Bringing Employee Handbooks Into Compliance: What You Need to Know

Agenda / Content Covered

All times are shown in Eastern time.

1. Wage and Hour Law Update
   10:00 - 10:30, Timothy J. Holdsworth
2. Handbook Policies and Provisions in the Era of COVID-19
   10:30 - 11:30, Megan Knowlton Balne
   1. Reviewing the Latest OSHA Guidelines
   2. Paid Sick Leave, the ADA, and the FMLA: Where Things Stand Now
   3. Bringing PTO Policies Up to Speed
   4. Return to Work: How to Prepare the Workplace
   5. Vaccine Policy Do's and Don'ts
   6. Best Practices for Minimizing Liability
3. Sample Policy Toolkit for the Digital Age
   11:45 - 12:30, Megan Knowlton Balne
   1. Telecommuting Policies
   2. Taking a Stance on BYOD
   3. Internet Use and Social Media Policies: What They Must Contain
   4. Restricting Employee Communications: What You Need to Know
   5. Overcoming Privacy and Monitoring Issues
4. Reducing Disconnects Between Policies and Practices
   1:00 - 1:30, Amber L. Hurst
   1. Managers and Employees
   2. Bridging the Gap With IT
5. Creating and Updating Alcohol, Drug, and Marijuana Policies
   1:30 - 2:15, Ashleigh R. Eames and F. Beau Howard
   1. Are Zero-Tolerance Drug Policies Still Legal?
   2. Drafting Techniques and Sample Drug Policies
   3. Drug-Testing Policies and Implications
   4. Special Considerations for Multi-State Employers
6. Updating Discrimination, Harassment, and Anti-Retaliation Policies: Legal Best Practices
   2:15 - 3:15, Ashleigh R. Eames and F. Beau Howard
   1. Updates to Pay Equity Laws
   2. Criminal Background Checks: Current Developments
   3. Religious Discrimination: Recent Developments
   4. OSHA Anti-Retaliation Rules and Policies
   5. Critical Updates to Make to Discrimination Policies: Race, LGBTQ, and More
   6. Harassment Policies: Outlining Prohibited Conduct, Reporting Procedures, etc.
   7. Dating Policies: What Employers Need to Know
   8. Spelling Out the Consequences of Policy Violations
   9. Case Law Update
7. Non-Compete, Non-Solicit, and Non-Disclosure Agreements - The Latest Developments
   3:30 - 4:00, Amber L. Hurst
8. Best Practices for Discipline and Termination Policies
   4:00 - 5:00, Robert L. Rediger
   1. Tips for Creating Written Performance Reviews
   2. Disciplinary Memo Dos and Don'ts: With Examples
   3. Top Mistakes Managers Make at Disciplinary Meetings
   4. Key Steps to Take When Terminating an Employee
      1. Practical Guidance for Preparing for and Running the Meeting
      2. Guidelines for Informing Employees of the Termination
      3. How to Use Separation Agreements and Releases
   5. Departing Employees: The Employer's Checklist
   6. Post-Discharge Matters You Should Anticipate

Accreditation Details:

MEGAN KNOWLTON BALNE is a partner with Hyland Levin Shapiro LLP, where she concentrates her practice in the areas of employment, counseling, and commercial litigation. Ms. Balne serves as a trustee of the Burlington County Bar Association and founding member of the New Jersey Law Journal’s Young Lawyers Advisory Board. Ms. Balne was selected for the New Jersey State Bar Association’s Professional Achievement Award. She earned her B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from Ramapo College; and her J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Rutgers University School of Law-Camden

ASHLEIGH R. EAMES is an attorney with Fox Rothschild LLP where she regularly defends employers against claims in federal and state courts, arbitration forums, and before government agencies, including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and state human rights commissions. She is experienced in representing employers on claims related to Title VII, Section 1981, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Family and Medical Leave Act, and the Fair Labor Standards Act. Ms. Eames earned her B.A. degree from the University of Central Florida and her J.D. degree from the University of Florida, Levin College of Law. She is admitted to practice in the District of Columbia, Florida, Virginia, the U.S. District Court, Middle District of Florida, and the U.S. District Court, Southern District of Florida.

TIMOTHY J. HOLDSWORTH is an attorney in the class and collective action, employment law, labor relations, unfair competition, and wage and hour practice groups at Elarbee, Thompson, Sapp & Wilson LLP. As a member of these groups, he represents and advises employers in all aspects of employment litigation, including discrimination, harassment, and retaliation claims, employee leave issues, wage and hour claims, and violations of non-compete, non-solicitation, and confidentiality agreements. Mr. Holdsworth received his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law; and his undergraduate degree, magna cum laude, from the University of Georgia.

F. BEAU HOWARD is a partner with Fox Rothschild LLP, where he represents businesses in a myriad of labor and employment matters. He also focuses on privacy law, internet forensics, and business litigation. Mr. Howard is a member of the Virginia State Bar and the State Bar of Georgia. He is a frequent public speaker on labor and employment law matters. Mr. Howard earned his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from the University of Tennessee and his J.D. degree from The George Washington University Law School.

AMBER L. HURST is a partner with Hammons, Gowens, Hurst and Associates where she focuses her practice in employment law, sexual harassment, disability discrimination, age discrimination, race discrimination, gender discrimination, pregnancy discrimination, overtime pay, wrongful termination, and the Family Medical Leave Act. Ms. Hurst is the president of the Oklahoma Employment Lawyers Association, and a member of the National Employment Lawyers Association and the Oklahoma County Bar Association. She is admitted to practice before the Supreme courts of Oklahoma and the U.S. District Court for the Eastern, Northern and Western District courts of Oklahoma. Ms. Hurst earned her J.D. degree from the University of Oklahoma College of Law.

ROBERT L. REDIGER is a founding partner of Rediger Labor Law LLP, a law firm that limits its practice to representing companies in labor, employment, and wage and hour class action defense. He is an active rotarian and member of the Labor and Employment Law sections of the American, Sacramento (past chair), and New York State bar associations; and the State Bar of California. In 2013, American Lawyer Media listed him in its Top Rated Lawyers in Labor and Employment Law and in 2017, Sacramento Magazine listed him among the Top Lawyers in Sacramento. Mr. Rediger has litigated numerous employment-related cases in federal and state courts, many of which have resulted in precedent-setting decisions favorable to employers. He recently prevailed against the EEOC in an ADA disability discrimination jury trial in federal court. Mr. Rediger earned his B.A. degree from Queens College and his J.D. degree from Hofstra University School of Law.