Several new guidance documents were issued by Governor Pritzker and the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE) at the end of the day on March 27, 2020. All of the documents may be found on the ISBE website at https://www.isbe.net/Lists/News/NewsDisplay.aspx?ID=1319. Here is a list of takeaways for your district as you navigate remote education beginning on or after March 31, …

The COVID-19 pandemic has created numerous challenges for employers, including local governments. We have been fielding numerous questions from our clients on a wide range of topics, including paid leave, safety procedures, meeting attendance, unemployment, e-learning, and more.  As the daily press briefings from the president and the governor indicate, the situation continues to evolve, with these challenges likely remaining …

On March 18, 2020, President Donald Trump signed into law the Families First Coronavirus Response Act (H.R. 6201), an emergency measure to assist Americans during the COVID-19 outbreak. The Act provides many benefits, including two types of temporary employee benefits. All public and private employees are covered by those benefits, unless they work for companies with 500 or more employees. …

A recent executive order by Governor J.B. Pritzker suspends portions of the Open Meetings Act, 5 ILCS 120 et seq., and allows local government meetings to occur without in-person attendance. As health officials urge residents to practice “social distancing” to combat the spread of coronavirus (COVID-19), public bodies face a significant challenge in adhering to the Act’s requirement that a quorum …

On December 4, 2019, the Illinois State Board of Education issued an Emergency Amendment to the Emergency Rule regarding the Use of Time Out and Physical Restraint. The initial Emergency Rule (“Emergency Rule”), which went into effect on November 20, 2019 for 150 days, addressed both Time Out and Physical Restraint. The Emergency Rule is available on the ISBE website …