The 2016 ASA Staffing Law Conference took place in April. Here's a look at the sessions. Note that staffing professionals who attended the conference have access to session recordings.
7:30 a.m.–6 p.m.
Registration Open
7:30–6 p.m.
Expo Open
7:30–9 a.m.
Continental Breakfast in the Expo
9–9:15 a.m.
Welcome and Opening Remarks
9:15–10:30 a.m.
The 2016 Elections: Implications for Business
Charlie Cook, editor and publisher, Cook Political Report, and political analyst for National Journal
Charlie Cook, who is widely regarded as one of the nation’s leading nonpartisan authorities on U.S. elections, is back by popular demand. Using polls, economic indicators, and historical data, Cook will examine the 2016 presidential and congressional elections, forecast the fortunes of each party, and offer strategic insights as to what the outcomes could mean for business.
10:30–11 a.m.
Break With Exhibitors
11 a.m.–12:15 p.m.
Is Temporary Staffing Bad for Workers? A Regulator’s View
David Weil, Ph.D., administrator, Wage and Hour Division, U.S. Department of Labor
In a book that has received wide attention from policy makers, top Obama administration official David Weil asserts that staffing and other forms of employment outsourcing, while good for businesses, have harmed workers. To fix the problem, he says, regulators should target the companies that use those services. In this session, Weil will explain why he believes labor outsourcing has led to higher rates of workplace injuries, increased noncompliance with labor and employment laws, and lower wages and benefits. Then, in a question-and-answer session, Weil and ASA senior counsel Ed Lenz will discuss some of the policy proposals the Obama administration is considering and examine their potential effect on the staffing industry.
12:15–1:30 p.m.
Networking Luncheon in the Expo
Sponsored by
1:30–2:45 p.m.
You Be the Judge─Top Staffing Cases From 2015–16
Eric H. Rumbaugh, Esq., partner, Michael Best & Friedrich LLP
Donald W. Schroeder, Esq., member, Mintz Levin Cohn Ferris Glovsky and Popeo PC
In this interactive session, leading staffing attorneys will plead their case to you, the audience. They will present facts and arguments from some of the most important staffing litigation from the past year and let you decide the outcome. See whether your verdicts are in line with those of the courts, and learn why these cases are important for your staffing business.
2:45–3:15 p.m.
Break With Exhibitors
3:15–4:30 p.m.
When Bad Things Happen to Good People—Effective Strategies for Handling Workplace Issues, Conducting Workplace Investigations With Clients, and Addressing the Media
Joel A. Klarreich, Esq., partner, Tannebaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP
Andrew W. Singer, Esq., partner, Tannebaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP
Jeanne Meserve, director of training, The Communication Center
As joint employers, staffing firms and clients have responsibilities to temporary employees. When something goes wrong, both employers must address the situation and work toward making sure it doesn’t happen again. Learn strategies for transforming the staffing firm–client relationship into a strategic partnership in which all parties work together to prevent bad things from happening and in which bad things that do happen are addressed in a timely and effective manner.
4:30–6 p.m.
Happy Hour in the Expo
The 2016 ASA Staffing Law Conference took place in April. Here's a look at the sessions. Note that staffing professionals who attended the conference have access to session recordings.
7:30 a.m.–12 noon
Registration Open
7:30 am–2 p.m.
Expo Open
7:30–9 a.m.
Continental Breakfast in the Expo
9–11 a.m.
ACA—What Staffing Firms Need to Know Now
Edward A. Lenz, Esq., American Staffing Association
Alden J. Bianchi, Esq., Mintz, Levin, Cohn, Ferris, Glovsky & Popeo P.C.
James A. Essey, CSP, TemPositions Group of Cos.
As staffing firms prepare to file their reports with the U.S. Internal Revenue Service regarding the full-time employees they had in 2015 and what, if any, health insurance coverage they were offered, much uncertainty still exists about compliance with the Affordable Care Act—such as when employer tax assessments will go out and how strictly the IRS will enforce the reporting and other rules. In this session, a panel of staffing industry experts will provide an update on the latest regulatory developments, including the status of the employer notices regarding employee tax subsidies and the nondiscrimination testing rules applicable to health insurance plans. The panel also will provide insights into how the ACA might be changed regardless of who wins the White House.
11–11:30 a.m.
Break With Exhibitors
11:30 a.m.–12:45 p.m.
All in the Family—Complying With State and Local Paid Leave Laws
Jennifer Painter, Esq., vice president and general counsel, On Assignment Inc.
Aarati Doddanna, Esq., CCEP, associate general counsel, Aerotek Inc.
Five states and more than 20 municipalities in the U.S. have laws on the books that require employers to provide paid sick time to their employees, and many other jurisdictions are considering similar measures. How can staffing firms keep up and comply with the myriad requirements? Learn from leading staffing attorneys about how they do it, and find out what additional paid leave laws can be expected.
12:45–2 p.m.
Networking Luncheon in the Expo
2–3:15 p.m.
Avoiding Costly Lawsuits—Is Arbitration the Answer?
David R. Ongaro, Esq., partner, Trial Practice Group, Ongaro PC
Garrett R. Ferencz, Esq., vice president, deputy general counsel, TrueBlue Inc.
Employment lawsuits are an employer’s worst nightmare—expensive, time-consuming, stressful, and highly disruptive to business. If done right, agreements to engage in arbitration, mediation, and other forms of “alternative dispute resolution” (ADR) can significantly mitigate these effects—including in the worst-case scenario involving employee class action lawsuits. But structuring ADR contracts that do the job and will hold up in court is not for amateurs. In this session, learn about recent U.S. Supreme Court rulings upholding ADR contracts and find out what an agreement must include to be enforceable.
3:15–3:30 p.m.
Closing Remarks
