Ballard Spahr's Sixth Annual SLC Fall Employment Law Seminar

Ballard Spahr's Sixth Annual SLC Fall Employment Law Seminar

Please join us for an in-depth morning program focused on core issues and developments in labor and employment law. A continental breakfast and lunch will be provided, with opportunities to network and share experiences with your colleagues.

Employment Law Update
Steven W. Suflas, Ballard Spahr
This presentation will review the past year's labor and employment law developments in the courts and agencies, focusing on those most significant for Utah-based employers.

The Orwellian Age: Big Brother and Workplace Privacy
John G. Kerkorian, Ballard Spahr
Technology increasingly allows employers to monitor many aspects of employee behavior, both in and out of the workplace. And with a more competitive marketplace, leaner workforces, and potentially significant liability for employee missteps, many businesses have good reason to do so. But where does an employer’s right to enforce its conduct and productivity standards end, and an employee’s right to privacy begin? In this session, we will explore topics such as drug and alcohol testing, social media postings, background and credit checks, internet and email use, GPS monitoring, and employee activities outside the work environment. This session will focus on legal and practical tips to help keep businesses on the right side of this controversial and rapidly developing area of the law.
 
Elementary, Watson! Practical Tips and Pitfalls for Workplace Investigations
Jason D. Boren, Ballard Spahr and Emily Wegener, PacifiCorp
Sooner or later, every employer will face the need to investigate one or more of its employees. Knowing when and how to perform an investigation are two critical components for employers to avoid litigation and other problems regarding workplace misconduct. In this session, we will discuss best practices, tips, and strategies for handling workplace investigations that will help you sort out your workplace problems quickly and effectively, and help you avoid pitfalls down the road. 

Pay Me Now or Pay Me Later – Avoiding Wage & Hour Lawsuits
Denise M. Keyser, Ballard Spahr
Wage and hour compliance and lawsuits continue to be one of the leading concerns for HR professionals. Challenges faced by HR in the wage and hour arena include misclassification of exemptions, preliminary and postliminary activities, meal breaks, compensatory time, and calculating the regular rate, among others. In this session, we will talk about key steps to avoid and successfully defend wage and hour litigation by focusing on lessons learned from recent cases and from your most pressing questions. 

Discrimination & Harassment – At Least 10 Things Every HR Professional Should Know (and Do!)
Steven W. Suflas, Ballard Spahr
HR professionals have been dealing with workplace harassment and discrimination issues for years. But the legal landscape is changing, with aggressive administrative agency initiatives and creative new legal theories from plaintiffs’ lawyers. This program will highlight cutting edge issues that should be in the forefront of the thinking of HR professionals, with some reminders about familiar issues that should not be overlooked.
 
Why 401(k) / 403(b) Plan Sponsors Are Being Sued and What Employers Can Do to Avoid Being a Target of Class Action Claims
Diane A. Thompson, Ballard Spahr
Class action lawsuits are being filed by the dozens alleging that employer-plan sponsors of retirement savings plans such as 401(k) and 403(b) plans have breached their fiduciary duties by mismanaging investment choices and vendor relationships to the detriment of employees. HR personnel and other company executives who manage these plans are often named personally in these lawsuits. This presentation will focus on what the most current practice standards are for plan sponsors and fiduciaries and best practices to avoid being the target of these class action suits.