Mission Possible - HR Edition
Navigating employment law is a challenge, especially when the rules change faster than a supernova. The 42nd Annual Employment Law Update will highlight recent changes to the law and how employers can most effectively stay on top of those changes. From updated wage-hour rules to family medical law, it is increasingly important that employers don’t get lost in the shuffle and can cope with the ever-changing legal environment. Attendees can also earn up to 6 credit hours toward PHR and SPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI) and 6 PDCs toward the SHRM-CP or SHRM-SCP.
Program Schedule
9:00 – 9:20 Opening Session
Welcome aboard! Crew members will get a mission briefing, detailing what to expect during the day’s journey and an overview of the exciting mission ahead!
MORNING SESSIONS
9:30 – 10:30 | 10:45 – 11:45
Employment Law 101 - Reach for the Stars
Prepare for liftoff as we journey through the foundational galaxy of employment law. In this session, HR professionals will navigate the core elements of workplace compliance and will explore topics that every HR professional needs to know for employers to avoid potential liabilities.
Outrageous Employment Law Cases - Supernovas and Black Holes
Buckle up for a journey to the outer reaches of employment law, where reality defies gravity and HR is put to the ultimate test. In this session, we’ll explore some astonishing and jawdropping employment law cases—cases that seem to have come from another planet—and the lessons they teach that can help keep your organization safely in orbit.
Employee Leave - The Void
Navigating the complex universe of employee leave and workplace accommodations is difficult. In this session, we will discuss how to decode the FMLA, ADA, and other leave issues and avoid legal black holes and explore how to support employees through their own journeys of unexpected life events.
12:00 – 1:00 Lunch
Finally, a zero-gravity moment after an eventful morning! Attendees will enjoy lunch, followed by a briefing from Kim Ritter, Executive Vice President and Chief Talent Officer of TowneBank, on HR leadership in mission control and helping to steer company culture through every phase of the journey.
AFTERNOON SESSIONS
1:30 – 2:30 | 2:45 – 3:45
Discipline & Discharge - Dark Matter
Strap in for a high-stakes journey through the HR cosmos, where employee performance and organizational expectations orbit in delicate balance. This session will guide HR professionals through the asteroid fields of discipline and the black holes of discharge, helping you chart a clear and compliant course.
Wage-Hour Law - To Infinity and Beyond
Prepare for launch as we explore the vast galaxy of wage and hour laws. In this session, we will chart a course through the legal constellations of overtime, minimum wage, timekeeping, and employee classifications, all in an effort to help you establish a mission control center that avoids compliance meteors, navigates the gravitational pull of state and federal regulations, and keeps your organization aligned for a smooth flight.
Employee Benefits - The Big Bang
Blast off into the universe of employee benefits, where HR professionals must chart a steady course through the complex realms of health plans, retirement options, leave policies, and unemployment protections. In this session, we’ll explore how to keep your crew supported, your organization compliant, and your benefits programs stable.
4:00 – 4:30 Closing Session
Our mission has come to end, and we are coming in for landing on our first Employment Law Update for 2026. As we prepare to disembark, one lucky attendee will leave the mission with a little more gear after our drawing for a $375 Visa gift card.
SPECIAL GUESTS
Thomas M. Colclough
National Director of Field Management Programs, U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission
Robert Q. Johnson
Chair of ESOPs & Employee Benefits Practice Group Kaufman & Canoles
Kim Ritter
Executive Vice President and Chief Talent Officer, TowneBank
LOCATION: The program will be held at the Hampton Roads Convention Center on Tuesday, May 12, 2026.
FEE: Our $375 registration fee includes seminar materials, a certificate of completion, refreshments, continental breakfast, and a luncheon. The fee for each additional registrant from the same company is $355. We accept VISA, MasterCard and Discover, or checks payable to Kaufman & Canoles.
