Come away with practical tips to avoid costly and complex employee issues.

Would you know how to respond if one employee feels bullied by another’s religious beliefs and actions? Or what to do if you found pictures of an employee snow-skiing - who was out on leave for a medical condition? Or, how to respond when two of your employees start dating and break up? This topic is designed to help you navigate common and growing issues arising in the workplace. Focused on providing practical tips to avoid problems and prevent their escalation, the topics will include policies and tips to address dating in the workplace; preventing and responding to workplace bullying and other potential sources of harassment or violence; handling religious accommodations to avoid liability and maintain productivity; and handling issues that frequently arise when employees take leave under the FMLA or ADA.

Learning Objectives
  • You will be able to identify employee leave abuse.
  • You will be able to review legal implications of relationships in the workplace.
  • You will be able to discuss religious accommodations in the workplace.
  • You will be able to discuss workplace bullying.

Agenda
Relationships in the Workplace After #MeToo
  • Hypotheticals and Legal Implications
  • Policies
  • Discussion Tips
  • Love Contracts

Workplace Bullying
  • Legal Protections and When Bullying Becomes a Hostile Work Environment
  • Avoidance Through Policies
  • Avoidance Through Workplace Culture
  • Responding to Bullying Allegations
  • Dealing With Jerk Employees

Religious Accommodations in the Workplace
  • Hypotheticals and Legal Implications
  • Policies
  • Investigations and Culture Shifts
  • Undue Burden Discussion Tips

Employee Leave Abuse
  • Use or Abuse?
  • Knowing How to Handle Leaves Under the FMLA, ADA and COVID-19-Related Leave
  • Social Media and Employee Leave Investigations
  • What Happens When Leave Keeps Getting Extended?
  • Documenting Your Case of Abuse

Who should attend?

This live webinar is designed for human resource and benefits professionals, business owners and managers, administrators, directors, CFOs, controllers, accountants and attorneys.
In Partnership With Lorman Business Center, LLC



Your Instructor

Katherine A. Brooker
  • Trial senior associate in the Houston office of Baker Botts L.L.P.
  • Represents clients in a broad range of complex civil litigation matters, including labor and employment matters, construction litigation, corporate investigations, energy litigation, and products liability litigation; also counsels employers on a variety of issues, including terminations, reductions in force and reasonable accommodations
  • J.D. degree, with honors, The University of Texas School of Law; B.A. degree in political studies, with distinction, Queen’s University

Jennifer M. Trulock

Baker Botts L.L.P.

  • Partner at Baker Botts L.L.P. in Dallas, Texas
  • Chair of the Labor and Employment Practice Group
  • Counsels companies on how to manage workplace legal issues and prevent employment lawsuits; also is experienced in handling acquisition/divestiture employment issues, including due diligence, pre-merger planning and post-merger integration issues
  • Defends employers against claims of discrimination and harassment based on sex, race, disability, religion, age and national origin; wrongful discharge; wage and hour violations; breach of contract; breach of covenants not to compete; misappropriation of trade secrets; breach of fiduciary duty; and retaliation
  • Board Certified Labor and Employment Law, Texas Board of Legal Specialization
  • J.D. degree, cum laude, Georgetown University Law Center; B.A. degree, Vassar College