Navigating Employee Leave: How to Comply with the Law and Keep Your Business Afloat

Thursday, November 2, 2017

Approved for 1.25 SHRM PDC's & HRCI credits

TOPIC:  "Navigating Employee Leave: How to Comply with the Law and Keep Your Business Afloat"

One of the toughest aspects for Human Resources professionals is dealing with the prospect of what to do when an employee requests leave. The various state and federal laws provide for employee leave, which often overlap in coverage, but diverge in application.  The intersection of the ADA, FMLA, worker’s compensation, state discrimination laws on accommodation, are complicated.  Add in the employer’s policies to the mix and it gets really complex.

This program is also intended to help HR understand how to comply with the law, but to do so in a way that minimizes the impact on your business as much as possible.  Knowing the applicable law is important, but so is keeping your business moving in an efficient manner.  We will help teach you to understand how to work within the confines of the law, but also taking into account business needs and following internal policies.

This program reviews the nuts and bolts, as well as the thornier nuances, of the key leave laws in Massachusetts and New Hampshire —including the Family and Medical Leave Act, Americans with Disabilities Act, Massachusetts Earned Sick Time Law, Massachusetts Domestic Violence Act, Massachusetts Parental Leave, and Massachusetts’ anti-discrimination law (Chapter 151B).  New Hampshire’s RSA 354-A, maternity leave law, and other leaves will be addressed.  After establishing the basics, the program examines what constitutes reasonable accommodations and dissects the employer-employee interactive dialogue process. We will also analyze the evolving nature of accommodations for pregnant workers, the unique nature of psychiatric disabilities, and trends on the horizon, including pending legislation. Hypotheticals based on real scenarios bring the concepts and law to life.

Our Speaker: Richard S. Loftus

Richard S. Loftus is an attorney with Hirsch Roberts Weinstein LLP. His practice includes advising employers helping them navigate an increasingly complex universe of employment laws and regulations to help minimize their exposure to risk. His experience includes advising a wide range of entities on subjects such as wage and hour compliance, Family and Medical Leave and the Massachusetts Sick Leave law, antidiscrimination laws at both the federal and state level, employment contracts, restrictive covenants and noncompetition agreements, and other employment-related issues. He also focuses his practice on litigating matters at the trial, appellate, and administrative levels. His litigation experience includes employment discrimination cases, wage and hour matters, commercial litigation, intellectual property infringement, internal corporate disputes, civil rights claims, and contractual disputes between companies. Mr. Loftus has authored articles and presented on many different topics in both employment law and litigation matters, including several chapters in Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education publications such as “Common Law Torts in the Employment Context” for the Massachusetts Employment Law, MCLE 2015 Edition, and “Oral Advocacy” for the upcoming 2017 edition of the Massachusetts Superior Court Civil Practice Manual. He was named a Massachusetts Super Lawyer – Rising Star, 2013-present. Mr. Loftus received his B.A. degree, cum laude, from Boston College and earned his J.D. degree, magna cum laude, from Indiana University Maurer School of Law. He is admitted in the state and federal courts of both Massachusetts and New Hampshire. 

Our Sponsor:

Landmark Benefits is among the most prominent employee benefit companies providing health, dental, and disability insurance to clients throughout New England. As a licensed consulting and brokerage firm, the team at Landmark Benefits specializes in the design and implementation of employee benefits programs, while delivering excellence in our daily responsibilities. Clients of Landmark Benefits enjoy several complimentary services to include, but not limited to, online employee benefit management, human resource consulting, compliance management, enrollment services, wellness programs, and much more. 

To learn more about Landmark Benefits, please visit our website at www.LandmarkBenefits.com.

Be sure to bring some $CASH$ for our raffle to benefit the SHRM Foundation!

Raffle ticket prices

         $2.00 each, 3 for $5.00 and 7 for $10.00.

Prizes include  Wine Baskets, Amazon Echo & Gift Cards 

8:00 AM - 8:30 AM Check-In & Networking
8:30 AM - 8:45 AM Welcome New Members & Guests

8:45 AM - 9:00 AM Chapter Business / Legislative Update
9:00 AM - 9:10 AM Sponsor
9:10 AM -10:30 AM Program

LOCATION: Elder Services of the Merrimack Valley,
280 Merrimack St, 4^th Floor, Suite 400, Lawrence, MA, (Entrance North B) 
Please be sure to park in the spaces that are marked in yellow (these are further back toward the river).  Parking in the reserved spaces marked in white may result in your car being towed - Thank you for your cooperation.

More information and online registration:

*Join GMVRA’s LinkedIn group to share knowledge with your HR colleagues*

For more information:

Contact: Carolyn Foster
Phone: 603-489-9535
Email:  alwayscarolyn@gmail.com