Business clients routinely ask our attorneys whether their workers are actual employees or instead function as independent contractors (ICs). Drawing upon their expertise as employment and business lawyers, Katie Rinkus and Poonam Lakhani discuss the differences between employees and ICs, and why it’s so important for businesses to properly classify their workers.

Katie and Poonam briefly touch upon the laws and agencies that regulate these distinctions, before moving on to why businesses might prefer to use ICs over regular employees. Then they address the legal and financial risks in misclassifying workers and explain two key “tests” for determining who is an employee or an IC. Whether you’re a business owner or a worker, this episode will help you better determine who counts as an employee or an independent contractor.

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Read Katie’s post on worker classification

Read Poonam’s post on the U.S. DOL’s 2024 Final Rule

Poonam Lakhani

Katie Rinkus

The Prinz Law Firm

Business attorney and advisor Katie Rinkus welcomes Corbin Beastrom to the mic to discuss the current reality of remote work. Corbin is founder of Illyrian Group, a fully remote professional search company. But there’s a plot twist: he prefers to work most days in an office setting. Katie probes Corbin’s own professional path and his current approach to work, before they consider whether fully in-person, hybrid, or remote work is best for business and for recruitment.

Corbin provides insight into what candidates are looking for in their job search, and whether there are any generational preferences for specific types of work arrangements. Katie and Corbin also touch upon what successful remote companies are doing and top tips for navigating a remote landscape. If you are interested in how trends in work style have evolved over the past few years—and what successful companies need to know to remain successful—tune in!

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Corbin Beastrom

Illyrian Group

Katie Rinkus

Check out Corbin’s discussion with Katie regarding the FTC non-compete ban

Three-time WNBA All-Star Dearica Hamby has sued the WNBA and her former team, the Las Vegas Aces, for pregnancy discrimination. Shortly after securing the Aces' first WNBA Championship and signing a two-year contract extension with the team, Hamby revealed she was pregnant. Within months of her disclosure, Hamby was told she was being traded and losing certain employment-related benefits.

Alleging violations of Title VII and Nevada state law, Hamby has opened discussion about pregnancy and discrimination in women’s professional sports. At the same time, her suit recalls how women’s sports are treated differently from men’s sports, especially when it comes to compensation.

Kristin Hendriksen and Amit Bindra discuss Hamby’s case from an employment law perspective, while also touching on broader issues that plague professional sports. Tune in if you’re a sports nerd, an employment law geek, or both!

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Read Kristin’s blog on Dearica Hamby’s lawsuit

Kristin Hendriksen

Amit Bindra

Connect with Amit on Twitter

While the Federal Trade Commission’s non-compete ban languishes in litigation limbo, various states are continuing to modify their regulation of non-competes. Employment attorneys and business counselors Amit Bindra and Katie Rinkus discuss a variety of recent state-level changes taking place nationwide, from Maine to California. Tune in for a run-down of these developments.

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Read Amit’s blog post on recent non-compete changes

Amit Bindra

Connect with Amit on Twitter

Katie Rinkus

In an unusual turn of events, the New York Knicks filed a lawsuit against the Toronto Raptors in August 2023, right before the start of the NBA season. The Knicks alleged theft of confidential and proprietary information after the Raptors hired a former Knicks employee. Now a court has ordered the dispute to go to private arbitration.

Amit Bindra and Kristin Hendriksen break down this unique sports episode, explaining what they believe to be the motivations behind filing the lawsuit and how this case differs from most instances of trade secret litigation. They touch upon whether this case holds merit and discuss the pros and cons of using arbitration in such situations.

Whether you’re a sports fan or a trade secrets junkie, this episode is for you!

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Read Amit’s post on the NBA’s trade secret litigation

Amit Bindra

Connect with Amit on Twitter

Kristin Hendriksen

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) effectively banned non-compete agreements nationwide, a rule set to take effect on September 4, 2024. Yet two federal courts have arrived at opposing conclusions as to whether the FTC has the authority to enact the ban, and one of the courts will only make a definitive ruling in late August, days before the rule is set to become law. What are businesses and employees to do? Employment attorneys and business counselors Amit Bindra and Katie Rinkus explain the FTC’s rule, the disagreement in the courts, and what businesses need to do now to ensure they are compliant if the rule takes effect. They also address what steps individuals might take to avoid the constraints of a non-compete.

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Read Amit’s recent post on the courts & the FTC ban

Read Amit’s 1st post on the FTC ban

Visit the FTC’s webpage on the Non-Compete Rule

Amit Bindra

Connect with Amit on Twitter

Katie Rinkus

Business attorneys Katie Rinkus and Amit Bindra will tell you all you need to know about independent contractor agreements in this episode. They begin by distinguishing between employees and independent contractors, or “1099” workers, and the dangers of misclassifying workers. Then they dive into the main provisions to be included in a 1099 agreement, explaining key terms along the way, such as “statement of work,” “MSA,” and “indemnification.” This episode will help both hiring companies and contractors ensure that their contracts provide clarity on responsibilities and the necessary legal protections for all parties.

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Read Katie’s post on 1099 agreements

The Prinz Law Firm

Amit Bindra

Connect with Amit on Twitter

Katie Rinkus

Employment attorney Kristin Hendriksen draws on her experience in a past life in restaurant operations to discuss the WARN Act and recent business closures with Matt Tedeschi, an employment paralegal and Marketing Manager at the firm.

Kristin and Matt explain what the WARN Act is and why it was passed before discussing the sudden shuttering of all locations of Dom’s and Foxtrot and the termination of all employees. They also touch upon the closure of the Signature Room in Chicago and a lawsuit that recently saw a large settlement for its former workers.

Could Dom’s and Foxtrot face the same fate? What should businesses do if they plan on terminating a large number of workers or closing several locations? Kristin and Matt offer their predictions and provide key advice for business owners and management.

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Read Matt’s blog on Dom’s & Foxtrot

Read Matt’s blog on the Signature Room

The Prinz Law Firm

Kristin Hendriksen

Matt Tedeschi

In a sweeping action, the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently published its final rule on non-competes, effectively banning them completely. Both individuals and businesses are wondering what this means for them currently and in the future. Employment attorneys and business counselors Amit Bindra and Rebecca Chmielewski examine what is likely to happen next and what both employees and employers need to know.

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Read Amit’s post on the FTC ban

The Prinz Law Firm

Amit Bindra

Connect with Amit on Twitter

Rebecca Chmielewski

Some states require that certain business entities register as a PLLC (or professional limited liability company) and not simply as an LLC (limited liability company). Business and employment attorneys Katie Rinkus and Rebecca Chmielewski discuss the distinction between LLCs and PLLCs and the requirements for forming a PLLC under Illinois law. They specifically address both how to convert an existing LLC into a PLLC and how to establish a company as a PLLC from the beginning. They also explain the nuts and bolts of filing the necessary documents and the potential penalties that can be levied for not being registered correctly. Tune in to learn all about PLLCs and whether your business needs to be registered as one.

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Read Katie’s blog post on PLLCs

IDFPR’s PLLC page

The Prinz Law Firm

Katie Rinkus

Rebecca Chmielewski