Human Resources Association of Central Ohio
6th Annual Legal Update Conference

Presented By

AGENDA

8:00 – 9:00 a.m. — Registration and Breakfast

9:00 – 10:00 a.m. — Breakout Session I

A.   The 10 Most Common Blunders Under The Fair Labor Standards Act and Strategies  for Compliance

Employer compliance with the Fair Labor Standards Act continues to be one of the most litigated areas in employment law.  This session will
review the white collar exemptions under the FLSA and how to correct misclassifications.  We will also discuss alternative compensation methods.

B.  Understanding the Opportunities and Controlling the Risks Presented by Social Media 

This session will examine the employment law issues that arise when employers use social media for employment purposes such as recruiting,
background checks, and fraud or misconduct investigations and when they attempt to control their employees' social networking during and
after work hours.  We also will address the considerations for creating an effective social media policy.

10:15 – 11:15 a.m.—Breakout Session II

A.  Ohio Law?  Federal Law?  Does it Make Much Difference?

Although there are many similarities in the way that workplace issues and employment legal challenges are governed by Ohio and federal law, there are some key
differences.  Human Resource professionals in Ohio should be mindful of those key differences in their day-to-day actions, and especially when evaluating the
legal risks that their employment decisions may trigger.  This session will address the key distinctions between federal and Ohio discrimination, whistleblower,
wage and hour, safety and other employment laws that carry potentially costly consequences for Ohio employers.

B. Identification, Investigation, and Prevention of Unlawful Harassment and Other Improper
 Workplace Conduct

Often, the difference between a harassment case that is easily defended and one that is difficult and far more costly to defend turns on management’s failure
to recognize and deal with problems at early stages.  This session describes the tools  needed to recognize and deal with potential harassment issues in ways
designed to reduce risk, and covers effective methods for investigating and responding to allegations of harassment or other workplace misconduct.

11:30 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. —Lunch and Announcements

12:30 – 1:30 p.m. — Luncheon Keynote Presentation: Cases and Congress: What’s Transpired in 2010
and What Employers Have to Look Forward to in 2011

This discussion will focus on timely and critical legislative and case law developments on the state and national scenes. The speakers will cover issues
emerging in 2010 and beyond, with an emphasis on proactive measures companies should take to be best prepared. Topics will include employment legislation
that has passed or is pending on topics ranging from employment discrimination protections, to compensation practices, to labor law reform ("EFCA")
and more. We will also discuss key changes in administration positions, such as President Obama's recent appointments to the NLRB, and his nominee to the
U.S. Supreme Court. Finally we will discuss a few pertinent case law developments with important implications for how you operate your business.

1:45 – 2:45 p.m. — Breakout Session III

A.  Tackling Common FMLA Challenges and Problems

The amendments to the FMLA regulations arrived at the beginning of 2009 with much more of a whimper than employers had hoped.  Now that a year has passed,
have employers found new tools to help fix the problems caused by intermittent leave, fitness for duty, and uncooperative healthcare providers? 
In addition, this session will take a look at how employers are addressing the qualifying exigency and military caregiver provisions of the FMLA.

B. Confronting Employee Privacy in the Information Age 

How far can employers go when monitoring their employees' electronic communications and internet use? What are an employer's obligations for preserving
their employees medical and other personal data and how do you address a data breach if one occurs?   This session will answer your thorniest workplace
privacy issues.

 3:00 – 4:00 p.m. — Breakout Session IV

A.  Positive Employee Relations – Maintaining a Union-Free Workplace

The risk of union organizing is greater now in all workplaces than it has been in many years. Organized labor is determined to increase membership and to
establish footholds in areas that have not traditionally been targeted for union organizing, such as the financial, retail, service, and health care
industries. This session focuses on day-to-day management conduct that makes it less likely that union organizing will ever occur or, if it does occur,
less likely that it will be successful.  Attendees will become better able to train managers in their organizations on key behaviors that minimize the
risk of union organizing activity. We will also cover how to recognize early signs of union organizing and how best to respond.

B. Addressing Disability and Other Work Restriction Issues in the Workplace
(ADA/FMLA/Workers’ Compensation and More)

Disability discrimination claims are among the most rapidly increasing kinds of employment legal challenges. Often, the seeds for dispute are planted when
an employee presents medical or other work restrictions and requests an accommodation. Manager interaction with employees making requests for accommodation
can either support key defenses to a later legal challenge or create significant risk. In this session, we will discuss best practices for responding to
requests for accommodations and other work restriction issues.  We will cover certain specific requests for accommodation, such as part-time or alternative
schedules and relief from overtime or specific schedules. We will also cover the interrelatedness of these issues with FMLA and workers’ compensation
concerns.
 

    This conference has been APPROVED for a total of 4.0 (General) & 1.0 (Strategic) Credits  

 COST:  

 **  Parking Fees are included in the costs below for all attendees**