Spiros Law, P.C. Blog

Illinois Manufacturers Association president and CEO Greg Baise said last Tuesday, September 27 that Illinois’ business climate is not kind to the manufacturing industry, which has lost around 300,000 jobs since 2000. Baise noted, “We have seen job losses of 25% to 30% in all the major urban areas throughout the state. The question I believe… Read More

During a press conference on September 19, Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner said “Even our attorney general [Lisa Madigan] who is a strong Democrat, she has said that we need causation in our workers’ comp system. That’s the No. 1 thing pushing our manufacturing jobs out of Illinois.” Rauner has long been an advocate for lowering the rates… Read More

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner has consistently praised and denigrated the business climate in the state at the same time. The expansion of the food manufacturing company Richelieu Foods into Wheeling garnered the same mixed reaction. “Too often, when we have a good announcement, we also have some announcements of folks leaving or moving to another state,” Rauner… Read More

Critics have been saying that the Illinois Workers’ Compensation Commission is inefficient. This complaint occurs largely because of policies that make the system more costly than those in other Midwestern states. Higher costs make businesses reconsider setting up shop in Illinois, which ultimately hurts the chances of boosting the local economy. Annual reports conducted by the IWCC show that… Read More

The United States Department of Labor’s Occupational Safety and Health Administration (OSHA) fined the multinational meat and poultry processor Tyson Foods Inc. $236,498. The charges come after reports that Tyson endangered workers by exposing them to amputation hazards and high levels of carbon dioxide and peracetic acid without providing proper protective equipment. OSHA investigated Tyson’s Center, Texas chicken… Read More

According to the United States Department of Labor’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, businesses in the transportation and manufacturing industries in the state of Illinois are demanding a change in the workers’ compensation system. The change they have wanted for years now is the elimination of special interests from the system. Doctors in the state of… Read More

Chicago-based, non-profit, think tank Illinois Policy Institute, in its recently released report titled “Fixing Illinois’ Outdated Workers’ Compensation System”, said Illinois’ current state-run workers’ compensation system “does a poor job of serving the majority of workers” and “prioritizes the financial interests of groups such as lawyers and workers’ compensation doctors over the needs of both… Read More

The Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court’s Workers’ Compensation Commission Division rejected a claim brought forward by Michael Durbin on Sunday, July 17. Durbin is a former employee of the Chicago-based global food processing company Archer Daniels Midland. After retiring in 2003 at age 48 after working at the factory for 30 years, Durbin said he… Read More

The Illinois Fourth District Appellate Court’s Workers’ Compensation Commission Division rejected a claim brought forward by Michael Durbin on Sunday, July 17. Durbin is a former employee of the Chicago-based global food processing company Archer Daniels Midland. After retiring in 2003 at age 48 after working at the factory for 30 years, Durbin said he… Read More

According to an Illinois Policy article, the Illinois workers’ compensation program is outdated and in need of a revamp. For example, medical providers can charge 200% to 300% more for a procedure under workers’ compensation than it would cost under Medicare. These fee schedules increase expenses to employers while patients are over-treated, causing them to miss more days… Read More