Cynthia Pietrucha

For all of your employment challenges, contact our firm at (630) 344-6370

My focus: Severance Agreements and Unemployment Benefits for Terminated Employees.

I have successfully collected settlements on behalf of employees who believe they have valid legal disputes. Whether you are in the midst of a dispute or you would like to prevent future litigation, lawyers at Pietrucha Law Firm, LLC, can act as your guide and representative to ensure the protection of your rights and your future.

• Employment Law
• Business Law
• Arbitration & Mediation
• Consumer Law

• Severance Agreement
• Pregnancy Discrimination

• Credit Cards Accepted
  We accept all major credits and PayPal.
• Contingent Fees
• Rates, Retainers and Additional Information
  If you would like to get a sense of the type of services our office provides and how we work with clients, feel free to call us at 630-344-6370. We can help you understand if you will need a lawyer. Because employment and business disputes are complex, If you would like a full case evaluation, consultation or document review services, we offer such in-person or via telephone or video conference at a flat fee of $100. If you would like to retain Pietrucha Law for legal representation, we will send you a legal representation and fee agreement detailing the scope of our services and the associated legal costs.

Illinois

7th Circuit

Managing Attorney

Pietrucha Law Firm, LLC

Current

American Medical Association

2010

Law Offices of Joel Weisman, P.C.

2009

Northern Illinois University

J.D. (2009)

University of Illinois - Urbana-Champaign

B.A. (2006) | Pre-Law, Journalism and Spanish

Honors: President's Leadership Award

Activities: Spanish Tutor

Selected as Top 40 under 40 Illinois Employment Lawyers

The National Black Lawyers

National Employment Lawyers Association

Member

Current

American Bar Association

Business Law Section, Employment Law Section

Current

Illinois State Bar  # 6315653

Member

Current

ISBA Standing Committee on Women & the Law , ISBA Standing Committee on Women & the Law , Chicago, IL

January 10, 2018

Illinois State Bar Association (ISBA)

Illinois Association of Public Procurement Officials Fall 2015 Conference , Illinois Association of Public Procurement Officials Fall 2015 Conference , Lombard, IL

October 8, 2015

Illinois Associaton of Public Procurement Officials

Q. I'm high risk for COVID. Boss says return to office instead of working remotely. Do I get unemployment if I get let go?

26 May 2020

A: Under federal law, you likely have the right to ask for a reasonable accommodation for your disability. Have you shared the doctor's note with management or human resources? If not, immediately write a request for a reasonable accommodation to work from home. Your doctor's note needs to support this request and specifically speak to it. I am an Illinois licensed attorney knowledgeable in federal laws related to reasonable accommodations for a disability. If you get fired, you can claim you were fired in violation of federal law for simply asking for a reasonable accommodation for a disability. I am of course assuming that your "high risk for COVID" statement means you have a medical condition or disability that impacts you ability to perform your job, including the location of where you can do your job during COVID-19 concerns.

Q. Is it really legal to not allow an employee to work if they medically can not wear a face mask.

4 May 2020

A: This is a difficult topic that does not have a clear "yes" or "no" answer. Overall, you should be allowed to make decisions for your own well being but in an employment setting, the employee doesn't have full control. The logic behind the mask requirement is that you can spread flu/COVID-19 before you have symptoms of it, and wearing a mask would contain the spread. Some think COVID-19 is a fake crisis that has been overblown and others are taking it seriously and scared to interact in public. Companies are getting sued for wrongful death and negligence when they don't provide their public-facing employees masks and other protective gear, and also when they don't protect their employees from others including the public, co-workers and even candidates for new hire. If you don't want to wear a mask and you have a medical reason for it, you would need to provide the employer medical documents to substantiate the medical condition that prevents you from wearing a mask. You would have to ask for a medical accommodation. If you don't want to wear a mask and you have a religious reason for it, you would need to communicate your beliefs and ask for a religious accommodation. The laws that like apply: ADA/EEOC, OSHA

Q. My boss is making me work 7 days a week, 10 hours a day. When asked he said there isn’t a labor law for illinois

21 April 2020

A: Illinois has a labor law called the One Day Rest in Seven Act (820 ILCS 140/1 et seq.). The One Day Rest in Seven Act requires at least 24 hours of rest for an employee in every calendar week. This means Illinois employees cannot be forced into working 7 days in a row unless the employee voluntarily agrees to work 7 days in a row. Even then, the State of Illinois would likely require a permit. If you have concerns, consider hiring an attorney or contacting the Illinois Department of Labor at https://www2.illinois.gov/idol/Laws-Rules/FLS/Pages/ODRISA.aspx