Though many employees have returned to the office, the office may not be the same as it was before the pandemic. The virtual 38th Annual Employment Law Update will help employers deal with changes brought about by the pandemic and new employment laws. We will highlight recommended practices and liability avoidance tips. Our popular K&C Answer Booth will be back to allow attendees to ask any and all employment law questions. Legal, practical, and government agency perspectives will all be presented with an emphasis on practical guidance. Attendees can also earn up to 6 credit hours toward PHR and SPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) and 5 PDCs toward SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP.

Program Schedule 

9:00 – 9:20 Opening Session – “Check In”
Attendees will receive an overview of what to expect during the day and a summary of their workshop choices. Our own “Employment Doctor” will present a quick round-up of the biggest legal changes from the past year.

MORNING SESSIONS
9:30-10:30 | 10:40-11:40

Employment Law 101 – “Time For Your Routine Checkup”
John M. Bredehoft
Randy C. Sparks, Jr.

This workshop will provide essential baseline information on the most frequently-encountered employment laws, including a number of new Virginia employment laws. Attendees will learn legal and practical ways for employers to avoid potential liability and are encouraged to bring their most challenging questions.

Discipline & Discharge – “Outpatient Procedures”
Burt H. Whitt
James H. Shoemaker, Patten Wornom Hatten & Diamonstein
Thomas M. Colclough, Director of Field Management Programs, EEOC

Discipline and discharge decisions are workplace events that often end up in legal claims. This session will feature advice on all aspects of discipline to include the termination process. Employer and Employee advocates will be joined by the District Director of the EEOC, who will help employers avoid retaliation and other litigation headaches.

Documentation & Records – “Updating Your Patient Charts”
Laura Geringer Gross
William M. Palmer

This workshop will include the latest practical guidance on maintaining personnel files, requirements for retention of employment and payroll documents, HIPAA requirements, and how to deal with subpoenas of employee records. Employee rights to access records and appropriate employer policies regarding employee records will also be discussed.

11:45 – 12:45 Lunch 
Attendees will be given an hour break for lunch before we reconvene for a special post-lunch presentation at 12:45.

12:45 – 1:30 Special Presentation on Implicit Bias
Diversity in the workplace can provide greater access to talent, increase employee morale, improve recruitment efforts, and more. Jonathan Zur, President and CEO of the Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities, will provide an interesting presentation on implicit bias and how it can affect your diversity efforts.

AFTERNOON SESSIONS
1:40 – 2:40 | 2:50 – 3:50

Self-Audit – “What’s the Diagnosis?”
Robert J. Barry
William M. Palmer

Using a checklist approach, this interactive presentation will help attendees assess employment law risks that can shake any employer’s foundation. You will learn how to assess your current practices, and conduct your own self-audit to avoid potential liability.

Working During the Pandemic – “Curing the Sick Workplace”
Laura Geringer Gross
Mauricio Velasquez, Diversity Training Group

The pandemic has taught us lessons that can be carried forward as we learn to live in a new adjusted workplace. During this session, we will guide you on best practices to deal with turnover, improve employee retention, and handle lingering COVID-19 issues. We will encourage questions to help you deal with this new normal.

Wage-Hour Law – “Your Final Bill”
Sharon Kerk Reyes
Neil S. Talegaonkar
Patricia Slate, Former Enforcement Coordinator, DOL Wage-Hour Division

This session will discuss Virginia’s new wage-hour requirements and provide advice on complying with increasingly complex legal requirements affecting how employees must be paid. A former representative of the Wage-Hour Division will join the presentation to help employers avoid liability for their wage-hour practices.

4:00 – 4:30 – Closing Session – “A View From the Top”
Edmond Hughes, Executive Vice President and Chief Human Resources Officer of Huntington Ingalls Industries, the largest military shipbuilding company in America and the largest employer in Hampton Roads, will discuss the state of today’s HR challenges, including lessons learned post-pandemic, and practical advice for HR professionals going forward.

SPECIAL GUESTS

Robert G. Armstrong
Assistant Director, Virginia Department of Labor & Industry

Thomas M. Colclough
Director of Field Management Programs, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission

Edmond Hughes
Executive Vice President & Chief Human Resources Officer, Huntington Ingalls Industries

James H. Shoemaker
Partner, Patten, Wornom, Hatten & Diamonstein

Patricia Slate
Former Enforcement Coordinator, DOL, Wage-Hour Division

Mauricio Velasquez
President & CEO, Diversity Training Group

William O. Walton
Unemployment Insurance Director, Virginia Employment Commission

Jonathan Zur 
President & CEO, Virginia Center for Inclusive Communities

REGISTRATION INFORMATION

LOCATION: The program will be held virtually on October 27, 2022. You will receive an email with details on how to access the seminar once you register.

FEE: Our $375 registration fee includes seminar materials and a certificate of completion. Sessions will be recorded and available for all registered attendees to view after the seminar date. Each additional registrant from the same company will be $355. 

DEADLINE: The deadline to register is one week prior to the seminar date.

REGISTER: Please click here to register.

If you have any questions, please contact Julie Nguyen at jqnguyen@kaufcan.com or (757) 624.3232.