Brian Mead
Subscribe to Brian Mead's PostsBrian Mead focuses his practice on various labor and employment issues. He defends employers, before state and federal courts and administrative agencies, in individual and class action litigation under the Americans with Disabilities Act, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Fair Credit Reporting Act, the Fair Labor Standards Act and other employment laws, including discrimination, wrongful termination, retaliation, and breach of contract claims. Additionally, Brian has experience in prosecuting and defending employee mobility and trade secret litigation cases on an emergency injunctive basis. Brian is skilled in researching multi-jurisdictional employment issues and preparing memoranda explaining the nuances of these issues and providing a recommended course of action. Read Brian Mead's full bio.
Chicago Employees to Receive 10 Days of Paid Leave
By Melis Solaksubasi and Brian Mead on Dec 7, 2023
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment, Labor
As of December 31, 2023, all employees physically working in Chicago for at least two hours in a two-week period will earn both one hour of paid leave and one hour of paid sick leave for every 35 hours worked, pursuant to an ordinance passed by the Chicago City Council on November 9, 2023. The new...
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Illinois Mandates Pay and Benefits Information for Job Postings
By Brian Mead and Barrick Bollman on Oct 12, 2023
Posted In Employment
Illinois recently amended its Equal Pay Act to require employers with 15 or more workers to include pay and benefits information for each covered job posting. There is, however, a delayed start date: This amendment will take effect on January 1, 2025. Learn more here.
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New York Legislature Passes Noncompete Ban and Awaits Governor’s Signature
By Brian Mead on Jun 27, 2023
Posted In Employment
The New York State Legislature recently passed a bill that will prohibit employers from entering covenants not to compete with their employees and contractors. The bill specifically exempts nondisclosure and client nonsolicitation agreements, but it is silent on employee nonsolicitation agreements and sale of business restrictions. Read more here.
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Minnesota Bans Noncompete Agreements with Limited Exceptions
By Brian Mead on Jun 22, 2023
Posted In Employment
Effective July 1, 2023, Minnesota will no longer allow covenants not to compete, with limited exceptions for the sale or dissolution of a business. The law is not retroactive, nor does it apply to nondisclosure agreements or client/customer nonsolicitation restrictions. Read more here.
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Illinois’ New Paid Leave Law: What Employers Need to Know
By Brian Mead, P. Kevin Connelly and Emily Starbuck on Apr 18, 2023
Posted In Employment, Labor
The Paid Leave for All Workers Act (PLAWA) was signed into law by Governor J.B. Pritzker on March 13, 2023, ensuring that all workers in Illinois receive 40 hours of paid time off annually for any purpose. The law will become effective on January 1, 2024, requiring employers to utilize the remaining months of 2023...
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FTC Proposes Rule Banning Noncompete Agreements
By Paul Hughes, Brian Mead and Emily Starbuck on Jan 19, 2023
Posted In Employment
On January 5, 2023, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) issued a proposed rule that would prohibit employers from using noncompete agreements with their employees or independent contractors. This proposal arises from a preliminary finding by the FTC that noncompetes constitute an unfair method of competition in violation of Section 5 of the Federal Trade Commission Act (FTC...
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Colorado Continues to Whittle Away at Non-Compete Agreements
By Michelle S. Strowhiro, Cristell Fortune and Brian Mead on Sep 27, 2022
Posted In Employment, Labor
Effective August 10, 2022, Colorado’s laws governing restrictive covenants were amended to provide additional limitations and hurdles for employers who seek non-compete and non-solicit agreements with their employees, including compensation thresholds and notice requirements. The new law also sets forth steep penalties for any violations. This article provides the details of these new restrictions. Read...
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How Does the FMLA Apply to a Remote Workforce?
By Brian Mead and Dawn Peacock on Sep 6, 2022
Posted In Employee Benefits, Employment, Labor
The Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was enacted in 1993, a year when the idea of working a corporate job from a living room was rare. When the law was passed, the FMLA didn’t contemplate a remote workforce. Now, and especially post-pandemic, many companies are embracing a fully remote workforce (e.g., sales representatives, healthcare...
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New Chicago Ordinance on Sexual Harassment Takes Effect
By Brian Mead and Dawn Peacock on Jul 11, 2022
Posted In Employment
The new Chicago Ordinance on sexual harassment, effective July 1, 2022, requires that an employer maintaining a business facility within the geographic boundaries of Chicago must have a written policy—including a conspicuously displayed notice poster in English and Spanish—documenting the prohibition of sexual harassment. Read more here.
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Restrictive Covenants Evolve from Common Law to Statutory Regulation: The 2022 Watershed
By Brian Mead and Aaron P. Sayers on Apr 19, 2022
Posted In Employment, Executive Compensation, Labor
Restrictive covenants were once the exclusive province of the courts in each state. That is no longer the case. Although case law still governs restrictive covenants, states also are enacting restrictive covenants statutes. Today, 30 states (including Washington, DC) have laws affecting restrictive covenants. Unlike state statutes regulating trade secrets (which largely follow the Uniform...
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