Scott Cruz

Scott Cruz represents both public and private sector employers in all aspects of labor and employment law, including civil litigation and preventative counseling. He not only assists employers in drafting employment policies, employment agreements, and non-competition and non-solicitation agreements, but helps companies enforce their non-competition and non-solicitation agreements and helps protect their trade secrets, proprietary information, customer relationships, investments in talent, and other valuable assets. 

Scott represents employers in state and federal courts and administrative agencies involving claims brought under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, retaliatory discharge, breach of contract, labor arbitration and class actions. Scott is particularly versed in all aspects of state and federal law relating to minimum wages, overtime, exemptions, and wage payment issues. Scott provides management and employee training on workplace legal issues, and also conducts workplace investigations and legal audits.

Scott has handled unemployment audits before the Illinois Department of Employment Security, in addition to defending unemployment compensation claims. He also has extensive civil litigation experience on behalf of educational institutions, including institutions of higher learning, and has successfully dismissed lawsuits for clients on a motion to dismiss or on summary judgment in the Circuit Courts of Cook, Will, Kane, Lake and DuPage counties.

Scott is an active member of the Illinois Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, the Illinois Hotel and Lodging Association, the Illinois Restaurant Association, the Illinois Manufacturers’ Association, the Illinois Chamber of Commerce and the Chicago Latino Network. Additionally, Scott is a mentor at the 1871 incubator where he provides counsel and guidance to 1871’s members on all aspects of employment law. 

Scott is a member of the Illinois State and the Chicago Bar Associations. He has presented to clients and organizations on topics including Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations and Analyzing & Defending Unemployment Insurance Claims. Scott is on the Board of Directors of Alivio Medical Center, a not-for-profit whose mission is to increase Hispanic access to comprehensive, affordable quality health care. 

PRESENTATIONS & MEDIA:

• In August 2019, Scott was featured on WBBM 780 to discuss implications of a new law that mandates Illinois employers to receive sexual harassment training.
• In June 2018, Scott presented the webinar, "Complying with the FMLA and ADA when Your Employee is Dealing with A Mental Health Condition," for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce.
• Scott has served as the Moderator for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce's Quarterly HR Roundtable Discussion and as a Panelist for the Illinois Chamber of Commerce's Webinar, "Everything You Need to Know About Internal Investigations."
• In January 2018, Scott was quoted extensively in "Business News Daily" on the topics of establishing a positve company culture and implementing a fair complaint and response protocol pertaining to sexual harrassment in the workplace.