Legal & Risk Management Summit

Light breakfast will be provided.

Most employment law risk does not arrive labeled as a legal problem. It arrives through an everyday workplace interaction. A complaint, accommodation request, performance issue, leave situation, or difficult conversation can quickly create legal exposure depending on how HR and managers respond.

Rather than asking, “What's wrong with this employee?” or concluding, “This employee is a liability,” this session examines recurring workplace personas and situations that should prompt HR to recognize risk, slow down, and respond thoughtfully. Through humor and practical examples, participants will learn to identify warning signs, avoid reactions that can escalate disputes, and guide managers toward decisions that are consistent and defensible.

Mental health-related accommodation requests can present some of the most nuanced challenges HR professionals face. Anxiety, depression, PTSD, ADHD, and stress-related conditions can intersect with attendance, performance, conduct, communication, and workplace relationships, making it difficult to determine where legal obligations begin and practical solutions fit.

This session will explore the ADA accommodation process through realistic workplace situations, including remote work and schedule flexibility, documentation and privacy boundaries, and requests involving interpersonal conflict. Participants will also examine the ADA-FMLA intersection, manager responsibilities for recognizing potential accommodation triggers, and considerations for public sector and unionized workplaces.

Intermittent leave can create difficult questions around attendance, documentation, scheduling, operational needs, and perceptions of fairness. Building on Part 1, this focused session will examine practical approaches to administering intermittent leave when mental health conditions or disabilities affect an employee’s ability to work consistently.

Participants will explore the intersection of ADA accommodations and FMLA leave, managing attendance policies, responding to changing or unpredictable leave needs, and maintaining appropriate documentation. The session will also address manager communication and coworker concerns while reinforcing the importance of confidentiality and consistent processes.

Political and social issues increasingly show up in the workplace, creating complex challenges for HR leaders navigating employee expression, organizational values, workplace policies, and legal risk.

This session explores HR’s role when differing beliefs and perspectives create tension at work. Through practical examples, participants will examine how to respond consistently, distinguish protected activity from conduct that may require intervention, and support a respectful workplace without unnecessarily escalating conflict. Attendees will leave better prepared to guide leaders, evaluate workplace situations objectively, and make thoughtful decisions in an increasingly politicized environment.

Over lunch, enjoy a discussion about how experienced professionals have navigated workplace crises.

When a workplace crisis unfolds, HR, Legal, and Public Relations must move quickly, but competing priorities can complicate the response. This session explores how these functions can work together to manage employee concerns, legal exposure, internal communications, and public reputation. Through practical workplace scenarios, participants will examine roles, decision points, and communication strategies that support a coordinated response. Attendees will leave better prepared to establish clear protocols before a crisis occurs and collaborate effectively when the stakes are high.

When an employment claim turns into a lawsuit, HR often finds itself at the center of the response effort. This session provides guidance to prepare professionals for navigating the litigation process from the employer's perspective. Participants will learn what happens after a complaint is filed, how to preserve and gather critical documents, when and how legal counsel becomes involved, and the factors that influence decisions around settlement, arbitration, mediation, and trial. The session will also cover releases and waivers, evidentiary requirements, burden of proof standards, and the important role HR plays in supporting a defensible legal strategy while minimizing organizational risk.

As AI becomes embedded in recruiting, performance management, workforce analytics, and other HR practices, the opportunities come with significant legal and ethical risks. This session will help HR leaders navigate the evolving landscape of AI governance, bias, privacy, and litigation exposure. Participants will explore where risk can emerge across the employment lifecycle and what HR should consider when selecting, implementing, and overseeing AI-enabled tools. With a practical focus on governance and accountability, this session will equip HR professionals to ask better questions and strengthen internal safeguards.