Category:Uncategorized
The Wave of Pay Transparency Laws: Why We Should Discuss Our Salaries
Your employer may discourage you from discussing your compensation with your co-workers, but did you know it’s not actually illegal? For example, some managers may portray to you that if you ask about your coworker’s pay, you might as well start packing up your belongings. In addition, most of us are uncomfortable with broadcasting our salary, but what if this secrecy is the reason for the conflict? If we removed that secrecy, it would allow for salary transparency to be standard in the workplace, eliminating the economic marginalization of workers and closing the wage gap.
CDC/ED Guidelines for Reopening Schools: Does This End the Debate?
For almost a year, schools have been reacting to the unprecedented circumstances that Covid-19 has caused. Most of the mitigation efforts thus far have been at the direction of state and local governments. Only recently have federal agencies given clear and substantial guidance on how to get students back into the classroom. Schools have largely fallen into three categories — in-person, remote, or a blended model that involves students doing some classwork at home and some at school. Some schools moved to increase their in-person learning and some have had to retrace their steps when positivity rates were too high, either in the school or in the larger community.
Chicago City Council Debates Urban Forestry Advisory Board To Address Declining Tree Population
Across the United States, metropolitan areas are experiencing a net loss of about 36 million trees every year. That amounts to about 175,000 acres of lost tree cover. Meanwhile, Chicago loses more than 10,000 trees every year due to, in part, inefficient tree trimming and management. Fewer trees means less shade and worse air quality. In response, several Chicago City Council Aldermen are proposing the Urban Forestry Advisory Board (“UFAB”) in order to assess current policies and propose innovative ways to protect Chicago’s tree population.
Cargo Congestion at America’s Container Ports
Container ports from coast to coast are inundated with empty cargo containers. The Federal Maritime Commission has commenced an investigation into America’s import and export flows, as many ports are overcrowded with empty containers that have yet to be collected or transported back to their point of origin. Carriers that fail to remove empty containers from the port run the risk of incurring fines or penalties, but there is widespread inconsistency with regard to port authorities and their enforcement practices. In addition, the global pandemic has exacerbated container congestion, as shipping flows reached an all-time high in 2020 and citizens around the world have become increasingly reliant on online retailers to deliver household goods.
Re-Regulating the Automotive Industry & the Road Ahead
A new President and a changing administration mean new priorities across some, if not all of the major executive agencies. One of the more heavily impacted industries will be transportation—specifically the automotive sector. From re-instating stricter emissions standards to moving forward with automated vehicle regulations, the automotive industry in the early 2020s should see innovation and progress at the forefront of the country’s new federal regulatory scheme.
CPS’ Covid Priorities: 1) Punish Teachers and 2) Deny Students a FAPE
On November 17, 2020, Chicago Public School (“CPS”) announced that in January 2021, CPS would have its first week of in-person learning since March of 2020. Upon the announcement, CPS parents had mixed reactions to the district’s plan to bring some students back, where some expressed excitement about the positive effect of in-person learning on their kids social and mental health, while others like the Grassroots Education Movement voiced concerns that the district had not done enough to make schools COVID-19 safe.
The return to in-person learning has been controversial and filled with conflict between teachers and the Chicago Teachers Union (“CTU”) versus the district. CTU expressed that it does not trust the district to keep the teachers and students safe, and the CTU released a statement that 71 percent of its teachers voted to continue remote learning instruction. Even with these concerns, CPS made the return by teachers mandatory. During its first week in-person, over 150 educators have been AWOL, having not shown up to school. Since then, the teachers’ protest has only become louder. CPS responded by docking the pay and locking teachers out of their remote learning platforms. Intense debate surrounds the topic, but the underlying legal principle remains, CPS cannot deny students a Free Appropriate Public Education (“FAPE”), guaranteed by the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (“IDEA”), while CPS engages in a labor dispute with the CTU.
How a Failing Video Game Store Exposed the Fragility of the Market
Failing video game company, Gamestop has broken the internet this week, but not for anything that they intended to do. Their stock has been the center of controversy after a group of internet investors banded together to outsmart hedge funds at their own game. By causing a hedge fund to short squeeze their investment in Gamestop offerings, they have brought to light the possible need for regulation in the market.
The Lack of Support the Payment Protection Program Has Given to Restaurants
We are now in the heart of winter, and many restaurants have not made it since Covid first shut-down Chicago in March 2020. When dining resumed in June, it came back as outdoor only. However the fear was, what would happen once it cooled down and outdoor dining wasn’t feasible? Chicago, like many other cities, has had to be creative and many restaurants have made it work. From dining igloos and greenhouses, to shutting down streets for more patio space, Chicago has been very creative. For the restaurants that have managed to survive, it has not been an easy path. The restaurant industry has been hit especially hard compared to other businesses, and they are not receiving the same protections and support as other industries. The Paycheck Protection Program (“PPP”) was designed to support small businesses, however restaurants have not been protected as they should have been.
Vertical Healthcare Companies Merging Compliance Programs
Vertical Healthcare Companies Merging Compliance Programs Perri Nena Smith Senior Editor Loyola University Chicago School of Law, JD 2021 In 2020, The Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and the Department of Justice (“DOJ”) released guidelines for vertical mergers to give clarity to companies so they can avoid harmful mergers. Healthcare companies are an industry that has been …
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Federal Relief of Regulatory Oversight Burdens in Medicaid Final Rule
he Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) refined the Medicaid and Children’s Health Insurance Program (“CHIP”) Managed Care final rules. CMS originally released the final rules in 2016 and another revision in 2018. After several cumulative comments on 2016 and 2018 final rules, CMS attempted to create more flexibility for States with managed care delivery methods. CMS’s third version of the final rules is more of an attempt to clarify and fix technical errors than giving States more flexibility to operate their managed care organizations.