Illinois Employee Classification Act Regulations just released!

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New Illinois Employee Classification Act

Wessels Pautsch & Sherman P.C. is so concerned on behalf of construction, construction-related, and trucking clients about the Illinois Employee Classification Act (which becomes effective January 1, 2008) that WE HAVE TAKEN STRONG MEASURES TO EDUCATE AND PROTECT OUR CLIENTS.

We have announced a brand new series of emergency one hour teleconferences: 

• Thursday, May 29, 2008
• Thursday, July 24, 2008
• Thursday, September 25, 2008
• Tuesday, November 18, 2008

Sign up soon! They are filling up fast!

New Practice Group to Serve Construction and Trucking Companies who use Independent Contractors

Wessels Pautsch & Sherman P.C. has launched a brand new legal practice group to advise Illinois construction and trucking companies on how to stay out of troubleunder the new Illinois Employee Classification Act.

Construction and trucking companies who use independent contractors in Illinois are in great need of in-depth legal advice, according to WP&S partners, Nancy E. Joerg and Jeffrey A. Risch of the law firm's St. Charles, Illinois office.

Joerg and Risch are the co-chairs of the new Independent Contractor Legal Services Practice Group at Wessels Pautsch & Sherman P.C.

According to Joerg, "There is a harsh new law in Illinois which will become effective January 1, 2008 that construction and trucking companies who use independent contractors need to be forewarned about. Construction and trucking companies need to make important defensive changes in order to lower their liability in using independent contractors."

Because this punitive new Illinois law is fast approaching, Joerg and Risch are announcing a series of teleconferences (listed above) for business owners on defending yourself in the face of the Illinois Employee Classification Act. These teleconferences are designed to be informative and help construction and trucking companies avoid the harsh penalties of the new Illinois Employee Classification Act.

According to Joerg, attorneys in the new WP&S practice group have successfully represented construction and trucking companies before many government agencies on the issue of the independent contractor classification. WP&S attorneys have also effectively represented clients in a broad range of investigations into independent contractor status.

Risch notes that under the new Illinois Employee Classification Act, construction and trucking companies who are found to have misclassified independent contractors are subject to civil and even criminal penalties.

To learn more about the series of teleconferences and the new Wessels Pautsch & Sherman P.C. practice group, call Shareholder Nancy Joerg or her legal assistant, Tammy Nelson, at (630) 377-1554.

We have also drafted the following articles about the Illinois Employee Classification Act...

The New Illinois Independent Contractor Law: The Illinois Employee Classification Act – Frequently Asked Questions and Answers

Strict Posting And Record Keeping Requirements Under The Illinois Employee Classification Act

Is Incorporation The Magic Answer to Using Independent Contractors Safely Under The Illinois Employee Classification Act?!?

Super Quick Checklist of the Two Tests for Independent Contractor Status in the Illinois Employee Classification Act

What are the "Penalties" Under the Illinois Employee Classification Act

Evaluating your Independent Contractor Agreement Under the Illinois Employee Classification Act

Illinois Employee Classification Act Annotated

What Is "Construction" Under the Illinois Employee Classification Act?

Six Questions and Answers Under the Illinois Employee Classification Act

Self Audit Checklist Under the Illinois Employee Classification Act

Illinois Employee Classification Act Letter To Clients

EMPLOYEE CLASSIFICATION ACT IN ILLINOIS (HB 1795/PUBLIC ACT 95-0026): IMPORTANT TIP TO HELP PASS ONE OF THE PARTS OF THE 12-FACTOR TEST

New Independent Contractor Crisis... The Employee Classification Act: Where will this Crisis Lead?

New Independent Contractor Crisis... The Employee Classification Act: Where will this Crisis Lead? Part 2

ATTENTION ALL CONSTRUCTION CONTRACTORS! Illinois NEW Employee Classification Act

If you want to discuss these articles with Shareholder Nancy E. Joerg, she would be pleased to speak with you. Phone: 630-377-1554 Email: najoerg@stch.w-p Cell: 630-440-1945

Wessels Pautsch & Sherman P.C. Attorneys Dedicated to Protecting Clients under this new law, the Illinois Employee Classification Act 

Nancy E. Joerg is nationally recognized in the area of independent contractor and contingent workforce issues. She aggressively represents companies audited by the Illinois Department of Employment Security and has also represented businesses before governmental agencies throughout the United States. She also works with companies in drafting independent contractor agreements and has prepared thousands of employee handbooks with contingent workforce issues in mind. Ms. Joerg has represented management before the Illinois Department of Employment Security, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Illinois Department of Labor, the Illinois Department of Human Rights, the United States Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board. Ms. Joerg speaks and writes nationally on a number of legal matters, including independent contractor status, unemployment insurance concerns, wage and hour matters and issues affecting the contingent workforce. She has authored a book for Commerce Clearing House entitled Welcome to the World of Independent Contractors and Other Contingent Workers. In addition, she has testified for state and federal government bodies on the defense of independent contractor status, and was instrumental in securing business friendly legislation that supports the use of independent contractors. Ms. Joerg is deeply involved in consulting with construction and trucking companies who are concerned about the Illinois Employee Classification Act.

JEFFREY A. RISCH has gained extensive experience through the litigation of numerous employment and labor law cases in state and federal courts throughout the United States. He has successfully defended companies on independent contractor and contingent workforce matters in over a dozen jurisdictions across the United States, and recently worked with the Illinois Chamber of Commerce opposing the passage of the new Illinois Employee Classification Act. Mr. Risch obtained substantial experience in various areas of employment law and traditional labor law, as Director of Legal Affairs for a leading industrial equipment distributor and service provider, with multiple locations throughout the Midwest. Upon graduation from law school, Mr. Risch gained extensive courtroom experience in defending employers and professional service providers in multiple bench and jury trials as a litigation associate for a prominent Tulsa, Oklahoma law firm. Currently, Mr. Risch serves as Chairman for the Employment Law and Litigation Committee of the Illinois Chamber of Commerce. Mr. Risch also serves as Chapter Attorney for the Associated Builders and Contractors of Illinois. Mr. Risch was also appointed by the Illinois Chamber of Commerce to serve as its labor/employment attorney in helping businesses comply with personnel related issues, including serving as Chief Author and Editor for its Employment Law Manual as well as serving as its retained counsel for the Chamber's nationally recognized Drug-Free Illinois Workplace Program.