2025

Margaret Gentzen, Partner Haley Spiewak, Associate Recently, Governor Pritzker signed into law SB 2339, an expansion to the Right to Privacy in the Workplace Act. The law became effective immediately upon signature on December 12, 2025. The amendments are applicable to both public and private employers in Illinois. Illinois employers that utilize employment eligibility verification […]

IRS Guidance Regarding One Big Beautiful Bill Act The IRS recently announced guidance regarding penalty relief for employers for the 2025 tax year under the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA). As a result, employers “will not face penalties for failing to provide a separate accounting of any amounts reasonably designated as cash tips or

Fox Smith Partners, Margaret Gentzen and Jessica Reis, successfully won an appeal on behalf of Valhalla Restaurants, LLC d/b/a McDonalds® before the Missouri Court of Appeals for the Southern District, in Valhalla Restaurants, LLC v. Page. The appeal challenged the Labor and Industrial Relations Commission’s decision affirming that the Claimant was eligible for unemployment benefits

Margaret Gentzen, Partner Haley Spiewak, Law Clerk Federal: One Big Beautiful Bill Act: The One Big Beautiful Bill Act has a significant number of provisions affecting employers, including the following: The Paid Family and Medical Leave Tax Credit is now permanent. Beginning 2026, employers may elect a non-refundable credit amount of either: (a) the percentage

Fox Smith attorneys Meggie Gentzen and Tom Smith will provide a one-hour seminar providing Federal, Missouri and Illinois employment law updates via Zoom on Wednesday, September 17, 2025 at noon (CST).  Please note that Missouri/Illinois CLE and SHRM credits are pending. If you are interested in attending, please email Susan Blatz at sblatz@foxsmithlaw.com to reserve your spot. 

Fox Smith, LLC is pleased to once again host the St. Louis Inland River Seminar on September 15-16, 2025, at the Missouri Athletic Club. The Seminar will cover an array of topics dealing with legal and claims handling issues. The full Agenda can be found below. For more information, please email: SLIRS@foxsmithlaw.com. Here’s a link

Margaret Gentzen, Attorney On the evening of May 14, 2025, the Missouri Senate passed House Bill 567, effectively repealing Proposition A. With the passage, the Bill will now go to Governor Kehoe’s desk for signature.  Although an emergency clause, which would have placed the Bill on Governor Kehoe’s desk immediately, was contained within the Bill,

Tom Smith and Jessica Reis won a defense verdict in a Title VII employment discrimination case tried before a jury in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Missouri. The plaintiff alleged her employer discriminated against her for failing to accommodate her religion. During the COVID pandemic, plaintiff was requested by her

Margaret Gentzen, Attorney Haley Spiewak, Law Clerk On January 1, 2025, Public Act 103-0973 took effect, extending the statute of limitations for filing a charge of discrimination, harassment, or retaliation with the Illinois Department of Human Rights (IDHR) from 300 days to 2 years from the date of the incident. The IDHR enforces the Illinois