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Our 25th Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar is a wrap. Wow, 25 years goes by in the blink of an eye!

Each year, our seminar continues to grow. Thank you to the attendees who have been with us from the beginning and the newcomers who attended for their first time this year.  With over 400 attendees from more than 200 employers, our 25th Annual Labor & Employment Law Seminar was a success!

The day was filled with plenty of TOP SECRET information. If you were unable to attend, or need a quick refresher, below are the top takeaways from each of our nine sessions.

• Andy Rodman & Elitsa Yotkova The 6 Pre-Employment Issues Most Likely to Bite You in the Backside: Don’t ignore legal risks arising out of the recruitment and hiring process.  A review of your company’s hiring forms, such as the employment application and the background check disclosure and authorization form, may reduce legal exposure and save your company the time, money, and aggravation associated with litigation.  Also remember to cast a broad net in your recruitment efforts to achieve and maintain a diverse workforce.  And lastly, exercise caution when using the internet to obtain background information on your job applicants.
• Lisa Berg & Glenn Rissman 10 Ways to Curb Intermittent FMLA Leave Abuse: In attempting to curb intermittent FMLA leave abuse, employers should scrutinize the initial medical certification, request a second opinion if it doubts the validity of the initial certification, request recertification as appropriate, or temporarily transfer the employee to another position that better accommodates the need for intermittent leave.
• Ingrid Ponce and Bob Turk “La Oficina de mi Jefe” – Dealing with Workplace Telenovelas: Every HR professional deals with similar workplace dramas. The six “hot” (and complex) issues every employer needs to be prepared to deal with: 1. Applicants with previous criminal records; 2. Defining when bonuses and other compensation is “earned”; 3. Preparing for possible DOL regulations updating who is exempt from overtime; 4. Effect of dress code, grooming and other policies on transgendered employees and employees requiring religious accommodations; 5. Employee use of personal computers and smart phones at and outside of work; and 6. Bullies who can lead to lawsuits and unionization.
• Guest Speaker Ileana Marcos Shocking Secrets When Dealing with Workers’ Compensation Claims: It is important to report all alleged work related injuries to the worker’s comp carrier within 7 days in order to preserve the Employer’s tort immunity.  Regardless of whether you believe an alleged incident will not or should not be covered by worker’s comp, reporting the accident preserves all viable defenses such as untimely Notice, Statute of Limitations, Misrepresentation and Lack of Major Contributing Cause.
• Bayardo Alemán & Jennifer Saltz Bullock Surprising NLRB Decisions Hiding in Plain Sight: Carefully draft or revise your employee handbook policies in light of the recent NLRB rulings against non-union employers. Policies should be specific, capable of being easily understood, should not infringe on employees’ rights to discuss wages and terms and conditions of employment and should not contain general statements that require interpretation.
• Sharon Quinn Dixon & Eric Gabrielle Quick Beauty Tips for Your Employee Benefits Package: Coordinate your health plan’s eligibility rules with the tax “pay or play” definition of full-time employee, or be prepared to handle the details of any differences between them; Consider whether you want to amend your Section 125 Plan to allow new changes in health plan elections due to the effect of “pay or play” rules; at the risk of finding your company on the losing end of a lawsuit, comply with the very specific DOL rules on electronic distribution of required information; To avoid being involved in the type of case we see almost weekly, become more involved in making sure employees properly update their beneficiary designations.
• John Heber The Seven Habits of Highly Successful Severance Packages: Federal tax issues can have a significant impact on how and when departing executives receive severance payments. Employers with a policy requiring severance pay must comply with ERISA reporting requirements.
• Eric Roth & Jon Stage Five Effective Ways to Avoid Theft of Company Trade Secrets: Recognizing protectable trade secret information and implementing safeguards to protect against misappropriation or improper disclosure of those trade secrets will enhance your ability to compete more effectively in the market.
• Freddy Perera and Rene Ruiz Secret Union Tactics Your Employees Can’t Resist: Union campaign speeches can be alluring and convincing–especially when employers create rigid hierarchies, a perception of favoritism, and an environment of poor communication.  Employers don’t win union elections through eloquent rebuttal speeches.  Elections are won through effective labor relations, which in turn requires a deep understanding of human psychology.

Can’t wait to see what the next 25 years will bring!