Taft's Cincinnati Labor & Employment Law Annual Update

Registration: 8:30 a.m.
Seminar: 9:00 a.m. to 12:30 p.m.
Lunch will be served after the seminar.

There is no charge for this seminar. Approved for 3.25 hours of Ohio, Kentucky and Indiana CLE and general HRCI credit hours. Approved for 3.0 hours of Pennsylvania CLE credit.

Schedule:

9:00-9:20 a.m.
A Year of NLRB Developments
Speaker: Justin Flamm

This session explores the latest NLRB developments and trends in the union and non-union employer settings. Some of the latest decisions have expanded the scope of protected, concerted activity under the National Labor Relations Act. Justin will also discuss recent decisions that impact franchisees and joint employers, collective bargaining, and employers’ rights.

9:20-9:40 a.m.
Off the Clock – How Long Can Time Off Keep Ticking?
Speaker: Mark Stepaniak

One of the top issues employers confront day to day is employee time off. Just how long CAN someone be off work and how long is enough? Mark will also touch on essential functions, telecommuting and reasonable accommodations.

9:40-10:00 a.m.
Untangling the FMLA – Recent Cases, Tips, and Legislation
Speaker: Evan Priestle

Managing time, attendance and productivity is an ongoing task for any company. The leave and legal obligations under The Family Medical Leave Act can prove to be daunting for any covered employer. Evan Priestle will explore the year in review of FMLA cases; he will provide helpful tips for navigating the FMLA; and he will explain the proposed Family and Medical Leave Enhancement Act of 2014 introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives in February, which seeks to include certain school or community sponsored program participation by eligible employees.

10:00-10:20 a.m.
Criminal and Other Background Checks in Candidate Screening
Speaker: Greg Rogers

The use of background checks has for many years assisted employers to identify qualified candidates for positions while limiting the potential risks of criminal or other dishonest behavior in the workplace. The regulatory climate for employers to perform background checks, however, is changing. Greg Rogers will discuss the essentials of background checks, such as credit checks and criminal background checks. Further, Greg will review the EEOC’s guidance on and use of criminal background checks, the challenges to that guidance, and how to establish and implement a compliant criminal background check policy.

10:20-10:40 a.m.
Legalized and Medicinal Marijuana’s Potential Impact on the Workplace
Speaker: Janica Tucker

Employers, states, and other organizations have worked to implement effective drug-free workplace policies and programs.  But can such co-exist with the expansion of legalized and medicinal marijuana laws? Janica Tucker will help clear the cloud of confusion through a guided navigation of federal and state law relative to legalized and medicinal marijuana and its impact on drug-free workplace programs, workplace testing policies, reasonable accommodation, and workplace safety.

10:40-10:55 a.m.
Break

10:55-11:15 a.m.
White Collar Crime and Antitrust Issues in Employment Law
Speaker: Jeanne Cors

White collar crime is not a thing of the past, nor a deliciously salacious topic reserved for the silver screen. The implications of white collar crime in the employment context run deep in daily business while the debate over the severity of white-collar sentences continues. Jeanne Cors explores white collar crime in the workplace and offers tips for navigating the internal investigation and interactions with law enforcement. In addition, she will address hot topics in antitrust law, including the law addressing covenants not to compete and anti-poaching agreements.

11:15-11:35 a.m.
Psychological Injuries In Workers’ Compensation
Speaker: Sam Duran

Workers' Compensation claims for mental illness may be difficult to diagnose, but they are real in today's workplace. Handling psychological injury claims can be difficult to navigate, which means knowing what legally constitutes a compensable psychological injury, how to facilitate the employee’s return to work, and what documentation must occur along the way can make a significant difference. Sam Duran offers an insider’s look at these considerations – and offers what to do when all else fails to minimize the employer’s exposure.

11:35 a.m.-Noon
2014: The Year in Review 
Speaker: Doreen Canton

This presentation will review new developments and interesting recent cases interpreting and applying the range of employment laws.

Noon-12:30 p.m.
So You Think You Have a Case – A Plaintiff’s Lawyer’s Perspective
Guest Speaker: Mark Byrne, Jacobs Kleinman Seibel & McNally Co. LPA | Bio

What could we have done differently? Should we have known this might happen? Did we adequately address, document, or explain the issue? These may be questions you ask as an employer when a claim or charge is filed by a current or former employee. But what does that employee’s attorney look at when making the decision to represent him or her.  Mark Byrne, a highly respected plaintiff’s attorney, will provide some insider’s knowledge on what makes a plaintiff’s case attractive.

12:30–1:30 p.m.
Please join us for a complimentary lunch immediately following the seminar.

Questions? Contact Jessica Hamlin at jhamlin@taftlaw.com or (614) 334-6157.