Employee Handbook Update: New Rules and Critical Revisions

Agenda / Content Covered

All times are shown in Eastern time.

1. Reviewing New NLRB Rules, Regulations and Guidelines: Handbook Checkup
   11:00 - 11:30, Cheryl Atchison
2. The COVID-19 Pandemic: Where We Stand Today
   11:30 - 12:00, Susan Richards Salen
   1. Best Practices for Remote Work Policies
   2. Creating and Updating Vaccination Policies
   3. Leave Policies: Updates You Need to Make
   4. Emergency Policies and Health and Safety Plans: Legal Best Practices
3. The Biden Administration's Impact on Employment Law: A Look Ahead
   12:15 - 12:45, Cheryl Atchison
4. Best Practices for Creating and Updating Anti-Discrimination, Harassment and Retaliation Policies
   12:45 - 1:45, Charles W. Cavagnaro Jr.
   1. Case Law and Legislative Updates
   2. Equal Pay - The Latest Developments
   3. Harassment Policies: What They Must Contain
   4. Dating Policies: How to Prevent Harassment Claims
   5. Updating Discrimination Policies: Gender Identity, Sexual Preference, Religion, Race and More
   6. Diversity Training: Recent Developments
   7. OSHA Anti-Retaliation Rules: What You Must Know
   8. Policy Violations: Spelling Out the Consequences
5. Wage and Hour Law: What You Need to Know
   2:15 - 3:00, Glenn A. Duhl
   1. Proposed Changes and Recent Updates
   2. Independent Contractors: The Latest Developments
   3. FLSA White Collar Exemptions: Essential Guidelines
   4. Overtime Pay: Recent Developments
6. Alcohol, Marijuana and Drug Policies: Current Issues and Legal Updates
   3:00 - 3:45, Glenn A. Duhl
   1. Summary of Recent Developments in Federal vs. State Laws
   2. Practical Guidance for Multi-State Employers
   3. Zero Tolerance Policies: Still Legal?
   4. Drug Policies: Techniques for Alleviating Employee Confusion
   5. What You Need to Know About Medical Marijuana and the ADA
   6. Drug- and Alcohol-Testing Policies: Key Provisions and Issues
   7. Tips for Addressing Employee Drug Use and Abuse
   8. Primer on Employee Assistance and Rehabilitation Programs
7. Other Essential Updates You Can't Afford to Miss
   4:00 - 5:00, Susan Richards Salen
   1. Criminal Background Checks - Current Developments
   2. Non-Solicitation, Non-Compete and Trade Secret Agreements: What You Need to Know
   3. Insights on Social Media and Internet Use Policies
   4. Data Privacy and Security Policies: Ensuring Legal Best Practices
   5. Weapons and Firearms Policies: Avoiding Legal Landmines
   6. BYOD Policies: Top Risks
   7. Workplace Bullying Policies: Best Practices and Current Developments
   8. Current Challenges for Multi-State Employers
   9. Handbook Do's and Don'ts: With Examples
8. Ethical Considerations
   5:00 - 6:00, Susan Richards Salen
   1. Confidentiality
   2. Rules of Professional Conduct
   3. Conflicts of Interest
   4. Privileged Communications

Accreditation Details:

CHERYL ATCHISON is an attorney with the Richmond office of Hirschler Fleischer. She provides privately-held companies with personalized, innovative and practical legal support on a wide range of business issues including employment matters, contract negotiations, corporate governance and mergers and acquisitions. Ms. Atchison regularly assists clients in developing employment policies, drafting employee handbooks, and preparing offer letters, employment agreements, separation agreements and restrictive covenant agreements. Prior to joining Hirschler Fleischer, she provided accounting, forensic and investigative services to legal counsel as a senior consultant at Navigant Consulting in Washington, D.C. Because of this experience, Ms. Atchison has a deep understanding of the business and legal needs of her clients. As a versatile business attorney with international consulting experience, she often anticipates business opportunities and issues that her clients may not have identified. Ms. Atchison works closely with company management to evaluate these opportunities and manage risk in a practical and efficient manner. She earned her J.D. degree from the University of Richmond School of Law, where she graduated summa cum laude and was a member of the McNeil Law Society. Prior to joining Hirschler Fleischer, Ms. Atchison worked as a consultant for an intellectual property services provider in Munich, Germany.

CHARLES W. CAVAGNARO JR. is a shareholder with Evans | Petree PC, where his practice includes representing employers in state and federal courts in all aspects of labor and employment law, including discrimination claims based on race, sex, age, national origin, religion, pregnancy, disability, sexual and racial harassment, violations of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), claims for unpaid wages and overtime under the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) and state law, claims for wrongful discharge and retaliation for exercising protected employee rights, employment-related tort claims, and workers' compensation claims. He also has extensive experience in drafting employment contracts and separation/severance agreements, auditing employee handbooks, advising clients on day-to-day employee relations matters, investigating and responding to EEOC, DOL, NLRB, and OSHA charges and other government agency complaints, assisting in management's response to union organizing campaigns, representing management in grievance arbitration under collective bargaining agreements, conducting client seminars on current labor and employment law topics such as effective handling of employee relations issues, union avoidance, required sexual harassment and Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) compliance training for supervisors, and FMLA compliance. Mr. Cavagnaro earned his B.B.A. degree, cum laude, and his J.D. degree, with honors, from the University of Memphis.

GLENN A. DUHL is a principal in Zangari Cohn Cuthbertson Duhl & Grello P.C., representing management in employment law and litigation. He is an experienced litigator who represents his clients in trials before federal and state court judges, juries, administrative and arbitration proceedings. Representative matters include breach of contract, wrongful termination, discrimination, defamation, trade secret misappropriation, restrictive covenants, wage and hour, harassment and class action defense. Mr. Duhl also advises clients on litigation-avoidance strategies and techniques in complex and highly sensitive disputes. He previously served as an adjunct professor in moot court and trial advocacy at UCONN Law School and taught advanced employment law at the University of Hartford. Mr. Duhl is licensed in Connecticut, New York, Massachusetts and Louisiana. He earned his B.A. degree from Wesleyan University and his J.D. degree from Tulane Law School.

SUSAN RICHARDS SALEN is a shareholder and chair of the Employment Law Practice Group of Rees Broome, PC. Ms. Salen has been practicing law for more than 30 years. She represents clients in corporate and employment related disputes in Virginia State courts of Fairfax County, Arlington County, Loudoun County and the city of Alexandria and in the U.S. District Courts for the Eastern District of Virginia, Alexandria Division and before federal and state agencies such as the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, Department of Labor and local employment and wage and hour commissions. Ms. Salen also represents clients in the state and federal courts of the District of Columbia and Maryland. In her corporate practice, she advises clients with respect to business formation issues, buy-sell agreements, and sales and purchase acquisition. Ms. Salen is admitted to practice in Virginia, Maryland and the District of Columbia. She earned her B.A. degree from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and her J.D. degree from George Washington University School of Law.