Employment Telephone Seminars

Conducting Successful HR Audits ...ications and risks of misaligned, mismanaged and unlawful employment practices become more obvious, organizations are increasingly turning to HR audits to help them align human resource management with business objectives, to measure the impact and results of HR activities, to assist in performing due diligence and to help ensure compliance. To help you improve the effectiveness of your HR  more...

Wellness Programs: Rewards, Penalties, Legal Risks, and Legal Developments BenefitsWellness programs played a central role in the health reform debate. Health care reform clearly demonstrates the desire of Congress and the President to encourage wellness programs and healthy lifestyles to control the cost of health insurance. Much of their interest is based on success stories from the private sector. Despite regulatory uncertainties, rising health insurance costs have  more...

Covenants Not to Compete and Trade Secrets ...lawsuits. Although the program primarily focuses upon the employment relationship, it also addresses independent contractors and business-to-business settings. In addition, this live audio conference explores litigation and client counseling strategies, with practical application of legal theories to typical situations often confronted in this rapidly developing area of law. This live audio  more...

Taxation and Accounting Conflicts of Interest ... it can lead to expensive legal fees, loss of a client or employment, a claim against malpractice insurance, bad publicity, or an unflattering and enduring case study in a business school textbook. The absence of any conflict of interest is a prerequisite to achieving the professional integrity, objectivity, and independence required by various rules regulating the professional conduct of an  more...

Prevailing Wage Law: An Understanding of Davis-Bacon ... hour laws have become a major source for the new wave of employment class actions, which often result in hundreds of thousands of dollars, and in many cases millions of dollars, of recoverable damages and attorneys' fees awarded to the successful litigants and their attorneys - in addition to the substantial amount of legal fees and administrative costs incurred by employers in defending these  more...

Implications of Medical Marijuana in the Workplace ...employment drug screen and tests positive for marijuana but tells you that he is a registered user of medical marijuana to treat his medical condition. Can you refuse to hire him? An employee tells you that he needs to take a daily break in order to consume medical marijuana to treat his cancer. Do you have to accommodate this request? How is this request different from a diabetic who requests  more...

Offboarding: Strategies for a Successful Goodbye ...uitment costs, and higher quality candidates. As with all employment actions, it should be lawful, safe, secure, efficient, ethical, fair and respectful. Effective HR leaders must work both sides of the basic accounting equation: assets = liabilities + owners equity. The model we will use is how HR can engineer the offboarding process to reduce legal exposure and financial costs, and to improve  more...

Employment Law Compliance: Disciplining or Terminating a Workers' Comp Claimant BenefitsThis live audio conference will address many of the difficult issues that arise when considering whether to discipline or terminate an employee who is also a workers' compensation claimant. The program will cover the core concepts underpinning workers' compensation statutes and the primary types of anti-retaliation provisions found in workers' compensation statutes. The live audio  more...

Americans With Disabilities Act - The Reasonable Accommodation Process ... Disabilities Act. This audio conference will review what employment policies should be contained in your employee handbook, when you can make a medical inquiry, what is a disability-related inquiry, how you should handle a reasonable accommodation request under the Americans With Disabilities Act and what are some practical and free sources for you to utilize for reasonable accommodation  more...

Learning on the Job: Creating Legally-Sound Internship Programs ...ver, that they must comply with several federal and state employment laws. This live audio conference will provide 'soup to nuts' guidance on the legal and practical implications of establishing an internship program in your organization. We will discuss the entire cycle of the internship process, such as recruiting interns, whether to compensate interns, and what duties and tasks interns may  more...

Creating Successful Employee Surveys ...elp organizations identify opportunities to improve their employment brand; identify employment practices problem areas; improve employee relations, morale and teamwork; enhance employee commitment and engagement; and assess the implementation and effectiveness of HR management systems and processes. In today's economy and workplace, this however is just the starting point. Identifying the  more...

Non-Resident Employee Withholding BenefitsWhen having employees working in multiple states it can be difficult to know what to consider to make sure that the correct state taxes are being withheld and the correct taxable earnings are being taxed in the correct states. This live audio conference will give you the tools to determine what taxes are applicable for your employees based on residency, state and reciprocity agreements. We  more...

Contractor Guidance on Avoiding OSHA and Other Legal Problems ...employment is at a record low and yet construction employers make up over 60% of the employers cited by OSHA and account for an even higher percentage of the unlucky employers placed on the OSHA Severe Violators Enforcement Program List. Even those contractors with national recognized safety management programs find themselves exposed to costly 'repeat' citations and unusual new enforcement  more...

Employee Discipline for Conduct Outside of Work ...n and court cases involving some of the hottest topics in employment law, including employee discipline for blogging, web-based 'employer trashing,' workplace dating and extramarital affairs, and physical appearance such as weight, tattoos and body piercing. Our experienced professionals will discuss permissible discipline for employees violating conflict of interest policies, including  more...

IRS Form 941 Reporting Update ...nefitsThe IRS collects hundreds of billions of dollars of employment taxes each year - more than any other source of revenue. Form 941 and related forms lie at the heart of the IRS's employment tax collection system. Much of the administrative burden under that system falls on employers. An employer's failure to understand and comply with its obligations can result in IRS assessments, audits  more...

Rules and Responsibilities Regarding Abandoned Wages ...nd criminal penalties. If your company issues any type of employment checks whether it be wages, bonuses, deferred compensation, employee commissions, etc., it is your responsibility to ensure that your company is holding unclaimed wages properly and in accordance with the law. It is estimated that 15 to 20 percent of businesses currently comply with unclaimed property laws. However, many  more...

GASB 45 Strategies ...is critical for any governmental employer with other post-employment benefits (OPEB) liabilities. The program will provide vital information and planning techniques that will enable employers to avoid the potentially disastrous consequences of failing to identify, control and fund its OPEB liabilities. Most states, municipalities and governmental agencies are aware that they are required to  more...

Giving and Receiving Employment References: Successfully Negotiating the Maze BenefitsMany employers still do not put the necessary amount of thought into requests for references - whether they are on the requesting or responding end. Responding to such requests can be fraught with potential pitfalls and could expose an employer to legal liability from both ends (i.e., from the current/former employee and from the requesting entity). On the other hand, given these issues,  more...

Do's and Don'ts for Internal Investigations of Employment Issues BenefitsAny prudent employer will want to investigate and, if necessary, remedy reported discrimination or harassment. In some states, a prompt investigation is legally required. This audio conference will provide you with valuable and practical advice on planning and conducting internal investigations, and assessing how to respond once the investigation is completed. This audio conference is  more...

Florida Employment Law Update BenefitsThis audio conference will provide you with working knowledge of the most prevalent issues facing Florida employers. The speakers, experts in management labor and employment law, have identified three areas of utmost concern. You will gain insight and the tools necessary to avoid and combat these common workplace problems. This audio conference is designed for human resource managers,  more...

Understanding Massachusetts' Exemptions to Employment at Will ...d at work. Massachusetts law, however, recognizes at-will employment, which provides you with significant rights in managing and dealing with employees, provided you understand at-will employment and its exceptions. This audio conference will help you understand Massachusetts law regarding at-will employment, as well its exceptions. We will also provide practical solutions for addressing  more...

Jeopardizing Exempt Status ...o not necessarily remain exempt for the duration of their employment. Actions taken (or not taken) by employers can and do jeopardize the exemptions claimed, leading unknowing employers down the path to potentially ruinous liability for unpaid minimum wages and overtime. This teleconference is designed to help you identify issues which jeopardize exempt status and correct them. It will also  more...

Managing Construction Costs ...ring construction requiring significant vigilance and the employment of defensive solutions along the way. This teleconference will help you understand some of the decision points during a typical construction project at which you can influence your company's risk allocation and influence who pays when construction costs rise. This teleconference will explain important methods for limiting your  more...

When Wages are Not FICA Wages ...y know that any cash or noncash remuneration received for employment, unless specifically exempt, is considered wages subject to the FICA tax. This teleconference will examine the importance of determining whether wages are not FICA wages. You will learn about the various wages that are not considered FICA wages, and how to classify those non-FICA wages and their effects on retirement benefits.  more...

Handling Paid Leave Requests in New Jersey ...e will review the processing of paid leave requests under employment policies in handbooks, and discuss how such policies can be structured to run both unpaid and paid leave concurrently, consistent with federal and state law requirements. This is your chance to get answers to these often tricky issues that have become even more complex in light of New Jersey's passage of paid leave  more...

10 Employee Handbook Mistakes You Can't Afford to Make ...employment law over the past year, now is the perfect time to review your employee handbook to ensure it is in compliance with the latest changes and includes best practices. To avoid errors in this process, you will learn the top mistakes employers make and the keys to making the employee manual a valuable tool. The new governing legal standards will be discussed, as well as tips to making  more...

International Employment Assignments: Understanding the Compliance Risks ...ies, the risks of failing to comply with U.S. and foreign employment and immigration laws are enormous. Attorneys who counsel these companies and human resource executives who implement company policy must be aware of strict immigration and work permit requirements on the one hand, and of the great dangers inherent in failing to follow U.S. workplace regulations on the other. This  more...

Developing a Policy for Employee Use of Mobile Devices ...nd dangerous pitfalls. This teleconference will address employment issues as they pertain to employees' use of personal digital assistants (such as BlackBerry's), cellular phones and laptop computers, and the rash of claims under the personal injury and workers' compensation laws. It will also address the many ways that both employers and employees frequently misuse mobile devices and the  more...

EEO-1 Form: Reporting for 2010 BenefitsIn this interactive teleconference, you will learn the EEO-1 reporting requirements as well as practical, easy to use approaches to completing and submitting the EEO-1 report by the filing deadline. This engaging teleconference will also explain the EEOC's and OFCCP's systemic discrimination enforcement initiatives. From understanding the EEOC's and OFCCP's new focus on these issues to  more...

Using and Challenging Statistical Evidence: An Essential Training for Litigators BenefitsThe use of statistics frequently plays a critical role in the litigation arena, from evaluating cases for your clients, to resolving disputes and possibly taking a matter to trial. Lawyers often shy away from using statisticians, quite frankly because understanding this world can seem overwhelming and confusing. In this 90-minute teleconference, you will have an opportunity to hear (in a  more...

Techniques to Prepare for Difficult Employee Discussions ...ence on preparing for difficult employee discussions with employment expert Paul Falcone, author of 101 Tough Conversations to Have with Employees (AMACOM Books, 2009), so that we can strategize together over how to handle some of the most challenging conversations you'll ever have with employees. We'll discuss the rules of workplace engagement, holding people accountable for their actions  more...

End of Employment Payroll Issues BenefitsThis will be a comprehensive look into issues that arise when an employee terminates. Topics that will be discussed will go from when an employee needs to receive their final pay to how an employee death's final pay best practices and taxation. This teleconference will cover special situations when an employee terminates such as benefit deductions, state minimum hours requirements and  more...

Top 5 Joint Employer Questions Answered ...s responsible employers understand the different types of employment relationships, the pros and cons of each, and how to avoid unknowingly changing an individual's employment status. The teleconference also explains the various tests available for determining employment status, the responsibilities that can flow with being a joint employer, and how to begin the process of determining the best  more...

Screening Applicants Using Social Networking Sites: Legal or Liability? ...ds. This teleconference will review this emerging area of employment law, examining the pros and cons of employers utilizing such tools and the legal landscape. Topics will cover how and why employers and recruiters utilize these sites. It will then cover a number of legal implications, such as problems with employers obtaining information they should not have and privacy issues. Finally, we  more...

Reductions in Force Litigation Update ...nvolve significant input from counsel experienced in both employment and labor law issues, even the best-constructed RIF may well be challenged in litigation. This teleconference focuses on the potential areas of challenge; the manner in which the company can respond and, if necessary, defend itself; and special issues regarding electronic discovery, class or collective actions and the  more...

Lawful Hiring BenefitsEmployers must navigate a minefield of complicated and, in some cases, conflicting laws that affect the hiring process Discrimination claims often arise out of the hiring process. The new U.S. Supreme Court decision in Ricci v. DeStefano, 557 U.S. ___ (2009) shows how an employer (the New Haven Fire Department in that case) can violate discrimination laws when taking steps to attempt to  more...

Immigration Compliance for the HR Professional: Employment Authorization Issues and Beyond ...employment authorization and verification laws, regardless of the size or composition of their workforce. This teleconference will supply you with the information you need to ensure your company is in compliance with employment authorization rules and regulations. Detailed guidance on employment verification procedures, Social Security number issues and immigration-related discrimination claims  more...

Avoiding Costly Mistakes In Harassment Policies and Investigations BenefitsSexual and other forms of harassment remain a significant problem for employers. Courts and legislatures continue to create new obligations for employers and continue to increase the potential for liability for employers. Many employers continue to have policies and procedures for harassment that are outdated or that actually create potential liability. This teleconference will help you  more...

The New World of EEO: What Is Coming ...his has also been driven by the fact that the plaintiff's employment bar, the U.S. Attorney's offices and the EEOC have become more aggressive in pursuing claims of discrimination against employers. The attack on employers involves claims of inconsistent treatment of employees in hiring, disciplinary and termination proceedings engaged in by supervisors and their employers. This teleconference  more...

Current Issues in H-1B Visas BenefitsThis teleconference will outline key issues applicable to company's that employ H-1B temporary workers. Detailed guidance on current H-1B trends, new labor conditional application procedures and H-1B visa issuance will be provided. Special attention will be given to changes in H-1B employment with common scenarios outlined. The teleconference will also present strategies for compliance  more...

Payroll Hiring Issues: Forms and Tax Credits ...g to do so. The teleconference will also review federal employment-based tax credits, their application and potential administrative pitfalls. We will also highlight and provide updates on certain state employment-based credits. After attending this teleconference, you should be better prepared to evaluate your current level of payroll compliance and facilitate future compliance, as  more...

Managing Benefit Options for Part-Time Employees ...r with entry level employers such as retailers, part-time employment is the norm and may account for more than 50% of the workforce. Employers struggle with how to design a program that will attract and retain the workers they need on a cost effective basis. This teleconference will explore the myriad of options and approaches available to employers while sharing typical solutions by  more...

OFCCP Compliance for Construction Contractors ...ograms, contractors must be well prepared to defend their employment practices. This teleconference will provide you with an overview of the laws and regulations affecting federal construction contractors. Discover how to successfully navigate a compliance evaluation conducted by the OFCCP and receive best practices solutions to common issues affecting construction contractors doing business  more...

Determining When an Individual With a Disability Is "Qualified" Under the ADA ...ld has not changed. Drawing on regulations from the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and decisions from federal courts across the country, this teleconference will provide participants with information they can use to (1) make sure that job requirements (including employment tests and physical standards) accurately reflect the duties of a job; (2) write a job description or job  more...

Return-to-Work Compliance When Jobs Are Gone ... Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act are just a few of the laws that govern this difficult minefield that must be navigated by employers. Failing to comply with these and other employment laws can expose you and your organization to significant legal liability and damage awards. This teleconference will provide critical answers to  more...

To Test or Not to Test: The Legal Implications of Pre-Employment Testing ...gy advances and the pool of job applicants increases, pre-employment testing is becoming a more common hiring practice for many employers. But are all tests created equal? Are they all legal? This teleconference helps you navigate and understand the different types of pre-employment tests and understand the pros and cons of testing job applicants. This teleconference will also help you  more...

Don't Bet the Company: Understanding and Avoiding Class Actions in Labor and Employment Law! ... all seen in the news media reports of companies settling employment-related class actions for many millions of dollars. The horror of class actions is that a small claim among a few employees can mushroom into a huge claim worth millions of dollars once some ferocious plaintiff's lawyers get their teeth into it and add hundreds of additional claims through the simple process of becoming a  more...

ADA Update: Overview of Americans with Disabilities Act and Practical Implications for Employers BenefitsThe ADA Amendments Act of 2008 takes effect January 1, 2009. The new amendments substantially alter and expand the definition of disabled under the ADA and who might be protected. This teleconference will review the ADA amendments and related issues, provide you with practical advice on how to comply with the ADA, and address common ADA and employment issues that may be impacted by the new  more...

Enforcing Arbitration Agreements: 14 Penn Plaza and Other Recent Developments in Arbitration of Statutory Employment Claims ... continues the trend of enforcing agreements to arbitrate employment discrimination claims. 14 Penn Plaza should cause all legal professionals to consider the advantages of agreements to arbitrate statutory claims - whether in the union or individual employee context. This teleconference will explore the impact of 14 Penn Plaza and other recent cases on agreements to arbitrate from the  more...

Writing an Employee Handbook nAre you overwhelmed with the task of revising your existing employee handbook or of preparing a new employee handbook? Are you unclear about what types of employment policies are required by federal law? Stop worrying and attend this teleconference. You will learn which policies are required by law and what employment laws apply to employee handbooks. Take the first step to creating your employee  more...

California Employment Law Update ...s in California face a bewildering and complicated set of employment laws, which are often inconsistent with federal law. This three-hour teleconference will address the most important and current issues facing California employers (or out-of-state companies with employees in California), including wage and hour compliance and litigation trends, California's unique disability and discrimination  more...

Supplemental Wage Payments: Common Withholding Guidelines nThis teleconference will assist you in evaluating your current income tax withholding practices to facilitate compliance with IRS regulatory changes and will offer practical tips to help ease administrative burdens. The program will educate you with respect to the issues involved in determining when wage payments should be classified as supplemental wages or regular wages, and the applicable  more...

Effective Utilization of Employee Waivers ...yee expectations and protect employers from liability for employment-related claims such as discrimination, harassment and retaliation, as well as contract claims and tort claims such as defamation and invasion of privacy. Pre-employment waivers put employees on notice of employment screens such as background checks and drug testing. During employment, employee waivers define employee  more...

Labor Law Update: Preparing for Upcoming Regulations ... learn the new laws and strategies regarding a variety of employment-related laws that are in effect or are expected to be in effect for 2009. From the new COBRA rules, FMLA regulations, EFCA and union initiatives, issues involving wage and hour and independent contractors, the latest drug and alcohol testing, confidentiality and security of personnel data, background checks and reference  more...

Form I-9: Updates and Compliance Strategies for Employers nThe Department of Homeland Security recently issued new employment verification rules and Form I-9. Join us as we examine these changes. A wide range of Form I-9 issues and compliance tips will be addressed, including E-Verify program considerations.  more...

Impact of the New ADA Amendments on Schools ...officers serving special needs students to change hiring, employment and student eligibility practices which may have been legal under the earlier Court opinions but are no longer valid under ADAAA. This teleconference will provide educators responsible for serving special needs students, as well as school administrators responsible for hiring and employment, with a review of these laws,  more...

Avoid Wrongful Termination Lawsuits: Strategies to Keep Your Managers Out of Legal Trouble nThis teleconference will review tried-and-true methods for eliminating employment litigation risks, will build managers' confidence in dealing with a range of common-place employee issues, and sharpen their understanding of workplace practices and policies which will dramatically reduce exposure to litigation risks for themselves and their companies.  more...

Employee Retaliation: Supreme Court Update ...sions recognize retaliation claims in nearly all areas of employment law and find adverse actions in a variety of circumstances, beyond demotion and termination, for purposes of upholding such claims. Most significantly, the U.S. Supreme Court recently determined in CBOCS West, Inc. v. Humphries, 128 S.Ct. 1951 (2008) that employees can bring retaliation claims under Section 1981, a post-Civil  more...