2026 Employment Law Forum

Topics Include:

2026 Employment Law Update with Sapphire Anderson
Providing an overview of major employment law developments shaping the workplace in 2026 on a state and federal level—from state law updates, federal shifts in policy priorities, and anticipated workplace and employment law trends. Get your blueprint for key compliance considerations and stay informed on what’s to come.

The (Court) Room Where it Happens: 2026 Employment Case Law Update with Kelli Lieurance
The U.S. Supreme Court issued several important decisions impacting employers in the last year, as have other federal courts. In this fast-paced, entertaining presentation, Kelli will discuss the practical implications of these decisions for employers to best assure compliance. Remember, it’s better to learn from the mistakes of others than find yourself in the midst of an indefensible lawsuit.

Maximize Employee Benefits without Spending More with Derek Bailey (VP of Retirement Plan Services) and Bill Rezac (Practice Leader for Employee Benefits at USI Insurance Services)

2026 Employee Benefits Update with Jeremy Christensen and Morgan Kreiser
Jeremy and Morgan offer their annual employee benefits update. This year’s update will feature important SECURE 2.0 changes and recent case law trends related to employee benefits. Jeremy and Morgan will provide an overview of these important topics to help employers attract and retain talent while avoiding compliance pitfalls.

New Generation of Accommodations in the Workplace with Sara McCue, Josh Baumann, and Sarah Huyck
Employer obligations related to workplace accommodations are ever growing, in many instances limiting the right of employers to demand the performance of essential job functions. The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) now requires employers to provide a “reasonable accommodation” to a qualified employee or applicant’s known limitations related to, affected by, or arising out of pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Recently, in Groff v. De Joy, Post Master General, the U.S. Supreme Court unanimously upended decades-old precedent that set the standard for undue hardship in the context of religious accommodations under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act. With these developments and more, employers are facing a multitude of new questions related to workplace accommodations. This session will consider an employer’s options when evaluating accommodation requests based upon disability, pregnancy and religion; discuss the documentation which can be obtained under each law; and review how an employer is permitted to make accommodation determinations.

Play That Back: Responding to Workplace Challenges with Danielle Rowley, Jimmie Pinkham, and Kiley Schmidt
Employment law meets improv as three defense-side attorneys act out real-world workplace scenarios involving medical accommodations, harassment complaints, and drug policy violations. Through short skits and audience participation, we’ll unpack what went right, what went wrong, and how HR and management can respond in ways that reduce risk while still getting it right from a people perspective.

This event will be submitted for HRCI and SHRM certification credits.