38th Annual Honda-Vorys Employment Law Review

In this session, we will discuss the foundational underpinnings to the Executive Orders, lawsuits and other executive actions that have caused change and uncertainty in the business climate.  This session will focus on building the tools necessary to understand the legal landscape, the scope and extent of congressional, presidential and judicial powers, and act as a “decoder tool” to help attendees understand the import and potential implications of all these actions.  We will focus on understanding the who, what and why of the legal system as it fits in this context. 

This session will provide legal updates and practical advice for accommodating a wide variety of disabilities, pregnancy-related conditions, religious beliefs, and other concerns. Topics discussed will include (1) the status of litigation challenging the PWFA (Pregnant Workers Fairness Act) and its related regulations, and what it all means for recommended best practices; (2) potential expansion of employees’ workplace accommodation rights, as well as the latest on remote work as a disability accommodation; and (3) updates on religious accommodation requirements, including requests for time off for religious observances and whether employers are required to allow religious proselytizing in the workplace.

In this session, Vorys immigration attorneys will provide an essential overview of the latest developments impacting employment-based immigration under the current administration. We will cover critical updates on humanitarian work authorization, tips for compliance, new rules and policies affecting visa applications and international travel, and adjudication trends.  Attendees will gain practical insights to help their organizations stay informed and prepared for rapid changes in immigration law and policy.

This session will cover recent developments in federal and state wage and hour laws, trends in wage and hour litigation, and best practices for wage and hour compliance. 

This session will provide practical insight and ready-to-use techniques, grounded in experience from legal and HR professionals, to facilitate effective workplace investigations. 

This session will outline key updates employers should make to their employee handbooks in response to recent legal and regulatory developments. It will provide practical guidance on ensuring policies remain clear, compliant, and aligned with evolving workplace laws and best practices.

When faced with a potentially catastrophic workers’ compensation claim, or even less serious claims of work-related injury, employers need to know up front what might become important later on in the claims process.  This session will give attendees a toolkit and tips to move forward with confidence from the claim’s inception, to making the decision about whether to certify a workers’ compensation claim, and beyond.

Join us in this breakout session for a presentation about how the new administration is expected to shift OSHA’s enforcement and regulatory priorities in the year ahead.

Over the past year, there have been several important developments affecting health and welfare plans.  Key updates include:

• Continued flexibility around telehealth services, especially for high-deductible health plans
• Recent legislative, regulatory and sub-regulatory changes
• Ongoing litigation that impacts health and welfare plans and fiduciaries

The goal of this breakout session is to help employers and fiduciaries understand these updates and their potential implications for compliance.

 The automotive industry is undergoing a period of radical change and realignment. Managing technological advances and industry disruption on an ever-accelerating timescale, as well as surviving short-term economic shocks, requires exceptional foresight and planning. Beyond electrification, hybridization, connectivity, automation and new manufacturing methods lies the software-defined vehicle. Just how different will the future of the automotive industry be? 

In this session, the presenters will provide an update on recent developments in labor law and NLRB activity over the past year. This will include a discussion of the recent cases on union election petitions and election conduct. We will also discuss other recent labor developments. 

Join us for an insightful session on the recent developments in discrimination law. We will cover significant court rulings, what can be expected from state and federal agencies, and practical implications for employers to ensure compliance and foster an inclusive workplace. 

This session will explore how AI is being used in hiring and workforce management, highlight key nationwide litigation trends and touch on important issues of data privacy and confidentiality. We will also look at how AI-driven decision-making is being applied across different functions, from improving efficiency to enhancing analysis and reducing costs. Attendees will leave with a clearer understanding of the risks to watch for and, more importantly, how to leverage AI responsibly to do their jobs more effectively and strategically.

Table discussions regarding a variety of hot button employment issues. 

This session will explore questions and issues often raised by employees to HR professionals.  Guidance and strategies for assessing these matters will be presented and discussed.

Have you ever found yourself thinking: “What in the world did I just read? And why did this agreement land on my desk?” This session will explore material risks in a variety of commercial agreements, providing practical guidance in how to recognize and respond to those risks as well as tips for supporting contract reviews and inquiries as legal or non-legal subject matter experts.     

This session will cover the current legal landscape and developments impacting employment policies and practices related to diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI). This session will include discussion of legal risks employers should consider when evaluating current DEI initiatives and policies, as well as best practices for managing, revising and updating policies.