Employment and Labor

As California is starting to loosen COVID related restrictions, many companies will go back to working in-person.  Employers and employees alike may be questioning whether an employer can mandate employee COVID vaccinations.  This presentation will discuss both Federal and State authorities (including the ADA, Title VII, OSHA, and the California Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA)) that may provide guidance to employers considering implementing a mandatory vaccination program.

Join Jackson Lewis P.C. attorneys Natalie Nathanson and Joanne Lambert for an overview of the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021.  Discussion will include real-world examples, practical implications, and action items for employers regarding the following topics: 

• COBRA Premium Subsides - Don’t Get Bitten by COBRA
• Affordable Care Act Premium Tax Credit Expansion
• Changes to Limit for Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts
• Pension Plan Funding Stabilization
• Extension of Families First Coronavirus Response Act Tax Credit (Not Mandate)

Mitigating Contractor Misclassification and Joint Employment Risk

The legal landscape regarding misclassification of independent contractors and joint employment is constantly evolving.  As the independent contractor/joint employment tests change, in addition to the courts’ treatments of related issues, it is incumbent on employers to understand the potential risks of misclassifying individuals and/or engaging staffing agencies or other vendors that can create joint employment issues.  This presentation will also address best practices and common pitfalls when structuring work forces and drafting relevant contract language.  Lastly, the speakers will discuss the outlook for misclassification and joint employment issues under the new political landscape.

To RSVP for this event, click the registration button below.  To join in the webinar, use these Zoom login credentials:

https://accinhouse.zoom.us/j/95876027026?pwd=cldPU0pIcXhPUHY4VkVKdGF3cU01Zz09

Passcode: 249078

Recent social movements and events have brought issues of bias, equity, and inclusion from the newsroom into the workplace. Employers are faced with issues such as managing employees who express divergent views at work, and calls for a more inclusive company culture. Please join Jackson Lewis P.C. attorneys to discuss strategies for responding to calls for a more inclusive and equitable culture at work.

Topics to include:

• Topics that employees are talking about (e.g., George Floyd, Breonna Taylor, the Capitol insurrection, the second impeachment, D&I, etc.)
• What are employers to do if an employee is offended
• Is it okay to discuss these topics at work if organized by management or one-on-one; and
• Where do employers draw the line?

The presentation will discuss and provide information on how in-house lawyers can be the “architects” of a plan to rebuild employee enthusiasm, commitment, and responsiveness after a year of trauma and stress in the workplace. The main goals would be to instruct participants to:

• Design a blueprint for mindful communication with employees during post-Covid efforts;
• Use the right tools to create responsiveness and creativity; and
• Ethically rebuild trust in the workplace after months of stress and uncertainty

ACC Houston Half Day CLE Seminar: Employment Law 2021
What in-house counsel need to know in this pivotal year
April 29, 2021 | 1-5 PM | 3.50 Hours CLE Credit – Includes .50 Hours Ethics Credit (TX)
Sponsored by Hunton Andrews Kurth

Join top law firm and in-house counsel subject matter experts as we discuss the most important labor and employment law issues facing employers in 2021.  We will cover not only the legal but also the practical aspects of what all in-house counsel will want to know in this pivotal year.  Our topics will range from return to work/work from home issues to the latest changes in the law and expected hot legal issues in 2021.  CLE credit, ethics credit, and virtual networking time will be included.

Agenda:

Welcome and Introduction (5 min) – 1:00-1:05 PM CT

• Scott Nelson, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth – Event Moderator and Host
• Kim Pilcher, Executive Counsel, U.S. Labor & Employment Law, Exxon Mobil – Event Host

Session 1:  Returning to work, working from home, or some flexible combination?  Issues employers will need to address.  (45 min) – 1:05-1:50 PM CT

• Scott Nelson, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth – Moderator
• Kim Pilcher, Executive Counsel, U.S. Labor & Employment Law, Exxon Mobil
• David Comeaux, Chief Counsel - Employment and Benefits Law Group, McKesson Corporation
• Susan Wiltsie, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth
• Savannah Gibbs, Associate, Hunton Andrews Kurth

Session 2:  Hot Employment Law Issues in 2021 (60 min) – 1:50-2:50 PM CT

• Holly Williamson, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth – #metoo Returns to Work
• Michael Reed, Associate, Hunton Andrews Kurth – New Cannabis Laws and Drug Testing
• Latasha McDade, Senior Counsel, Exxon Mobil – Layoffs
• Marshall Horton, Associate, Hunton Andrews Kurth – Independent Contractor/Joint Employer Issues and the New Administration
• Victor Wright, Director, Global Labor & Employment Law, KBR Inc. – FLSA Collective Actions After the Recent Swales Ruling
• Crawford LeBouef, Associate, Hunton Andrews Kurth – The Future of Day Rate Pay in the Fifth Circuit

(10 min break) - 2:50-3:00 PM CT

Session 3:  The Rapid Rise in Employee Benefits Litigation and New Trends You Need to Know (20 min) – 3:00-3:20 PM CT

• Scott Nelson, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth
• John Shely, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth

Session 4:  Emerging Design Considerations in Executive Compensation:  Diversity & Inclusion, Human Capital, and Change of Control (20 min) – 3:20-3:40 PM CT

• Tony Eppert, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth
• Drake Frazier, Senior Counsel-Benefits and Data Privacy/Security, ConocoPhillips Company

Session 5:  Whether Unionized or Not, Traditional Labor Law Issues Facing All Workplaces (20 min) – 3:40-4:00 PM CT

• Amber Rogers, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth
• Alan Marcuis, Partner, Hunton Andrews Kurth
• Jennifer Jones, Managing Counsel – Labor & Employment Advocacy & Partnership (LEAP), Toyota

Session 6:  Privilege and Ethics Issues When Conducting Internal Employee Investigations (30 min – Ethics) – 4:00-4:30 PM CT

• Emily Burkhardt Vicente, Partner, Co-Chair Labor and Employment, Hunton Andrews Kurth
• Kevin White, Partner, Co-Chair Labor and Employment, Hunton Andrews Kurth
• Elizabeth Hawkins, General Counsel, SESCO

Session 7:  Social/Networking (30 min) – 4:30-5:00 PM CT

• Stay online and connected to participate in breakout rooms for networking and Q&A with other attendees and panelists.

Total time:  3.5 CLE hours (0.5 Ethics) with an additional 30 minutes of networking