California: Eureka! Avoiding Compliance Hot Spots
California poses many unique challenges to HR professionals, many of which have become the blueprint for similar schemes in other states. This session will focus on the major compliance "hot spots" in California - such as wage and hour, disability, and leaves of absence-and cover recent developments in employment law in the Golden State. You will also receive an update on pending proposals in the state legislature and ongoing advocacy efforts to support/oppose legislation.
Joseph L. Beachboard
Joseph (“Joe”) Beachboard is a nationally recognized employment lawyer who also closely tracks the most important developments at the U.S. Supreme Court impacting the business community. He has more than 30 years of experience representing management in a wide variety of employment and labor matters in perhaps the most challenging state in the nation for employers – California. Mr. Beachboard speaks regularly before human resource and employer groups on cutting edge employment law topics. He is a member of SHRM and has been an annual presenter at both the SHRM Annual Conference and the Employment Law and Compliance Conference for two decades. Mr. Beachboard is frequently quoted in such leading publications as HR Magazine, National Law Journal, Los Angeles Times, NY Times, HR Executive and Workforce, and has been published in dozens of legal and business journals. Throughout his career in Los Angeles, Mr. Beachboard has represented dozens of studios and entertainment properties. He cites his most interesting project as working with the cast and crew of the television show The Office, from its pilot through the final season.
Michael Kalt
Michael Kalt is a partner in the Employment Law Practice Group of Wilson Turner Kosmo LLP, where he has worked since 1996. His employment law practice emphasizes the litigation and trial of wrongful termination, harassment, discrimination cases in state and federal court. Michael also provides advice and training to employers on employee discipline and investigations, employment policies and procedures, and fair employment practices. Michael represents businesses of all sizes and in most industry sectors. He is an accomplished writer and oral advocate and has prevailed through summary judgment in dozens and dozens of litigated matters and has also prevailed before the California Supreme Court and California Court of Appeal, resulting in several published decisions. (Jones v. The Lodge at Torrey Pines Partnership (2008) 42 Cal.4th 1158 [no individual liability for FEHA retaliation], Acuna v. SDGE (2013) 217 Cal.4th 1402 [successive administrative charges does not extend statute of limitations after right-to-sue notice issued] and Tu v. UCSD Medical Centers (S.D. Ca. 2002) 201 F. Supp. 2d 1126 [precluding negligent infliction of emotional distress claims for intentional employment decisions].)
Michael is currently the Governmental Affairs Director for the California State Council for the Society for Human Resource Management (CalSHRM) and tracks and oversees the legislative advocacy efforts for its 18,000 members. He formerly was Vice President-Legislation for the San Diego Chapter of SHRM where he monitored the federal and state employment-related developments for its 1,000 members. He is also the Legislative Liaison and a Steering Committee Member for the Employment and Labor Committee for the Defense Research Institute. He is also the former author of the ADR Case Notes Column of the statewide publication: California Labor and Employment Review, and is the editor of the Firm’s monthly employment newsletter. Michael has been an invited speaker and author of numerous employment law related articles, which have appeared in various statewide publications and he is a former Co-Chair of the San Diego County Bar’s Labor & Employment Law Section.
Michael has been elected by fellow attorneys as a Super Lawyer by Law and Politics Magazine from 2007 to 2014 for labor and employment law. He was also named by the San Diego Daily Transcript as one of the top 10 Labor and Employment attorneys in 2009 and 2012, and by Super Lawyer as one of the top 10 attorneys in 2013 and one of the top 50 attorneys in San Diego in 2012 and 2014. Michael was selected for inclusion in The Best Lawyers in America in 2014 and 2015 for Litigation - Labor and Employment. Michael received both his B.A. magna cum laude, and J.D. degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles.
Jason Gabhart
Jason Gabhart joined SHRM in March 2014 as the Director, State Affairs, California. Working closely with the California State Council of SHRM, Jason advocates for SHRM’s interests in the California State Legislature, the Governor’s office, and various state agencies and departments.
Prior to joining SHRM, Jason served as external relations manager at the California Optometric Association (COA), where he assisted optometrists with third party payer issues and with matters they confronted as small business owners. Jason’s previous career experience includes advocacy positions with the Association of California Life & Health Insurance Companies (ACLHIC) and Griffin & Associates, where he was a legislative and regulatory advocate with both entities. Jason began his career as an attorney with the law firm of Rich, Fuidge, Morris & Iverson.
Jason received a Juris Doctorate degree from UC Davis Law School, and a Bachelor in Arts degree in political science from UC Berkeley. He resides in Loomis, California with his wife and three children.