening with look like. Many people I’ve spoken to have suggested that the economy is like a light switch, it’s on or […] Continue Reading
Paying a Lawyer with Shares of a Company
I was recently approached by a company that wanted to pay me with a share of profits from the sale of their goods. I have debated this potential fee structure many times in the past so I decided to do the research to figure out if a fee agreement like this was permitted. This answer […] Continue Reading
Governor Pritzker’s Stay-at-Home Order and its Possible Limits
A shot has been fired against Governor Pritzker’s Stay-at-Home Order. State Representative Darren Bailey filed a lawsuit against the governor, seeking a restraining order against the statewide order to stay home. This comes on the heels of protests in other parts of the country against governors’ powers. I’m not going to wade into the debate […] Continue Reading
PPP Loans – What if I can’t rehire employees before June 30?
If you managed to get a Paycheck Protection Program loan under the CARES Act, you can and should be concerned about loan forgiveness. You may already know that the amount of forgiveness may be reduced if you reduce your workforce or your employees’ pay, but many people I’ve spoken to don’t know exactly how the […] Continue Reading
Can a Sole Proprietor or Freelancer File for Unemployment?
The CARES Act provides many financial benefits to businesses and individuals (though the PPP applications have been a bit of a nightmare), but paycheck protection is not available to sole proprietors who have no official payroll and traditional unemployment benefits are not normally available to sole proprietors or freelancers. However, there is some relief to […] Continue Reading
