Question: Does an employer legally need to provide something in writing to an employee being terminated?

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With seasonal employment, internships, and graduations, summer presents a strategic recruitment opportunity for employers. What’s more, summer is the peak season for many businesses, potentially driving them to hire more workers to keep up with increased demand. Summer is an ideal time for employers to review their efforts to attract and retain quality talent for seasonal or long-term employment.

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Illinois (Chicago) Increases Minimum Wage – On June 4, 2025, the City of Chicago announced an upcoming change to the minimum wage. Effective July 1, 2025, the Chicago minimum wage for employers with 4 or more employees will be $16.60 per hour, while the tipped employee minimum wage will be $12.62 per hour. For youth workers, subsidized temporary youth employment programs, and subsidized transitional employment programs, the minimum wage will be $16.50 per hour.

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On May 28, 2025, the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) released Compliance Assistance Release No. 2025-01, which rescinds prior 2022 guidance that cautioned plan fiduciaries to exercise “extreme care” before they considered adding a cryptocurrency option to a 401(k) plan’s investment menu for plan participants.

According to the DOL, the standard of “extreme care” deviated from the requirements of the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA). Under ERISA, fiduciaries must act prudently and solely in the financial interests of plan participants, among other standards of conduct.

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An employment separation is the end of an employee’s working relationship with an employer. It includes voluntary separations (i.e., resignation or retirement), involuntary separations (i.e., firing or layoff), and departures that occur at the expiration of a work contract or seasonal employment. Employment separations require employers to complete a variety of important tasks in a short time frame, including finalizing payroll, retrieving company property, and transferring the departing employee’s job responsibilities. Employers must also address issues related to employee benefits for departing employees.

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The portal for employers to submit 2024 EEO-1 Reports to the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) opened on May 20, 2025. The deadline to file 2024 EEO-1 Reports is June 24, 2025.

EEO-1 Overview – The EEO-1 Report is a federally mandated survey that collects workforce data categorized by race, ethnicity, sex, and job category. Under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act, covered employers must usually submit EEO-1 Reports by March 31. However, the EEOC pushed the deadline for 2024 EEO-1 Reports to June 24, 2025.

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Question: Can our employees discuss their pay rate with co-workers? What if they discuss someone else’s wages with another employee?

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We recently released our 2nd quarter HR Edge Newsletter. This edition of the newsletter covers the following topics:

• Engaging Generation Z in the Workplace
• Health Care Spotlight: GLP-1 Medications
• Overcoming HR Fear and Distrust

Read the full article here: HR Edge Quarterly Newsletter

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Kansas Clarifies Enforceability of Nonsolicitation Agreements – On April 8, 2025, Kansas amended the Kansas Restraint of Trade Act (KRTA) to create a presumption of enforceability of certain nonsolicitation agreements and require courts to modify overbroad restrictive covenants. The amendment takes effect on July 1, 2025.

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During periods of economic or business uncertainty, employers may need to downsize their workforce. Such reductions can take a variety of forms but frequently include employee layoffs or furloughs. Employers who take these measures must ensure that they are in compliance with laws governing compensation and employee benefits.

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