When the Referee Gets the Rulebook Wrong: Concerns About Recent Illinois Department of Labor Prevailing Wage AuditsFor Illinois contractors performing public work, prevailing wage compliance requires careful attention to worker classifications, payroll practices, and fringe benefit calculations. Recently, however, many contractors have reported audit findings and assessments that appear disconnected from Illinois Prevailing Wage Act (IPWA) requirements, established industry practice, and, at times, the Illinois Department of Labor’s (IDOL) own published guidance.The consequences can be significant. Prevailing wage assessments
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Department of Labor Prevailing Wage Audits
New Illinois Digital Asset Tax: What Businesses and Taxpayers Need to Know
Illinois businesses participating in the digital asset marketplace will soon face a new layer of tax compliance and reporting. Effective July 1, 2027, a first-of-its-kind Digital Asset Tax (DAT) will impose a 0.2% tax on the value of certain digital assets, broadly defined to include cryptocurrencies, stablecoins, and other digital tokens used to store, transfer, or exchange value.
The DAT, which has been subject to legal challenges that delayed its January 1, 2027 originally scheduled implementation, will create new
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Ukraine TPS Work Authorization Continues Pending Upcoming USCIS Announcement
USCIS has updated its Ukraine Temporary Protected Status (TPS) webpage to state that Ukrainian TPS beneficiaries retain protection, including work authorization, pending an upcoming announcement.
Employers should not suspend or terminate a qualifying Ukraine TPS employee solely because prior documentation referenced October 19, 2026. USCIS has not yet announced a new expiration date or issued revised Form I-9 instructions, however. The previous employer guidance on the official webpage still reflects an October 19, 2026 designation through date.
Employers would
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Weekly Hospital Real Estate Briefing: A Recap of the Colliers National Healthcare Conference
On October 8, Colliers hosted its annual National Healthcare Conference in Boston. It was well attended by a number of brokers, health system executives, developers and investors. Hall Render shareholder Andrew Dick attended the conference this year and presented on “Emerging Trends in Health Care Real Estate.” Andrew’s slides can be found here. In addition to Andrew’s content, there were two other presentations that caught our attention.
The first was a provider panel titled “Optimizing Healthcare Portfolios
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DHS Proposes New Rule Eliminating H-1B Grace Period
The U.S. Department of Homeland Security (“DHS”) recently published a proposed rule on September 11, 2026, that, if finalized, would end the 60-day grace period available to H-1B and other eligible nonimmigrant workers following a loss of employment. According to DHS, the proposed rule would more closely align nonimmigrant status with the employment on which that status is based while reducing administrative burden. The rule would impact H-1B nonimmigrants, as well as individuals in E, L-1, O-1 and TN
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Reverse Waiver: Supreme Court Reviews Jurisdiction for 10-Year-Old in Murder Case
Oct. 14, 2026 — A case against a 10-year-old charged with first-degree murder in the shooting death of his mother has raised constitutional issues of national importance.A primary question is whether the attributes of youth, as described by the U.S. Supreme Court, apply in determining whether the defendant should be tried as an adult.A nationally known public interest lawyer, Bryan Stevenson, is representing the defendant in State v. Mann-Tate. Oral arguments were Sept. 8.Seven justices will decide whether
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Michigan Sues Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan, Alleging that It Conspired to Raise Insurance Prices and Lower Reimbursements to Health Care Providers
On October 8, 2026, the Michigan Attorney General, on behalf of the State and in its parens patriae authority on behalf of the people of Michigan, sued Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan (“BCBSM”) alleging federal and state antitrust violations and state claims of nuisance and unjust enrichment. The complaint alleges that BCBSM conspired with other insurance companies that make up the Blue Cross Blue Shield Association (the “Association”) to reduce competition and increase prices for insurance sold to
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3 Common Commercial Contract Mistakes Business Owners Make (and How to Avoid Them)
3 Common Commercial Contract Mistakes Business Owners Make (and How to Avoid Them)Commercial contracts can have a significant impact on a business’s profitability, operations, and risk exposure. Yet many business owners sign vendor agreements, service contracts, and sales agreements without fully understanding key provisions or appreciating how those terms may affect them down the road. What appears to be a routine business contract can create unexpected obligations, financial exposure, or costly disputes if important details are overlooked.Fortunately, many contract-related
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Avoid Them)
Buying a Business? You Might Not Be Buying What You Think You’re Buying
Imagine you find the perfect business to buy. The owner is approaching retirement after a long and successful career. The company has a strong reputation in the market. Revenue appears healthy. Employees seem happy and experienced. After some promising conversations, you and the seller strike a deal and work toward closing. At this point, most buyers are excited about why the deal makes sense. After all, the buyer has spent time and effort to reach a deal.
Then the
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‘Miracle Lien Avoidance:’ A Powerful Bankruptcy Tool for Farmers and Rural Debtors
Oh, those pesky liens!
They seem to touch everything you have. Liens on tractors. Liens on skid steers. Liens on livestock. Liens on tools. Sometimes even liens on the refrigerator and other household goods.
You try adjusting payments. You write letters. You make phone calls. You negotiate. But the liens just won’t go away.
You would even consider bankruptcy, but everyone knows the old saying: “Liens pass through bankruptcy unchanged.”[1]
So what’s a farmer, tradesperson, or rural family
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Dog Injury Claims in Wisconsin: Liability, Insurance, and Defenses
- October 13, 2026Wisconsin’s dog injury statute applies to more than bites. Katelyn Sandfort explains the state’s strict liability statute, comparative negligence, insurance issues, and potential defenses. Dogs are man’s (and woman’s) best friend. But sometimes without warning, interactions with a dog can result in serious injuries. Wisconsin’s dog injury statute provides as follows: 174.02 Owner’s liability for damage caused by dog … (1) Liability for injury. (a) Without notice. Subject to s. 895.045 and except as provided in s. 895.57(4)
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November ballot question 3: Prohibiting targeted government benefits for minority individuals and women
Wisconsin voters will encounter three constitutional amendment referendum questions on the Nov. 3 ballot. In a series of posts, Wisconsin Justice Initiative will help you understand constitutional amendment referendum questions generally, and the Nov. 3 election questions specifically. This is part five in the series. Find prior posts here.
By Alexandria Staubach and Margo Kirchner
Ballot question 3 is the most destructive proposed constitutional amendment voters will face on Nov. 3; it’s a regressive ploy.
The proposed amendment
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Indiana Court of Appeals Reverses Regular Commitment Due to Insufficient Evidence
The Indiana Court of Appeals (the “Court”) recently reversed a regular commitment for a schizophrenic patient because the hospital failed to offer any evidence that the patient was dangerous to himself or others and that he was unable to function independently. The Court found the hospital did not present clear and convincing evidence. In re. Matter of Civil Commitment J.A., No. 26A-MH-606 (Ind. Ct. App. Sept. 18, 2026).
Background
J.A. has received care for schizophrenia since at least
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Can Workers’ Comp Deny Benefits for a Surgery You Already Had?
If you’ve been injured at work in Wisconsin, you might assume that once your workers’ compensation claim is accepted, your medical treatment will be covered.
But what happens if you undergo surgery for your work injury and, afterward, the insurance company argues that the surgery was not actually related to your workplace accident?
That question was addressed in Kimberly Brown v. Shirley Gregory & Jose Vaz, Sangria’s Mexican Grill, a 2025 decision from the Wisconsin Labor and
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Coalition renews call for community supervision over surveillance tech
Wisconsin Justice Initiative has joined a new 45-organization coalition led by the ACLU of Wisconsin and Milwaukee Turners to advocate for an ordinance that strengthens community oversight over police surveillance technology.
The coalition sent an open letter (above) to city officials late last week. The letter calls on officials to demand an end to the use of the Flock Safety automated license plate reader system within the city and asks again that they adopt a Community Control Over
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Federal Court Upholds CMS’s OPO Performance Rule but Allows Earlier Judicial Challenges
On September 29, 2026, in LifeLink Foundation, Inc. v. Kennedy, the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida (the “Court”) upheld the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (“CMS”) 2020 rule governing Organ Procurement Organization (“OPO”) performance measures and tier classifications (the “Final Rule”). The decision rejects one significant legal challenge to the Final Rule and, for now, leaves the current framework in place for the 2026–2030 recertification cycle, although other lawsuits challenging the framework remain
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