Massachusetts Employment Law Summit

Employers and their HR departments are faced with a host of new issues and challenges. When you’re not navigating new state, federal, and local laws and making sure systems are in place to comply with them, you’re busy protecting your company from new risks in the modern workplace.

At this dynamic seminar, featuring Rachel Kaprielian, Regional Director of the US Department of Health and Human Services and past Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development, you will hear a range of perspectives on emerging and critical employment issues and best practices for handling them.

Topics

We encourage you to register now as space is limited.

Keynote Speaker

8:00 – Registration & Breakfast

 

8:25 – Introduction

 

Speaker: Donald Schroeder, Member, Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice, Mintz Levin

 

 

8:30 – How Government Agencies Address Labor & Employment Issues

In her keynote presentation, Rachel Kaprielian will focus on what her experiences as Massachusetts Secretary of Labor and Workforce Development and as Regional Director of the US Department of Health and Human Services have taught her about key trends in employment and labor regulations and what companies can do to ensure that they navigate the legal landscape successfully.

Speaker: Rachel Kaprielian, Regional Director, US Department of Health and Human Services; Past Secretary, Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

 

 

9:05 – Managing HR Compliance Issues Effectively

Staying on top of compliance is difficult when employment laws and regulations are constantly changing, yet administrative enforcement efforts grow more aggressive each year. Our panelists discuss strategies and best practices for HR departments to create nimble compliance programs and reduce exposure.

Moderator: H. Andrew Matzkin, Member, Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice, Mintz Levin   Speakers: Ann Lamson, Director, Human Resources, Homesite Insurance Company Elizabeth Holland, Co-founder, Courtagen Life Sciences Justin Sorrell, Associate General Counsel, Adecco Group

 

10:15 – Networking Break

 

10:30 – Complying with the Affordable Care Act

The Affordable Care Act’s “Employer Shared Responsibility” mandate requires large employers to either offer compliant coverage to full-time employees or risk a penalty. Although this mandate took effect January 1, 2015, many employers (and those who advise them) are realizing that the race to comply is a marathon, not a sprint, and we’re barely over the starting line. This panel will address 2015’s most pressing issues, including these questions and more:

• Does my company’s compliance methodology work?
• Can my company delay compliance using transition rules?
• How do I document the offer of coverage?
• What should we do to prepare for the 2016 reporting and disclosure requirements?

 

 

Speakers: Alden Bianchi, Member, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practices, Mintz Levin Patricia Moran, Of Counsel, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practices, Mintz Levin Richard Purtell, President and CEO, Premier Medical Staffing

 

11:30 – Lunch Served

 

12:00 (Working Lunch) – Privacy in the Workplace

In 2015, more than ever, data privacy and security issues will continue to infiltrate the workplace. Whether it’s BYOD, social media, securing the personal information of employees, or one of the many other related issues, employers must pay attention. This session will discuss best practices for addressing these issues.

Speakers: Cynthia Larose, Member, Privacy & Security Practice, Mintz Levin Gauri Punjabi, Associate, Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice, Mintz Levin Tricia Wood, Global Privacy Director, Office of Corporate Compliance, Liberty Mutual Insurance

 

 

1:00 – The State of Noncompetes

This presentation will discuss how to successfully manage all aspects of the noncompete process: tips on drafting noncompetes, hiring with noncompetes, defending against noncompetes, and bringing noncompetes.

Speaker: Bret Cohen, Member, Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice, Mintz Levin

 

Alden Bianchi, Member, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practices, Mintz Levin

Alden leads Mintz Levin’s Employee Benefits and Executive Compensation practices. He advises clients on a broad range of executive compensation and employee benefits issues. Alden is nationally recognized for his advice on the Affordable Care Act’s impact on employers. He represented the Romney administration in the 2006 Massachusetts health care reform act, and he has testified before the Senate Finance Committee on health care reform. He frequently writes and speaks about health care reform and authored a weekly blog series, ACA Countdown to Compliance: A 51-Week Series for Employers, on the firm’s Employment Matters blog.

Bret Cohen, Member, Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice,
Mintz Levin

Bret represents employers in labor and employment litigation, including claims arising under FLSA, Title VII, ADA, ADEA, Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 151B, and the Massachusetts Wage Act as well as state common law, breach of contract, wrongful termination, and defamation claims. He has extensive experience litigating noncompetition and nonsolicitation agreements and executive compensation agreements. Bret writes and lectures frequently on employment law issues, and has for a number of years served as a contributing author for the Employment Litigation chapter of the American Bar Association’s Annual Review of Developments in Business and Corporate Litigation.

Ann Lamson, Director, Human Resources,
Homesite Insurance Company

Ann is the Director of Human Resources at Homesite Insurance Company. She has over 20 years of in-depth experience, strategic human resources experience leading human resources teams and designing and implementing human resources programs and strategies to meet business objectives. Her experience includes work in the high tech, construction and professional services industries and she has BS degree in Industrial and Labor Relations from Cornell University.

Rachel Kaprielian, Regional Director, US Department of Health and Human Services; Past Secretary, Massachusetts Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development

Rachel Kaprielian is the Region I Regional Director for the US Department of Health and Human Services. Most recently, she served as Secretary of the Executive Office of Labor and Workforce Development. Earlier, Rachel was Registrar of the Massachusetts Registry of Motor Vehicles. In addition, she served for 14 years as representative for the 29th Middlesex District in the Massachusetts legislature, where she was recognized for leadership in areas including tobacco cessation and prevention policies, early intervention and care for children, and various human services initiatives, as well as job training and education measures. She holds a BA from College of the Holy Cross, a JD from Suffolk University, and an MPA from the John F. Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.

Elizabeth Holland, Co-founder,
Courtagen Life Sciences

Elizabeth is a co-founder of Courtagen Life Sciences, Inc. Elizabeth has over 20 years of experience in the role of Human Resource Business Partner. Elizabeth has been the human resource lead in several mergers, acquisitions and divestures. She has worked in the biotechnology industry since 1996 with drug discovery companies, genomic services and nucleic acid purification products, and companies developing automation platforms. In addition, Elizabeth has experience managing the areas of finance, marketing, corporate communications and web development.

Elizabeth graduated from Northeastern University and holds her Senior Professional Human Resources Certification (SPHR). She is a member of Northeast Human Resources Association (NEHRA) and the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). Elizabeth was a Chair at the Mass Biotechnology Company for ten years and is one of the founders of HRBiotech Connect, a group formed in 2006 to provide a forum for senior level human resource business partners to debate and discuss current issues, to provide support and guidance to members, and to share information on critical HR needs in this growing industry.

Cynthia Larose, Member, Privacy & Security Practice,
Mintz Levin

Cynthia leads Mintz Levin’s Privacy & Security Practice. She is a Certified Information Privacy Professional (CIPP). She provides comprehensive counsel to clients on managing their cybersecurity, including assisting with the drafting and implementation of privacy and information security policies and procedures and monitoring of privacy best practices across all levels of an enterprise. She also presents privacy awareness and compliance training seminars to client companies. Cynthia frequently speaks and writes about privacy issues, and she is the editor of Mintz Levin’s Privacy & Security Matters blog.

Justin Sorrell, Associate General Counsel,
Adecco Group

Justin Sorrell is an Associate General Counsel at Adecco Group North America. Adecco is one of the world's largest staffing companies, and in his role as Associate General Counsel, Justin both manages employment litigation and routinely provides HR guidance on effective strategies for reducing legal exposure. Because of his belief in strong relationships between employers and employees, Justin also devotes a significant portion of his time to strengthening policies and enabling clear communication with the workforce to avoid conflict and improve productivity and quality of life. Prior to joining Adecco, Justin was an Associate at Jackson Lewis P.C., a labor and employment boutique. Justin also has clerked for a federal judge and has experience working for both the Department of Labor and the National Labor Relations Board. Justin received his undergraduate degree from the University of Florida and his law degree from the College of William & Mary.

Patricia Moran, Of Counsel, Employee Benefits & Executive Compensation Practices, Mintz Levin

Patricia counsels and represents clients on employee benefits and compensation matters, including health and welfare plan issues such as the Affordable Care Act’s employer and insurance mandates, COBRA, HIPAA, wellness, and mental health parity. She also counsels clients on retirement plan matters, including 401(k) and 403(b) plan compliance. Patricia’s experience includes working with the US Department of Labor Employee Benefits Security Administration, practicing in the employee benefits departments of two prominent New York City law firms, and collaborating with the Harvard School of Public Health on various health policy research projects.

H. Andrew Matzkin, Member, Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice, Mintz Levin

Drew’s work primarily involves litigation and counseling on federal and state labor and employment issues, including discrimination, sexual harassment, leaves of absence, workplace health and safety, employment handbooks and contracts, and collective bargaining agreements. He has also defended employers against wage and hour class actions brought under the Fair Labor Standards Act and state wage and hour laws. In addition, Drew reviews employment handbooks and personnel policies, drafts employment agreements and noncompetition agreements, and regularly counsels employers regarding all aspects of environmental health and safety.

Richard Purtell, President and CEO, Premier Medical Staffing

Richard’s staffing companies have served prominent employers throughout the Northeast for 30 years. After founding his original staffing firm in 1985, Richard started Premier Medical Staffing, Inc. to provide nursing and other medical staff to long-term care facilities and hospitals. Richard also served as Director of Affiliated Staffing Group, a trade association of staffing companies in the United States and Canada, and in 2006 founded the Armed Forces Connection, which has partnered with organizations to place veterans in stable employment. Today, as a consultant, Richard provides advice on various aspects of the Affordable Care Act, risk management, and other compliance issues.

Gauri Punjabi, Associate, Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice, Mintz Levin

Gauri’s practice covers the full scope of employment law issues and encompasses a wide range of industries. She regularly represents clients in employment-related litigation, including discrimination claims, noncompete and trade secret issues, and employment contracts. In Massachusetts, Gauri has particular experience with Title VII, the Age Discrimination in Employment Act, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 151B. She counsels clients on matters involving employee terminations, workplace policies, exempt and nonexempt classification, wage and hour issues and audits, and affirmative action plans. In addition, Gauri has provided training on employment laws and workplace diversity.

Tricia Wood, Global Privacy Director, Office of Corporate Compliance, Liberty Mutual Insurance

Tricia is the Global Privacy Director at Liberty Mutual Insurance, a Fortune 100 company with operations in over 25 countries. Prior to this role, Tricia spent 7 years at Liberty Mutual as employment counsel and has over 15 years of management side employment counseling and litigation experience. Tricia obtained her law degree from Boston College and her undergraduate degree from the University of Southern California.

Donald Schroeder, Member, Employment, Labor & Benefits Practice, Mintz Levin

Don has extensive trial experience in state and federal courts representing Fortune 500 clients on a wide range of employment matters, including restrictive covenant litigation, wage and hour class actions, and single plaintiff discrimination cases. His trial experience includes federal and state court jury trials involving claims under Title VII, the Americans with Disabilities Act, Age Discrimination in Employment Act, and the Massachusetts antidiscrimination statute. In addition, Don handles traditional labor matters (management-side) for clients including but not limited to union avoidance training, unfair labor practice proceedings, union elections, mass picketing and 10(j) injunction proceedings, labor arbitrations, and collective bargaining negotiations.