Breazeale, Sachse & Wilson, L.L.P. presents a Labor & Employment Conference for Healthcare Professionals, focusing on new or recurring issues and concerns which executives, managers, and human resources professionals face daily in the healthcare industry.

Agenda

8:30-8:40 Welcome

8:40-9:30 Are We Federal Contractors and What Does that Mean?  
E. Fredrick Preis, Jr. and Rachael Jeanfreau
Particularly in healthcare organizations, the answer is rarely a simple “no,” at least not without sufficient review of your interactions with federal government programs and the scope of government agreements.  In this session, we will explore when and to what extent your company could be deemed a federal contractor, what new obligations and requirements that could invoke, and whether you may be (unwittingly) contractually binding your organization to comply with federal contracting Executive Orders, laws, and regulations.

9:30-10:30 Wage and Hour Update 
Troy M. Mouton, District Director, New Orleans District Office
U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Our special guest from the U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division, will address DOL interpretations and trends affecting the healthcare industry.

10:30-10:45 Break

10:45-11:45 Annual Legal Lagniappe 
Murphy J. Foster, III and Melissa M. Shirley
A lightning round of hot employment law topics affecting healthcare employers, including significant amendments to the Louisiana pregnancy discrimination and accommodation law, Louisiana’s recent criminal background statute and interaction with related laws, the current state of medical marijuana, non-union activity protected by the National Labor Relations Act, and more!

11:45-12:30 Lunch

12:30-1:30 Workplace Safety 
Alexander Novas, OSHA Compliance Specialist, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration
Jerry L. "Jay" Stovall, Jr.
We are privileged to welcome Alex Novas from the U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Safety and Health Administration, who, together with Jay Stovall, will provide insights and guidance for industry in the post-pandemic workplace.  

1:30-1:40 Break

1:40-2:30 #Retaliation…(that’s it, that’s the tweet) 
Eve B. Masinter and Kayla M. Jacob
Post-2020, most employers, but especially those in the healthcare industry, have experienced and will almost certainly continue to experience an increase in retaliation or whistleblower complaints.  Whether employees claim they have suffered adverse actions due to activities such as workplace safety complaints (“I am unsafe returning to work” or “we lack sufficient PPE”), requests for accommodation (“I cannot wear a mask”), or venting on social media (“they are making me come to work sick”), it is vital that organizations recognize and understand the broad spectrum of potential protected activity, the legal basis for retaliation claims, and best practices to avoid liability.

2:30-3:30 Accommodation Contemplation  
Matthew M. McCluer and Alexandra Cobb Hains
In light of the media and legal spotlight on the concept of workplace accommodations (vaccine mandates anyone?), this update will address the ever-evolving, and often elusive, issues surrounding employee requests for accommodations in the contexts of medical conditions, religious beliefs, pregnancy, and beyond.