Making Work Better: Employment Law & Workplace Challenges

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 speech laws also makes this a very topical conversation. As employment and business attorneys, Hannah Savaso and Rebecca Baba have a strong understanding of the nuances of free speech and are here to help you stay informed of your rights. Listen to Hannah and Becca explore: How the rules regarding free speech differ between public and private sector employees The role that social media activity plays in free speech protections What framework is used by courts to determine whether an employee's speech is protected What protections exist related to speech made outside of working hours Free speech protections that are specific to Illinois workplaces Whether you're a business owner or an employee, in the public or private sector, this episode contains valuable insights on how free speech really works. Tune in to learn how you can best stay protected. Stay Connected and Learn More Read Hannah's blog, I Thought I Had a Right to Free Speech at Work. Am I Wrong? Hannah Savaso Rebecca Baba The Prinz Law Firm

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 Kristen Prinz and Laura Feldman provide an overview of the dispute and unpack the power dynamics between a big director and an even bigger star. Using this legal saga as a test case, they explore the dangers of engaging with traditional media and the pitfalls of using social media campaigns. They also explain how employment attorneys approach retaliation claims and the professional duties of attorneys when it comes to publicizing their work. Kristen and Laura won't weigh in on who's right or wrong in this particular case, but they will share some of the do's and dont's of using both traditional media and social media in connection with a legal claim. Stay Connected & Learn More: Kristen Prinz Laura Feldman The Prinz Law Firm Read the Lively lawsuit

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 Operations Manager Angelia Salgado, a licensed professional counsel (PLC) who holds a master's in clinical mental health counseling. They discuss the law from the perspectives of both the legal field and the mental health industry. Amit provides background to Illinois non-compete law and explains how exactly this law changes things, while Angelia explores how mental health providers should modify their practice going forward, from introducing new paperwork to educating their teams on the amendment. Stay Connected & Learn More: Read our blog on the amendment Amit Bindra Angelia Salgado The Prinz Law Firm

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 primary causes of conflict in the workplace is a poor culture: there is a lack of vulnerability-based trust that leads people to feel undervalued and unable to speak up or to ask for help. Conflict is also commonly seen in the hiring and onboarding process. Sometimes decisions to hire are rushed, job duties are not what were originally promised, and communication is simply unclear. Because culture issues, lack of communication, and conflict can, as Amy says, "cost money and happiness," it's important for organizations to address these issues. Ongoing training—not just for management but for entire teams—can help things run more smoothly no matter the conflict flashpoint, especially when a team is trained on navigating difficult conversations. Join Katie and Amy as they unpack conflict at work and how to best respond to it so that we all can make work better for each other. Amy M. Gardner Amy M. Gardner works with law firms and corporations to reengage teams and help them thrive by utilizing Apochromatik's proprietary Team Driven Leadership approach to build leadership skills, improve relationships, strengthen emotional intelligence, have difficult conversations, and more. She also works with lawyers to advance or transition in their careers. Her work with teams and lawyers draws on her unique experience as a former Big Law associate, partner at a mid-size Chicago firm, and dean of students at the University of Chicago Law School. She received her MA in Public Policy and Administration from Northwestern University, JD from the University of Chicago, and BA from Luther College, as well as certifications in team and leadership coaching, 1:1 coaching, and various assessments. Her expertise has been featured in media including numerous podcasts, ABA publications, Corporette, Glassdoor, Health, Monster, NBC, and Women's Running magazine. Connect with Amy at amy@apochromatik.com. Stay Connected & Learn More: Amy M. Gardner on LinkedIn Katie Rinkus Apochromatik Team Driven Leadership The Prinz Law Firm

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 sectors. She focuses on the significance of a positive mindset and relationship-building, including online through LinkedIn or by networking in person. Anyone who has secured a new job knows that a key component is negotiating. Carmelina highlights various things beyond the base salary that you can bargain over, such as start date, sign-on bonus, and stock and equity. Katie warns that restrictive covenants are often included in new job offers and that a candidate should always be aware of potential obligations of new employment. Carmelina and Katie also discuss the necessity of focusing on one's own career progression, and the duty that managers have to ensure their reports are being built up and supported. Carmelina Piedra is a Certified Career Coach and Facilitator and has been recognized as a Forbes Distinguished Career Coach. She is the founder of CareerCoachingPro, which offers a variety of coaching services to individuals, businesses, and groups. Carmelina is a contributor to Forbes and is a member of the Forbes Coaches Council. Stay Connected & Learn More: Katie Rinkus Carmelina Piedra on LinkedIn Career Coaching Pro The Prinz Law Firm

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 upon the laws and agencies that regulate these distinctions, before moving on to why businesses might prefer to use ICs over regular employees. Then they address the legal and financial risks in misclassifying workers and explain two key "tests" for determining who is an employee or an IC. Whether you're a business owner or a worker, this episode will help you better determine who counts as an employee or an independent contractor. Stay Connected & Learn More: Read Katie's post on worker classification Read Poonam's post on the U.S. DOL's 2024 Final Rule Poonam Lakhani Katie Rinkus The Prinz Law Firm

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. Alleging violations of Title VII and Nevada state law, Hamby has opened discussion about pregnancy and discrimination in women's professional sports. At the same time, her suit recalls how women's sports are treated differently from men's sports, especially when it comes to compensation. Kristin Hendriksen and Amit Bindra discuss Hamby's case from an employment law perspective, while also touching on broader issues that plague professional sports. Tune in if you're a sports nerd, an employment law geek, or both! Stay Connected & Learn More: Read Kristin's blog on Dearica Hamby's lawsuit Kristin Hendriksen Amit Bindra Connect with Amit on Twitter