Agenda / Content Covered

All times are shown in Eastern time

1. NLRB and Labor Law Update
   10:00 - 10:30, Michael J. Progar
2. Interviewing, Hiring, and Firing: Legal Essentials
   10:30 - 11:30, Laura Johnson
   1. What Questions You Can - and Cannot - Ask
   2. Using AI in the Hiring Process: Top Considerations
   3. Impact of Virtual Interviews, Teleworking, and COVID-19 on the Hiring Process
   4. Documenting the Hiring Process: Why It Matters
   5. Best Practices for Terminating Employees
   6. Practical Guidance for Conducting the Exit Interview
3. What You Need to Know About Managing FMLA- and ADA-Related Leave
   11:45 - 12:45, Maury Nicely
   1. The Interplay of the FMLA, the ADA, and Workers' Comp
   2. Guidelines for Verifying Leave Requests
   3. Engaging in the Interactive Process
   4. Leave as an ADA Reasonable Accommodation
   5. Techniques for Investigating Leave Abuse
   6. Firing Employees on Leave: Ensuring Legal Best Practices
4. FLSA Guidance, Enforcement, and Litigation Update
   12:45 - 1:45, Michael J. Progar
   1. The Latest FLSA Guidance
   2. Exempt vs. Non-Exempt Employees: Recent Court Cases
   3. Calculating Travel Time
   4. Employee Classification and Independent Contractors - The Latest Developments
   5. Remote Work: Ensuring FLSA Compliance
   6. Employees Working in Different States: Top Considerations
5. Handling Sexual Harassment Claims
   2:15 - 3:00, Laura Johnson
   1. Key Laws Governing Discrimination and Harassment
   2. Defining - and Recognizing - Sexual Harassment
   3. Crafting, Updating, and Implementing Sexual Harassment Policies
   4. Investigating Sexual Harassment Claims: Legal Best Practices
   5. When Sexual Harassment Occurs: Key Steps to Take
6. Non-Compete, Non-Solicit, and Non-Disclosure Agreements: What You Need to Know
   3:15 - 4:00, Maury Nicely
   1. Enforceability - What the Courts Say
   2. Drafting Essentials
   3. Determining the Scope and Duration of the Agreements
   4. Language to Include - and to Avoid
   5. Examining Sample Non-Compete, Non-Solicit, and Non-Disclosure Agreements
7. Ethics
   4:00 - 5:00, Jeremy A. Stephenson
   1. Conflicts of Interest
   2. Rules of Professional Conduct
   3. Confidentiality
   4. Attorneys' Fees

Accreditation Details:

LAURA JOHNSON is a partner with Allen & Gooch in the firm's Lafayette, Louisiana office. Ms. Johnson focuses her practice on representing employers in state and federal court on a wide range of employment matters, including discrimination, retaliation, harassment, and wage and hour disputes. In addition to litigating employment matters, she provides counseling to employers on personnel policies and handbooks, disciplinary actions, terminations, and wage and hour law compliance. Ms. Johnson also practices in the areas of civil rights and municipal liability. She has handled cases involving 42 U.S.C. 1983, liability/immunity for acts or omissions of public officials and the entire range of employment-related claims against governmental employers, including sexual harassment and discrimination based on age, gender, race and/or disabilities. Ms. Johnson earned her B.A. degree from Centenary College of Louisiana and her J.D. degree, cum laude, from Louisiana State University.

MAURY NICELY is a member of Evans Harrison Hackett, PLLC, where he concentrates his practice in the areas of employment litigation, labor law, and general business litigation. He has addressed issues pertaining to all areas of labor and employment law in order to assist clients in preparing and maintaining employee records, making proactive decisions to prevent workplace issues from arising, and addressing formal complaints when they arise. Mr. Nicely is a member of the American, Tennessee, Chattanooga, and Federal bar associations, as well as the State Bar of Georgia. He is admitted to practice in Georgia and Tennessee State and Federal courts. Mr. Nicely earned his B.A. degree, magna cum laude, from Vanderbilt University, and his J.D. degree, cum laude, from the University of Georgia School of Law.

MICHAEL J. PROGAR is a partner and founding member of Doherty & Progar LLC, with nearly 40 years of experience in representing the interests of insurance companies, small businesses, and nonprofit organizations. As lead counsel, he has tried more than 50 jury trials to verdict. Mr. Progar practices primarily in the areas of personal injury, insurance coverage, fraud, excess liability, and bad faith. He is admitted to practice in the states of Wisconsin, Indiana and Illinois, and is a member of the Defense Research Institute, the CLM, and Wisconsin Defense Counsel. Mr. Progar received his B.A degree from the University of Notre Dame and his J.D. degree from DePaul University College of Law.

JEREMY A. STEPHENSON is an attorney with Wilson Elser, in Charlotte, North Carolina, where he provides counseling and litigation services to management clients in employment and related corporate matters. He has successfully defended employers before administrative agencies around the country, and the state and federal courts in North Carolina, against claims of employment discrimination, wrongful termination, breach of contract, wage and hour violations, non-compete agreements, trade secrets, and related business litigation. Mr. Stephenson regularly publishes articles and is invited to speak on topics of employment law, litigation and trial tactics, insurance law and corporate risk management topics He is a recent past president of the Charlotte Area Society of Human Resource Managers and is currently Government Affairs Director for NCSHRM. Mr. Stephenson has extensive experience providing insurance coverage counseling and litigation services on Employment Practices Liability Insurance (EPLI), Directors and Officers (D&O), General Liability (GL), Errors & Omissions (E&O), and other lines of coverage. He litigates in the state and federal courts of North Carolina in cases pertaining to professional liability, products liability and other areas of civil and corporate liability. Mr. Stephenson earned his B.A. degree from the University of Virginia and his J.D. degree from Loyola University Chicago School of Law.