Posted on June 29, 2019 in Kane

When a woman gives birth to a child, there is obviously no question as to the biological relationship between the baby and the mother. However, this is not always the case with the father of the baby. When a woman is married, her husband is assumed to be the biological father of a child she gives birth to. In such a case, the father does not need to do anything to establish the legal rights and responsibilities that come with being a parent. However, the same is not true for unmarried fathers. You will need to first establish paternity.

Voluntary Acknowledgement of Paternity 

If a couple who is not married has a child together, they have several options for establishing paternity. The easiest way to establish paternity is by signing a voluntary acknowledgement of paternity (VAP) document. These forms are often available at the hospital and can be signed by both parents shortly after their baby is born. VAP forms are also available at your local county clerk, the Department of Health and Family Services, and at Child Support Services. A VAP form should only be used when the parents are certain as to the paternity of the child. If you are not certain as to the biological relationship between your child and his or her possible father, you should not sign a VAP form.

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 Posted on June 21, 2019 in Main

Everyone deserves to work in a place that they feel safe and respected. Unfortunately, sexual harassment continues to be an issue in workplaces in Illinois as well as across the country. Sexual harassment is a type of employment discrimination protected against by state and federal law.

The two main types of sexual harassment are quid pro quo harassment and hostile work environment harassment. Just as the name implies, hostile work environment harassment occurs when sexual or gender-related comments and behaviors become so intolerable, it makes an employee unable to do his or her job. However, it can be difficult to know exactly what types of actions constitute hostile work environment sexual harassment.

Examples of Hostile Work Environment Sexual Harassment

There are nearly countless actions which could be considered sexual harassment. Sometimes hostile work environment sexual harassment includes unwelcome sexual or romantic advances. For example, if a person’s coworker constantly asks him or her on dates or makes comments like, “When are you going to finally go out with me?” this could potentially be harassment. Unwanted physical contact can also be considered sexual harassment. Employees who do not wish to be touched, hugged, or receive shoulder rubs or other physical contact should have the right to be free from such touching at work. Repeated inappropriate jokes or comments about a person’s body, sexuality, sexual orientation, or gender can also constitute sexual harassment.

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 Posted on June 18, 2019 in Main

In Illinois, when a married couple has a baby, the husband of the woman who gave birth to the child is presumed to be the father of that child. However, when an unmarried couple has a child together, this presumption is not made. The process through which an unmarried father becomes the legal parent of a child is called “establishing paternity” or establishing parentage. If you wish to establish paternity of your child in Illinois, read on to learn how.

Benefits of Establishing Paternity

There are a multitude of benefits to establishing paternity. A father who has become the legal parent of his child gains the right to pursue parenting time, or visitation, with the child and develop a loving parent-child relationship. In some situations, the father may also be able to obtain legal custody or parental responsibilities of the child. While courts rarely take custody or parental responsibilities away from an established parent unless that parent has shown to be abusive, neglectful, or otherwise unfit to parent, a legal father could start by asking for a share of the parenting responsibilities.

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 Posted on June 11, 2019 in Kane

Understandably, divorcing couples rarely see eye-to-eye on every subject. They may agree about who should have the majority of parental responsibility but disagree about whether or not to sell the house. Alternatively, they may agree on issues of property division and spousal support but disagree on how they will share custody of their children. Some couples disagree about nearly every aspect of their divorce. When divorcing spouses need help coming to an agreement about divorce issues, mediation can be a valuable tool. Through family mediation, divorcing spouses have a chance to make their thoughts and concerns heard while working toward a solution on divorce issues. Read on to learn about the mediation process in Illinois and how you may benefit from mediation.

Identifying Divorce Issues and Deciding on Mediation Objectives

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 Posted on June 07, 2019 in Main

For many of us, our career is more than just a paycheck. It is also what gives us purpose and helps us grow as a person. When you have worked hard to get a certain job, you may be willing to do almost anything to keep it. Unfortunately, some employers take advantage of this and attempt to gain sexual favors from their employees. To be clear, asking an employee for sexual contact in exchange for workplace benefits is illegal sexual harassment. If you have faced this situation, you should know that you are not alone and that there are resources to help you.

Quid Pro Quo Sexual Harassment

The two main types of sexual harassment under the law are hostile work environment harassment and quid pro quo harassment. Quid pro quo is a Latin term which means “this for that.” Quid pro quo harassment occurs when an employer, boss, or supervisor attempts to trade sexual contact for work benefits. This type of harassment can happen when an employer makes sexual activity with a prospective employee a requirement for getting the job or it can happen when a current employee is solicited by a superior.

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 Posted on June 03, 2019 in Main

Getting divorced is unlike other break-ups. Not only do couples have to deal with the emotional consequences of ending a marriage, they must also deal with the legal and financial ramifications of getting divorced. There is no way to completely avoid all negative economic consequences during divorce, but there are a few things you can do to help minimize these consequences.

One of the best ways to protect your rights and safeguard your finances during divorce is to get help from a qualified Illinois divorce lawyer. Additionally, experts have other pieces of wisdom which can help you avoid the most common financial pitfalls during divorce.

Mistake 1: Being Unaware of Your Family’s Finances 

In many marriages, one person does the majority of the financial planning. If you are getting divorced and are not up-to-date regarding your financial scenario, you can easily be taken advantage of. If you are considering divorce, it is a good idea to gather certain documents now, instead of waiting until you need those documents. Unfortunately, divorce can sometimes bring out the worse in people and your ex may be unwilling or unable to provide these items in the future.

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 Posted on May 28, 2019 in Kane

Sharing parental responsibilities and parenting time of children with an ex-wife or ex-husband can be difficult, but it is worth the effort. Multiple studies show that children thrive when they have love and attention from both of their parents. If you are recently divorced or soon will be, you may have concerns about how you and your child’s other parent will manage sharing parental responsibilities. While there is no right or wrong way to share parenting responsibilities, there are certain things you can do to help minimize disagreements and misunderstandings between you and your ex. 

Consistent Rules for Both Households Can Minimize Confusion and Tension

Understandably, you and the other parent probably do not share the exact same philosophies and methods regarding parenting. One parent may be much stricter when it comes to the household rules while the other parent allows children to do whatever they want more often than not. Perhaps you want your children to be responsible for certain chores like cleaning up the dinner dishes or folding laundry while your ex does not expect the children to help with any household responsibilities.

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 Posted on May 24, 2019 in Main

Experiencing sexual harassment at work can be devastating both personally and professionally. Sadly, sexual harassment continues to be a problem in the United States and elsewhere, even after major strides have been taken to eradicate it. According to the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), sexual harassment reports are up 14 percent as compared to last year.

If you have been harassed or discriminated against at work, you may be completely unsure of where to start. Sexual harassment is against the law, and no one should have to tolerate mistreatment at work. Often, one of the most important steps you can take when you are being sexually harassed is to keep a detailed sexual harassment log.

Keep a Log Even If You Do Not Plan to Pursue Compensation

A detailed record of any sexual harassment you have experienced is valuable even if you do not end up suing your employer. The first step you must take to stop the harassment from continuing is to file a formal sexual harassment complaint with your employer or supervisor. When you report the harassment, make sure to follow any procedures or policies set forth in your employee handbook.

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 Posted on May 20, 2019 in Main

Anyone who has been married or in a serious relationship knows that things are not always as simple as they appear to be. Sometimes, a couple knows that their relationship is not working as it currently exists, but are not sure they are ready for a divorce. Legal separation offers an alternative to divorce or can be used as a step between living as a married couple and divorce. There are only a few reasons a couple may choose to legally separate as opposed to a divorce. Read on to learn about the benefits of legal separation in Illinois.

Separated Couples Are Still Legally Married

Legal separation can be advantageous in some situations. When a couple is not sure that they want to end the marriage, but want to live apart, separation can provide legally-binding constraints for co-parenting, child support, and spousal maintenance (alimony). Legal separation does not end the marriage so it may be an option for couples who choose not to divorce for religious reasons as well.

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 Posted on May 14, 2019 in Kane

Child support is designed, in part, to help children with unmarried or divorced parents to enjoy the same quality of life that they would have if their parents were married. Once issued, child support orders are not optional. If a parent fails to pay court-ordered child support, he or she can face serious punitive consequences. Child support orders in Illinois are customarily enforced through state courts, but they can also be enforced by federal law. If your child’s other parent has been ordered to pay child support and is not making payments, read on to learn about your options.

Consequences of Child Support Nonpayment

If a parent fails to pay child support, Illinois courts can garnish his or her wages, intercept tax returns, impose steep fines, place a lien against property, require the parent to perform community service, and, in some cases, even send the parent to jail. Parents who deliberately fail to pay more than six months’ or $10,000 worth of payments can also face criminal consequences. If you are a parent who cannot afford your current child support order, never simply stop payments. Instead, seek a child support order modification through the county court.

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