Fall Conference- Legal Update

LSHRM Fall Legal Update Conference at IU-13 Training Center
Friday, September 20th, 2024
7:45 am – 4 pm

Lancaster SHRM’S 2024 Fall Legal Update will provide a comprehensive overview of today’s hot legal topics impacting employers. Attendees will leave with the tools and know-how to ensure their organizations remain compliant with federal and state employment laws, in this ever-changing legal landscape.

Approved for 5.25 credit hours

Session 1: The Presidential Election, the Middle East Conflict, and More with Jonathan Segal

Employees are increasingly vocal at work about contentious issues that reside primarily outside of work. As a practical matter, employers cannot prohibit these discussions. As a legal risk, there are risks in trying to ban them. By way of a series of hypotheticals, we will discuss how HR can navigate legal and cultural issues in responding to contentious workplace discussions. The hypotheticals also will discuss how HR should address personal social media activity independent of work, but which may impact the workplace.

Learning Objectives:
1. Developing criteria for and content of corporate communications on societal issues.
2. Establishing parameters for appropriate and inappropriate speech by employees on broader societal issues.
3. Understanding the practical considerations of HR engaging in advocacy.

Jonathan A. Segal is a partner at Duane Morris LLP in the Employment, Labor, Benefits and Immigration Practice Group. He is also the managing principal of the Duane Morris Institute. The Duane Morris Institute provides training for human resource professionals, in-house counsel, benefits administrators and managers at Duane Morris, at client sites and by way of webinars on myriad employment, labor, benefits and immigration matters. Previously a litigator, Jonathan’s practice now focuses almost entirely on helping employers meet their business objectives or missions by minimizing legal risk, maximizing compliance and focusing on relationship with business objectives or mission and legal requirements or restrictions.

Session 2: FLSA (Fair Labor Standards Act) and Medical Marijuana Update with Kathy Speaker MacNett

In this timely session, Kathy will primarily discuss changes in federal wage and hour law effective July 1, 2024 and further increases effective January 1, 2025 regarding the salary threshold for overtime exempt employees in the Executive, Administrative, and Professional categories, and Highly Compensated employees.  Other updates will include the status of the FTC Regulation banning most non-competes, the applicability of injections to curb the application of that rule, and the new Pennsylvania law on non-competes for health care practitioners. Lastly, she will review legal aspects of marijuana in the workplace.

Learning objectives: as a result of this program, attendees will be able to:
1. Understand legal changes in wage and hour law and non-competes
2. Avoid non-compliance with federal wage and hour law, and plan for limitations on non-competes with options to protect sensitive business information
3. Discuss workplace considerations regarding medical marijuana

Kathy Speaker MacNett focuses her practice on assisting businesses with the burgeoning web of labor/employment laws/regulations and audits, and related legislative and regulatory developments. Her practice combines practical preventive approaches to labor relations matters and representation of employers before federal and state administrative agencies and courts. Kathy utilizes her personal experience in the legislative, executive, and judicial branches of state government to gain effective results for her clients. She represents public and private sector employers in a wide range of labor and employment law matters including wage and hour compliance (both state and federal), workers’ and unemployment compensation, FMLA, prevailing wage disputes, discrimination complaints, restrictive covenant enforcement, handbook and policy preparation, unfair labor practices, union organizational defenses, collective bargaining negotiations, strikes, injunction and contempt proceedings.

Prior to joining Mette, Evans Woodside, Kathy was a managing member at Skarlatos Zonarich LLC; a shareholder with the Harrisburg office of Buchanan Ingersoll, P.C. and associated with the law firm of Baskin, Flaherty, Elliott & Beren. She also served as the Research Director to the Labor Relations Committee, Pennsylvania House of Representatives, clerk to the late Pennsylvania Supreme Court Justice, Honorable Roy Wilkinson, and Assistant Counsel to the Pennsylvania Labor Relations Board..

Session 3: 2024 Legal Trends in Technology: What HR Needs to Know with Brandon Harter

Generative AI continues to be among the hot button issues for businesses of all shapes and sizes. Come for an update on recent changes in the legal/technology landscape, including real world examples and strategies that you can use to help navigate this new content.

Brandon Harter is a tech-savvy attorney and the founder of Lancaster Tech Law PLLC. With extensive experience in civil litigation, he serves as a discovery master for Lancaster County courts and holds leadership roles in the Lancaster Bar Association. Recognized for his contributions, he received the 2022 Community Partner Appreciation Award and was named an eDiscovery Rising Star by Super Lawyers. Brandon regularly presents before attorney and community groups alike on issues where the law intersects with technology. A lifelong computer enthusiast and avid gamer, Brandon is known for his “tech aura” that seemingly resolves tech issues just by his presence.

Session 4: Handbook “Jeoparty” with Angela Sanders and Caitlin Donahue

Join us for a fun and exciting episode of Handbook Jeoparty! In this episode, we will review the top updates that employers should make to their Handbooks to prepare for 2025. The presentation will include an overview of recent changes in employment law that impact Handbooks, and best practices for employment policies. Audience members will compete for a chance to play final Jeoparty!

Angela Sanders is a Principal in Post & Schell’s Employment and Labor Group. She provides proactive counseling to employers on employment, labor, and workplace safety issues. Angela provides practical advice and guidance to help employers achieve their business objectives, mitigate risk, and keep their HR Professionals from going off the deep end. She assists employers with business and employment contracts, handbooks and personnel policies, manager and employee training, and safety planning. Angela also represents employers in litigation matters in state and federal court and before various administrative agencies.

Caitlin Donahue is an Associate in Post & Schell’s Employment and Labor Group. She counsels employers on a wide range of employment topics, including wage and hour issues, FMLA compliance, harassment and discrimination, employee handbooks, policy development, and employee training. Caitlin’s past experience in workers compensation defense helps her to provide practical advice on the intersection of workers compensation and disability issues. Caitlin defends employers in employment-related litigation matters and administrative agency charges.

Ticket sales end: Monday 9/16/2024