Event Details

2018 Employment Law Update and Hot Topics

Jennifer Jauffret and Lori Brewington

Richards, Layton & Finger, P.A. 

Christiana Hilton

April 10, 2018

Breakfast Presentation at 7:30 AM

Approved for 1.25 SHRM Certification Credits and HR Certification Institute Credits

Human Resources professionals and business manager - flag this as a 'must attend" training!

This presentation provides the information you need to stay informed about the latest legislative issues pending at the federal and state level and cover compliance and regulatory issues that affect how you should conduct day-to-day business.

Understanding relevant and legislation is one of the keys to successfully operating a business.  However, staying up to date on current issues in employment law and labor law can be a challenge in the today's rapidly changing working environment.  And with the start of 2018, there are no shortage of changes to take into consideration. 

Jennifer Jauffret and Lori Brewington are attorneys at Richards, Layton & Finger, Delaware's largest law firm.  Award-winning employment lawyers, they represent a wide variety of business clients in their labor and employment matters in Delaware and neighboring states.  Jennifer and Lori provide customized solutions to the many issues that arise in workplace relationships.  They focus on helping employers prevent and reduce exposure to lawsuits, they regularly train both managers and employees regarding compliance with evolving employment laws.

Topics to be discussed:

• Transgender Protections

• Workplace Harassment - #MeToo Movement

• Joint Employment

• Proposed FLSA Overtime Rule

• Greater Deference to Handbook Policies

• OSHA Rules and Drug Testing Policies

• DOL Set to Review FMLA Forms

• ADA

• EEOC Statistics and Strategic Plan for FY2018 – FY2022

• Marijuana in the Workplace - Delaware

• Paid Leave - Federal & State

• Delaware’s Proposed Minimum Wage Bill (S.A. No. 3 to S.B. No. 10)

• Pay Equity Laws

• Delaware Equal Rights Amendment (H.B. 299)

• ADEA 

Lori Brewington represents a wide variety of corporate and business clients in labor and employment issues, as well as intellectual property and commercial disputes, in Delaware and Pennsylvania. A member of the Litigation Department and the Labor and Employment Group, her practice includes appearances before state and federal agencies and courts.

Lori provides employment advice on major corporate transactions and on general issues such as noncompete agreements and discipline/termination situations. She trains both managers and employees regarding compliance with employment laws. Lori devotes a large portion of her practice to assisting clients before the EEOC and the Delaware Department of Labor and in federal and state courts with regard to disputes involving hiring practices, wrongful discharge, whistleblowing, family leave, disability leave, and wage and hour claims, as well as state and federal discrimination claims. Prior to her career in the legal profession, Lori worked in the area of human resources in the banking industry.

Born and raised in Delaware, Lori devotes significant time to providing legal advice to Delaware nonprofit agencies. She also serves as a guardian ad litem in family court to neglected and abused children through the firm’s partnership with the Office of the Child Advocate.

Experience

• Represents employers in all types of litigation and administrative proceedings

• Advises employers with regard to avoiding employment claims

• Prosecutes and enforces non-competes and other restrictive covenants

• Conducts all phases of discovery, orders to show cause, injunctive relief, motions to dismiss, summary judgment motion practice, bench and jury trials

• Prepares separation packages, confidentiality/non-compete agreements

• Drafts anti-discrimination, anti-bullying, dress code, and other personnel-related policies

• Assists clients with internal investigations, wage and hour reviews, employment practices audits, and formulation of accommodations and strategies for compliance with federal leave laws

Jennifer Jauffret is head of the firm’s Labor and Employment Group. She represents a wide variety of management clients in labor and employment issues in Delaware and neighboring states, including appearances before state and federal agencies and courts. Jennifer has experience litigating breach of restrictive covenant cases (including nondisclosure, noncompetition, and nonsolicitation restrictions) in the Delaware Court of Chancery, defending WARN Act and other employee claims in bankruptcy court, and defending clients before the EEOC, the Department of Labor, and in federal and state court with regard to Title VII, ADEA, ADA, FLSA, and FMLA claims, as well as related state law claims. Jennifer is also a certified mediator with the Superior Court of Delaware.

An integral part of Jennifer’s practice is helping employers prevent and reduce exposure to lawsuits. She provides employment advice on major corporate transactions and on general employee issues, such as noncompetition agreements and discipline/termination situations, and drafts employment agreements, separation agreements, noncompetition agreements, and employee handbooks. Jennifer trains both managers and employees regarding compliance with evolving employment laws.

Devoting significant time to her community, Jennifer’s pro bono work includes providing legal advice to Delaware nonprofit agencies, assisting domestic violence victims in obtaining protection from abuse orders, leading the firm’s Office of Child Advocate (OCA) volunteers, and working with OCA as a guardian for abused or neglected children.

Experience

• Local hospitals, healthcare offices, and medical billing companies: employment policies, employment agreements, union issues, discipline issues, FMLA advice, harassment investigations, wage and hour compliance

• Local manufacturing firms: discrimination defense, ADA accommodation advice, manager and employee compliance training, nonsolicitation agreements, general employment issues

• Global consulting and restructuring firm: restrictive covenant nonsolicitation and noncompete litigation in Delaware Court of Chancery

• Large national retailers and restaurants: WARN issues, noncompetition agreements, discrimination issues and suits

• Global technology company: employee class action defense re: WARN and severance benefits

• Senior executives: negotiation of employment and separation agreements

• Local businesses and non-profits: counseling on various HR issues, defending discrimination claims, preventative advice and training