2012 Public Sector Employment Law Conference - Registration Now Open!
This guest post was authored by Liebert Cassidy Whitmore
Registration is now open for the Annual Liebert Cassidy Whitmore Public Sector Employment Law Conference, which takes place February 2-3, 2012 at the Hyatt Regency, San Francisco. The conference is geared towards Public Agency Management and includes a variety of informative and entertaining presentations that offer practical lessons for success in the workplace.
Employment Law is an ever changing and exciting area of the law and the conference is designed to help participants learn and apply best practices. Some of the sessions include:
- Demystifying the FLSA: 15 Common Solutions To Unknown Problems
The complexity of the FLSA makes it easy for public employers to inadvertently violate the law. During this workshop, we will discuss the 15 most common problems we see and how to fix them. Do you have liability for your employees' use of cell phones and smart phones? Do you pay for comp time at the correct rate? Do you have to include holiday pay in the regular rate calculation? Do your overtime payments correspond to your FLSA workweeks? Find out why these questions are important to ensuring that your agency is complying with the FLSA. - Retirement Made Simple: FAQs and Town Hall Discussion
PERS, CERL, STRS, DB, DC, EMPC, and PEMHCA. Do you know what these letters mean? Come learn from our panel of experts, who will answer your public employee retirement related questions. In addition to answering questions, our experts will discuss the most frequently asked questions about making changes to retirement benefits. You will also learn about the latest retirement-related trends and pending legislative action. All retirement systems welcome, including CalPERS, '37 Act systems, and STRS. - Avoiding Difficult Conversations Is Riskier Than You Think
You have been there, and probably avoided it. And who wouldn't? Conversations about performance problems, workplace conflict, or personal hygiene issues aren't easy. Even everyday conversations with difficult co-workers are events that we all try to avoid. This is your chance to gain some insight into the dynamics of these interactions, your role in creating them and steps that can be taken to pull the conversations back from the brink of disaster. - When Johnny (or Janie) Comes Marching Home -- Hooray, Your Veterans Are Back...Now What?
Many public employees are also reserve military members or members of military families. This session will address frequently asked questions regarding the rights of military member - employees and the complex issues which can arise when a military member returns from active duty. Does an employee accrue vacation and sick leave while on military leave? What if the employee misses a promotional exam while he/she is on leave? What if the employee returns from active duty with a disability, such as PTSD? Can you require a returning veteran to submit to a fitness for duty exam? Can an employee use FMLA leave to assist a family member who is in the military? What about the CFRA? Grab your American flags and join us for a practical discussion regarding the laws and issues surrounding the employment of military members. - OMG! Did U C Her Facebook Post?!?! The Risks and Rewards of Accessing and Viewing Employees' Online Activities
Facebook, Twitter, Blogging - privacy and potential liability issues arising from employee social networking are becoming more prevalent in the workplace. This workshop will address not only ways to respond to inappropriate employee use of social networking media, but when employers can use this same media in hiring, investigations and discipline without running afoul of employee privacy rights and anti-discrimination laws. This workshop will discuss Social Media, Privacy Rights, and best practices for public agencies and their employees. - Wait, I Thought I Fired You! Challenging Unemployment Insurance Claims
This workshop addresses technical and strategic questions that may arise when employers receive notice that a terminated employee has filed an unemployment insurance claim. An award of benefits to a laid off employee is one thing, but why would benefits be granted to an individual who has been fired for misconduct? What defenses are available? How does the appeal process work? Are there ever hidden advantages to pursuing an appeal? Through interactive case studies, this workshop will answer these questions and more. Topics include eligibility issues, timelines and other procedural considerations, and strategies for dealing effectively with the administrative agencies involved in the unemployment insurance appeals process. - Free Speech - You Can't Say That, Or Can You?
An employee criticizes a supervisor on Facebook. An agency fires an employee over a You Tube video. An Association member verbally attacks a manager after a tense negotiating session. This interactive workshop will focus on a number of real-world scenarios that will help attendees navigate through several common free speech issues. Social media, tough economic conditions and other factors have all contributed to an increased tension between an employee's free speech rights and an agency's need to carry out its duties. Join us for a lively discussion of this very timely subject.
Register now and access the full brochure.
Also, follow us on Twitter and tweet with us using the hashtag #lcwac12. For questions regarding the upcoming annual conference, please send us an email or call 310.981.2000.
We hope you can join us and look forward to seeing you!
In two weeks, more than 1,000 California water district professionals will gather at 
