Agenda / Content Covered

All times are shown in Eastern time.

1. Disciplining and Firing Employees on Leave: Avoiding Legal Landmines
   11:00 - 12:00, Keely Jac Collins
   1. ADA, FMLA and Workers' Comp Pitfalls to Avoid
   2. Handling Performance Issues and Evaluations
   3. Strategies for Addressing Leave Abuse
   4. Guidelines for Disciplining Disabled or Injured Employees
   5. Best Practices for Creating Legally Defensible Documentation and Policies
   6. How to Terminate Employees on Leave: Legal Essentials
   7. Timing Considerations
   8. 2021 Case Law Update
2. Managing Mental Health Issues in the Workplace
   12:00 - 12:30, Keely Jac Collins
   1. Protected Mental Impairments: What Are They?
   2. Privacy Rights and Right to Accommodations Issues
   3. Policies, Procedures and Documentation Best Practices
   4. Addressing Behavioral and Performance Issues: Tips and Liability Considerations
   5. Disciplining and Firing Employees With Mental Illnesses: Legal Best Practices
   6. The Direct Threat Defense
   7. Litigation Strategies
3. Creating and Implementing Performance Improvement Plans (PIPs)
   12:45 - 1:15, Keely Jac Collins
   1. PIPs - When to Use Them, and What They Should Contain
   2. Specifying the Problem Behavior
   3. Issuing Warnings: What You Need to Know
   4. Following Up: Why It Matters
   5. PIP Do's and Don'ts: With Example Documents
4. When the Problem Employee is a Member of a Protected Class
   1:15 - 2:00, Jennifer A. Corso
   1. Discrimination Laws - Recent Developments
   2. Disciplining or Terminating Older Employees: Essential Guidelines
   3. Preventing Sex or Pregnancy Discrimination Allegations: Ensuring Legal Best Practices
   4. Race, Gender Identity, Sexual Orientation and Religious Discrimination Concerns
   5. Legal Best Practices for Preventing Retaliation Claims
   6. EEOC Litigation Trends
5. Strategies for Addressing Workplace Harassment and Bullying
   2:30 - 3:15, Thomas J. Mew
   1. Recent Legislative Efforts and Litigation Trends
   2. Addressing Hostile Work Environment and Harassment Issues
   3. Legal Best Practices for Creating and Updating Bullying Policies: With Examples
   4. Strategies for Addressing Bullying in the Workplace
   5. Conducting a Workplace Investigation: How to Do It Right
   6. When the Problem is a High-Impact Player
   7. Avoiding Claims of Intentional Infliction of Emotional Distress
6. Employees Gone Wild: Marijuana Use, Social Media and More
   3:15 - 4:00, Thomas J. Mew
   1. Social Media Use at the Workplace
   2. Employee Misuse vs. Protected Use of Social Media
   3. Handling Social Media Posts About the Company
   4. Alcohol, Medical Marijuana and Drug Use: What You Need to Know NOW
   5. Preventing Violence in the Workplace: Key Steps to Take
   6. Political Activity and Speech: Differentiating Permitted vs. Unpermitted Behaviors
   7. Disciplining Employees for Off-Duty Conduct
7. Top Mistakes That Lead to Legal Troubles
   4:15 - 5:00, Jennifer A. Corso
   1. Criminal Background Checks - Recent Legal Developments
   2. Employee Handbooks and Policies: Do's, Don'ts and Sample Language
   3. Failing to Detect or Address Problem Behavior
   4. Documentation: Common Oversights
   5. Errors in Evaluating, Disciplining and Firing Problem Employees
8. Ethical Considerations
   5:00 - 6:00, Timothy E. Cowans
   1. Conflicts of Interest
   2. Preserving Attorney-Client Privilege
   3. Attorneys' Fees
   4. Appropriate Client Communications

Accreditation Details:

JENNIFER A. CORSO is an attorney at The Law Office of Jennifer A. Corso, LLC. Ms. Corso has more than 20 years of experience representing management in employment and labor law, and is certified by the Ohio State Bar Association as a specialist in labor and employment law. She has written several articles and spoken at numerous seminars and to community business groups on employment law topics. Ms. Corso is licensed to practice before all courts in the state of Ohio and the U.S. Federal Court in the Northern District of Ohio. She earned her B.S. degree from Eastern Michigan University and her J.D. degree from Cleveland-Marshall College of Law.

TIMOTHY E. COWANS is a partner with the law firm of Scott Scriven LLP, where he practices in the areas of employment law and workers' compensation defense. Mr. Cowans is a frequent speaker and author on employment law and workers' compensation law issues. He was in the first group of lawyers certified as a workers' compensation specialist by the Ohio State Bar Association. He has also been named an Ohio Super Lawyer in the labor and employment law area. Mr. Cowans is a member of the Columbus and Ohio State bar associations, serving as a member of the Workers' Compensation committees. He earned his B.A. degree, summa cum laude, from Ohio Dominican University, graduating first in his class. Mr. Cowans earned his J.D. degree, with honors, from Ohio State University.

KEELY JAC COLLINS, Esquire, LL.M., is a partner with Elarbee, Thompson, Sapp & Wilson LLP. As both counselor and advocate for businesses large and small across all sectors, unionized and non-unionized, she takes a practical approach to advising and advocating for businesses nationwide. Both small family businesses and corporate boards of directors have benefited from her attention to the details of law and business, creative solutions, and zealous advocacy for businesses in negotiations before numerous administrative agencies, and in all levels of state and federal court. As an experienced collaborator with large organizations' in-house counsel and general and employment counsel, she is trusted by other attorneys to strengthen the value they offer to the organizations they serve. Ms. Collins holds an LL.M. degree in tax with a specialization in employee benefits from Villanova University School of Law and she earned her J.D. degree from Widener University School of Law.

THOMAS J. MEW is a partner with Buckley Beal LLP, where he practices a broad range of employment law matters including both individual and class action wage and hour, discrimination and harassment litigation, as well as in arbitration and mediation. He also is an advisor on employment contracts, releases, and restrictive covenant issues. Mr. Mew is the co-author of Georgia Motion Practice, a guide to civil motion practice in Georgia's trial and appellate courts; and the co-author of Georgia Employment Law. He has litigated in state and federal courts at both trial and appellate levels, including the United States Supreme Court. Mr. Mew earned his J.D. degree from the University of Georgia, School of Law.