In Illinois, just like in any other state, the employer should not base hiring decisions on the employee’s protected class such as age, race, religion, sex, country of origin, and disability. It is illegal to ask questions which pertain to the details of a person’s protected class such as number of children, place of birth, sexual preference, and religious views. However questions that clarify legalities such as eligibility to work in the US or criminal record questions are acceptable given that they may affect the capability of the applicant to perform his or her job properly.

“At will” employment is also practiced in Illinois. At will employees could be discharged by their employers for a good reason, a bad reason, or no reason at all. This goes the same for employees who are free to resign, strike, or stop their jobs for either one of those reasons. For employment contracts, the employer should only terminate an employee based on the specifications of the contract and in accordance to the employer’s stated procedures.

The federal law requires that all employers should adhere to workplace safety rules and regulations in order to create a hazard free and a health friendly working environment. The Illinois Department of Labor’s Division of Safety Inspection and Education follows the Illinois Safety Inspection and Education Act to ensure that safety and health standards are observed in the workplace through visits and inspections. An employee may anonymously report unsafe working conditions to any state or federal office and be protected from retaliation.

In the event that a worker gets fatally injured or killed from a work related incident, a worker’s compensation should be awarded to the employee. The amount of compensation depends on the degree of the damages suffered by the worker. The Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission acts as the state court for worker’s compensation cases. In most cases, a severe and permanent damage of the hand, head, face, arm, chest, or leg below the knee should receive a compensation not greater than 66 2/3 percent of the worker’s average weekly wage for up to 150 weeks. Permanent partial disability is tantamount to about 60 percent of the worker’s average weekly wage. Temporary total disability is generally 66 2/3 percent of the worker’s average weekly wage.

Federal and state laws strictly prohibits the discrimination and wrongful termination of individuals based on protected class. Similar to the hiring process, other employment decisions should not be based on the employee’s race, sex, class, religion, country of origin, and disability. Termination, promotion, and salary increase are examples should be based on the worker’s skills, abilities, and performance. It is also prohibited to discharge an employee based on the following instances: he or she refuses to do an illegal act, he or she avails the Family and Medical Leave Act, and he or she reports or engages in a discrimination lawsuit and investigation. It is illegal for a company to disregard its own stated procedures of termination and violate an existing employment contract.

There is also what we call the Family Medical Leave Act of 1993 that gives employees up to 12 weeks of unpaid leave in case of a severe medical condition (both for the employee or the employee’s family member, adoption, and childbirth. The same job and compensation should still be available to the employee once he or she returns to the office. It is applicable for employees who have worked a total of 12 months for the said company or an employee of a “covered” employer. A covered employer refers to a company consists of 50 or more employees.

The Illinois Department of Employment Security administers the Unemployment Insurance system, which is funded by employers. The Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985 is also observed in Illinois. This law allows employees to continue health insurance coverage at their own expense after employment. There are factors to be considered in order to qualify for COBRA coverage. It includes termination either voluntary or involuntary for reasons either than misconduct and reduction in the number of hours.

About the Author:

The author of this article, Joanne Aika Castillo, is a legal researcher who writes informative articles on employment law, civil law, medical malpractice, and personal injury in Illinois. For information on Illinois civil rights attorneys, please visit Dolan Law Offices now.

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Police officers are considered to be vanguards of a city’s law and order. They are trained, appointed, and funded by the government to protect citizens from all forms of misconduct, violence, and crime. The most controversial aspect of their responsibilities is the authority to use force. They may use force to control and disperse a crowd, make an arrest, or perform other daily routines for surveillance. However this authority to use force should only be used within the boundaries necessary to resolve a certain disorder, other than that it attracts the attention of the public, the government, and the media as another case of police misconduct.

Police misconduct has rightfully attracted the public’s attention. Some say that what is shown by the media is only the tip of the iceberg. There are a lot of severe cases of excessive use of police force that happen behind bars. However it has been noted by some observers that the media has exaggerated much of what is known as police brutality. There were numerous times when police officers have successfully combated lawbreakers while restraining from the use of excessive police force. But regardless of these viewpoints, police misconduct has caused doubts and rifts in the police by the public. It tarnishes both their reputation and the public’s trust.

Below are some examples of police misconduct namely police brutality, false arrest, racial profiling, falsified evidence, and police corruption.

Police Brutality

It has been mentioned before that the police are only allowed to use force when necessary, apart from that, abuse of power happens if they intentionally use excessive force through unreasonable physical and verbal assaults. A common instance is when a police officer beats up a suspect without any valid reason to do so. What is more interesting to note is that the usual victims belong to minority groups such as Blacks, the poor, and young people. According to recent reports by Amnesty International and Human Rights Watch, police brutality is common in US prison. According to a 2006 Human Rights Watch report, five state prison systems allow the use of unmuzzled dogs on prisoners as part of cell removal procedure.

False Arrest

An arrest refers to being held in custody by a police officer for a certain period of time. The important question to ask then is the reason behind the arrest. Supposedly there should be a warrant of arrest or an order from the court before the police arrests a civilian. Also the police or an individual vested by the jurisdiction to perform police power acts may arrest a civilian if there is a reasonable and valid cause to believe that that person has committed a criminal offense. The limit of the arrest should only last long enough for the police to identify the correct suspect especially if the criminal offense is not that grave.

Racial Profiling

This is the practice of suspecting individuals based on the characteristics of their race. These pre-conceived characteristics are then used to assess if a certain race is more likely to commit a certain crime or not. Police officers use racial profiling in order to increase the probability of a more successful search achieved by the likelihood of a race’s crime profile rather than an accurate identification of the suspect. A good example of racial profiling is how Black truck drivers get to be searched more thoroughly than their white counterparts due to their crime profile that shows they are most likely to carry contraband in their trucks.

Falsified Evidence

The tampering of evidence is used either to convict an innocent person or to guarantee the conviction of a guilty person. The handling of evidence should at all times follow the careful process of the chain of custody. The idea is to make sure that there’s just a small number of people who can get hold of the evidence and only the necessary people can inspect and keep the evidence safe from tampering. There are instances when police investigators manipulate the crime scene by placing a gun to justify a shoot out. There are also those who choose to falsify evidence rather than perform the long and thorough procedure of collecting accurate data.

Police Corruption

Bribery refers to the practice of soliciting financial benefits and career advancements in exchange for not pressing charges and non investigation of crimes committed usually by powerful individuals. Another form of corruption exists in falsified evidence based on vested interests in protecting someone or a group of people.

Other forms of misconduct exist apart from those mentioned above. As much as we know that the kinds of police misconduct, it is equally important to educate ourselves of our civil rights that protect us from any form of abuse, discrimination, and undue process. According to the Bill of Rights, the Fourth Amendment clearly states that unreasonable searches of citizen’s home and properties are considered illegal unless a warrant or a probable cause has been presented. On the other hand the Eighth Amendment protects the citizens from any form of cruel or unusual punishments. If you feel that you have been a victim of police misconduct, it is best that you immediately consult a civil rights lawyer near you. With the help of a reputable civil rights attorney, you will be guided as to what options you have or actions to be taken in order to prove your case.

About the Author:

Joanne Aika Castillo is a legal researcher who writes informative articles about Illinois civil rights violations, medical malpractice, and personal injury. For information on Illinois civil rights lawyers, visit Dolan Law Offices today.

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Are you being treated differently at work because you are pregnant?

Instead of a celebratory treatment, some pregnant women are subject to sex discrimination in the workplace. In 2006, the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission has received 4,901 charges of sex related discrimination from pregnant women in the US. It goes to show that there are employers who don’t strictly practice the Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978.

The Pregnancy Discrimination Act of 1978 is an amendment to the Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. The companies who are subject to this law are those consist of at least 15 or more employees. This law protects pregnant women from illegal employment decisions such as hiring, firing, and salary increase based on a woman’s pregnancy. It ensures that pregnant women are allowed to avail leaves during childbirth.

The Federal Law protects the right of American citizens to have children while keeping their jobs. The company should treat you the same way that it treats other employees with medical conditions. It should allow you to keep working in the company as long as you are capable of doing your job properly. Companies should offer the same amount of paid or unpaid leave that it grants to employees who are suffering from illness or undergoing medical operation or treatment.

In addition, there is what we call the Family and Medical Leave Act. This law was passed on August 1993 which provides additional protection in cases such as pregnancy and childbirth. Under this act, you can avail of up to 12 weeks off without pay if you are sick or pregnant. It also allows you to take time off for adoption or to take care of a sick family member. When you go back to work, you should still have the same job and compensation as before. There are several other laws passed within some states regarding family leave laws and pregnancy laws that you also need to know.

If you feel that you have been a victim of pregnancy discrimination, you can file a charge with the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC). While at work you can take note of the details of the incident to help prove your case. You can talk directly to your employer or someone who is in charge of employment complaints within your company. Since it is legal to file charges, you can consult a sex discrimination lawyer or a civil rights lawyer in your area to guide you about your case and other legal actions you need to take.

About the Author:

Joanne Aika Castillo is a legal researcher who writes informative articles on employment laws, civil rights, medical malpractice, and personal injury cases in Illinois. For information on Chicago civil rights attorneys, please visit Dolan Law Offices today.

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The freedoms and rights of Americans are protected by the U.S. Constitution. However in order to protect and defend your rights when slapped with an injunction or lawsuit, you need a Houston civil rights attorney. The initial ten Amendments to the constitution specifically defend the rights of Americans to free speech and is collectively known as the Bill of rights. You are free to practice religion, and have the right to privacy in your homes along with due legal process and other civil liberties.

A Houston civil rights attorney can be a huge help when it comes to dealing with the complexities of the legal process. The preparations made before a case goes to trial can be very tedious and time consuming, not to mention the effort it takes to try to make a settlement out of court.

Reaching a settlement out of court is a main goal to a lawyer, as it can save a great deal of time and effort on both parties’ behalf. This is why a consultation usually exists so that the lawyer can discuss the case with the client, and determine if the chance of out of court settlement are good. They will also be able to use this time to determine exactly what the lawsuit will be about.

One of the benefits of choosing to pursue a civil rights case is that it not only serves justice to you, but it also helps to prevent infringement of the rights of other people. Even if you just stop one person from discrimination or other violations, that’s one less person who could breach other peoples’ rights.

If you feel that the government or other citizens are somehow violating your civil liberties and freedom you can get in touch with an experienced and seasoned Houston attorney. This attorney will then pursue your case with full aggression in your behalf in order to get a favorable outcome.

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Do you think you may need a Phoenix civil rights attorney? Are you being harassed at work? Have you complained repeatedly, and are still not being taken seriously?

Many people who have been harassed at work are afraid to speak up. They have complained in the past, only to be told that if they do not like it, they can find a job somewhere else. Of course, they need their job, and especially in this time of financial difficulty, are afraid of losing it. So they keep quiet, and tolerate the harassment. These people should know that they have rights, and this is illegal.

You should be aware that an employer cannot legally fire you for complaining about being treated unfairly-even if you bring it up a lot. The reason for this, is that there are laws that state an employee should not suffer poor work conditions, and harassment/discrimination not only makes for a poor work condition but is an infringement of your civil rights.

If you are expecting a new baby and being told that you may not take time off from your job in order to bond with your infant, without being fired, you should know your rights. The FMLA, or family medical leave act ensures this right for you as an American citizen. Anyone who tells you differently is either ill informed or lying. This is against the law, and a Phoenix attorney can help.

Perhaps you have developed an illness which requires you to take frequent and unforeseen time off of work due to treatments, recovery, or a similar health reason; but your employer becomes annoyed and threatens to fire you if you continue to miss work. This, too, is a violation of your civil rights, as stated in the Americans with Disabilities Act. A Phoenix civil rights case may be justified if you have or are in this type of situation at your workplace.

Phoenix civil rights lawyers are familiar with all of these situations and more. Please contact them as soon as possible, and see that you do your part in upholding the American justice system.

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If you are searching for a New York civil rights attorney, you have a huge number to choose from. The following are three of the top rated ones.

The Law Offices of John M. Lambros is an up and coming firm located in downtown Manhattan. They specialize in in many aspects of civil rights. They work with discrimination cases, especially those that are related to police brutality and wrongful arrests. They also work with cases related to employment discrimination. They have proven they are not afraid to battle the establishment to ensure that your rights are protected.

Raff & Becker, LLP is another good one to try. They particularly specialize in employment law, so a lot of their cases deal with harassment, discrimination, and other violations that occur in the workplace.

Deutsch Atkins, PC, is a small New York civil rights law firm located in Bergen, NJ. Although not located in New York City, they consider themselves a New York civil rights attorney, as most of their cases are tried in the city. They specialize in protecting the rights in employees, especially from large and established companies. They work exclusively with cases of employer discrimination, whether it is based on age, race, gender, religion or disability, harassment, sexual or otherwise, and people who are retaliated against for trying to ensure that their and others civil rights are protected.

Unfortunately, even in today’s supposedly evolved world, there are still many people who need help to ensure that their civil rights are protected. If you feel you are in need of a New York attorney, these are just a few examples of the types that are available to you.

Take the time to do a bit of research and if possible, talk to former clients before deciding which one could best serve your needs.

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No matter what your reasons are for needing an attorney, the process of choosing one is very complicated. This is especially true if you are dealing with a civil rights case. For those of you living in Illinois, a Chicago civil rights attorney is probably your best bet.

There are a great deal of attorneys in Chicago which deal specifically with civil rights cases; so if you’re in a position to travel to Chicago for your legal representation, you should consider yourself quite lucky! Chicago is, after all, a city which stands as a front-runner for civil rights.

One of the best places you can begin your hunt for a Chicago civil rights lawyer is on the Internet. By simply typing in Chicago civil rights attorney you will come up with a large selection of sites listing legal practices which handle civil rights cases.

You may be surprised that what you’ll learn when you talk to people you know. Ask around your family, friends, and work colleagues to see if they know of any recommendations or if perhaps they know of someone who might be able to help you. Word-of-mouth is a great tool that businesses depend upon, and chances are that someone you know will be able to point you in the right direction.

You need to get together a list of possible candidates. Then, you need to talk to those potential lawyers. You want to detail your case to see if they can handle it. You also want to see how to two of you seem to get along.

What is perhaps the most important item to consider is the lawyer’s credentials. You’ll want to ask a few questions to get a good idea about their level of experience, as well as their success rate, and maybe even their educational background. Ask to see a portfolio of past cases whose circumstance resembles that of your own. Pay attention to the win/lose ratio to get a good feel of where your case might lead.

For more information about Chicago civil rights lawyers, you can look online or visit your local library.

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The freedoms and rights of Americans are protected by the U.S. Constitution. However in order to protect and defend your rights when slapped with an injunction or lawsuit, you need a Houston civil rights attorney.

The initial ten Amendments to the constitution specifically defend the rights of Americans to free speech and is collectively known as the Bill of rights. You are free to practice religion, and have the right to privacy in your homes along with due legal process and other civil liberties.

A Houston civil rights attorney will need to go through the tedious legal process before the actual case goes to trial. There is a lot going on when a civil rights litigation starts. The whole point of litigation is to use the law and somehow get an out of court settlement.

Reaching a settlement out of court is a main goal to a lawyer, as it can save a great deal of time and effort on both parties’ behalf. This is why a consultation usually exists so that the lawyer can discuss the case with the client, and determine if the chance of out of court settlement are good. They will also be able to use this time to determine exactly what the lawsuit will be about.

One of the reasons behind civil rights litigation is to protect the freedoms of an individual or person which in turn helps ensure freedom for everyone. A civil rights attorney is a go between the people and the police so to speak.

If you feel that the government or other citizens are somehow violating your civil liberties and freedom you can get in touch with an experienced and seasoned Houston attorney. This attorney will then pursue your case with full aggression in your behalf in order to get a favorable outcome.

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If you are located in Southern California and believe that you have been the victim of discrimination or a similar civil rights injustice, you may be better off speaking to a San Diego civil rights attorney. All citizens of the United States are supposed to be treated equally by law, and in order to enforce that law, victims must step up, tell their story, and make the guilty person or party acknowledge the issue.

You might be surprised at how easy it can be to become the victim of civil rights infringement. Simple things such as being fired from a job due to needing time off for surgery or another important medical reason, or for complaining about sexual harassment or racial discrimination. According to the United States law, these reasons for termination are not justifiable and could see the employer paying quite a lot of money in compensation to the former employee. It is a great thing that these laws exist, but the only way to lessen this type of treatment-and hopefully stop it altogether-is to make sure that victims of civil rights infringement speak out about their injustice, and with the help of San Diego civil rights attorneys, make sure that the guilty parties pay for their mistreatment.

In the U.S., people are guaranteed the right to religious freedom. This entitles them to assemble as a group with the intention of worship. They also have the right to refuse medical treatment in order to uphold their religious beliefs. The fact is, that in the United States, the government has no place in governing over people’s religious selection or practice. According to the law, the two must be kept separate. San Diego lawyers are well aware of these facts and are available to make sure that the laws of our civil rights are upheld.

Some people believe that racial differences make people different. There are also some who think joking and teasing about these differences is okay. Often, the person or people who refuse to join in, are treated as though they are the ones who are wrong. Discrimination and harassment based on race is not a joke. Continuing this behavior after being asked to stop is illegal. Civil rights attorneys in San Diego are quite familiar with these types of cases. They have been of great assistance to many of these people in ending this harassment, as well as obtaining damages.

If you live in California, and believed that you are being harassed or discriminated against, you should know that a lawyer can help you not only receive compensation for your suffering, but make sure that the problem stops.

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Individuals are protected from the state through a class of rights called civil rights. Civil rights include protection from discrimination, the right to physical safety, and the rights of the accused. Detroit, Michigan has a rich history of some significant Detroit civil rights attorney and the involvement in civil rights movements dating back to the 1920s.

Today, the battle for civil rights continues in Detroit. Civil rights attorneys in Detroit fight against unequal treatment for protected classes of people, defined by race, religion, disability, age and sex. Finding the right attorney can be a daunting task. The following are some suggestions that should help in finding the Detroit civil rights attorney that fits your needs.

You can save a lot of time and hassle by simply doing a bit of research on Detroit discrimination laws before contacting any lawyers. Knowing exactly what your rights are could save you a lot of discussion time with your lawyer, which could make your attorney’s fees even more costly.

The first tip is to start searching through the phone book or internet results and put together a list of candidates to interview. Once your list (including contact information) is ready to go, you write a list of questions you’ll want to ask over a phone interview or a face to face meeting.

Some important questions you might want to ask include: Does the firm offer a free consultation? Has the attorney previously handled cases similar to yours in nature? How long has the firm been in practice and in which states do they have experience? Has the firm ever been under investigation? Will the attorney work on the case himself, or will another member of the firm handle it? How heavy is the firm’s current caseload? What is the average fee rate for a case like yours? Do you need to bring any paperwork to the meeting?

If you choose to have a phone interview and wish to engage an attorney’s services, it is recommended that you have a face to face meeting before making any commitments. You want to make sure that you are 100% confident with confiding in your attorney, and the best way to gauge a person’s trustworthiness is by meeting them in person. Also, make sure that you voice any questions or concerns so that you have as few surprises as possible.

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