2018 Hot Topics in Employment Law Seminar

Bricker & Eckler’s annual “Hot Topics” seminar provides human resources professionals and in-house attorneys with insight into ongoing and emerging labor and employment issues. This year, we are pleased to welcome guest speakers from Genesis HealthCare System and Honda North America to focus on the in-house counsel perspective. We hope you will join us for an interactive discussion on current employment laws and regulations, as well as practical strategies for dealing with today's ever-changing employment environment.

This course has been approved by the Supreme Court of Ohio Commission on Continuing Legal Education for 3.0 total CLE hour(s) instruction. Additionally, 3.0 HRCI credits have been approved.

There is no fee to attend. However, space is limited.

Agenda

Registration & Breakfast
7:30-8:20 a.m.

Welcome & Introductions
8:20-8:30 a.m.

Joëlle Khouzam, Partner

Panel: It's only a sprain! Perspectives in workers' compensation claims
8:30-9:15 a.m.

Sue Roudebush, Of Counsel
Joshua Jones, Practice Administrator, Genesis HealthCare System

In order to manage claims effectively, when should you utilize your attorney and when should you not? In this session, you will learn practical tips and strategies to help manage claims from the outset. Topics include knowing when to contact your attorney or third-party administrator for workers’ compensation advice, positioning your claim for success while containing costs, and identifying red flags before they impact your claim. Real-life scenarios that work, and some that don’t, will also be discussed.

Employment tax and benefit considerations in M&A
9:15-9:45 a.m.

Lauren Gresh, Of Counsel
Justin Cook, Associate

Whether you are the potential target or the buyer in a merger and acquisition deal, there are a number of employment tax and employee benefit issues that may impact the risk and overall success of the deal. Both state and federal laws intensely regulate M&A deals, and a number of these laws relate specifically to employment tax and employee benefits. Even if participants are not considering major corporate restructuring, they can use these considerations to generally assess their organization’s employment tax compliance and the health of their benefit plans. At a minimum, due diligence requires private and public employers to consider the types and funding of health and retirement plans, ancillary benefits, classifications of employees (CBAs, arbitration and grievances, handbooks and policies, I-9s, contractors, non-competes), litigation history (EEOC, BWC, etc.) and more.

Networking Break
9:45-10:15 a.m.

Panel: Getting practical: Tips for managing difficult ADA issues in the workplace
10:15-11:00 a.m.

Jim Petrie, Partner
Jill Bigler, Associate
John Kahle, General Counsel and Law Division Manager, Honda North America, Inc.

This panel will use a fact pattern based on real-world situations to highlight legal issues implicating the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA).

What's happening at the NLRB these days? 
11:00-11:15 a.m.

Nick Lanphear, Associate

This session will explain recent guidance and developments from the National Labor Relations Board, including a memorandum clarifying handbook policies and employer regulation of employees’ use of social media.

The Ten Commandments of effective workplace investigations
11:15 a.m.-12:00 p.m.

Joëlle Khouzam, Partner
Lisa Kathumbi, Partner

This session will address the ten most important considerations of planning for various types of workplace investigations and will highlight best practices, preparing employers to effectively handle employee complaints.

Closing Remarks
12:00-12:10 p.m.

Jim Petrie, Partner