Event Details

HRMA of Princeton Annual Legal Seminar

Please join the HRMA of Princeton for our Annual Legal Update

Presented by:

Vanessa M. Kelly, Esq. of CLARK HILL PLC​

Wednesday, April 5, 2023 8:30am - 12:00pm

 **This program is approved for 3 Business credits by HRCI

    and 3 professional development credits by SHRM**

SESSION ONE

The EEOC is setting its three-year strategic enforcement plan; what does this mean for your organization?

WORKPLACE APPLICATION

This session will discuss the enforcement objectives of the EEOC with the objective of informing employers so they may take affirmative steps to avoid costly litigation.

DESCRIPTION

This session will review the types of discrimination, harassment or retaliation claims of interest to the EEOC. We will discuss why these objectives are a priority for the EEOC. The Strategic Enforcement Plan will govern the EEOC’s priorities for the next three years. Employers should pay attention to these priorities, take a closer look at their policies and practices to ensure they are in the best place to withstand scrutiny and avoid costly litigation and exposure.

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

1. Understanding of the types discrimination, harassment or retaliation included in the Strategic Plan.
2. How to evaluate the company’s policies and practices to determine alignment with the EEOC enforcement priorities.
3. Identification of steps that the Company can take to improve policies and practices.
4. What to expect if you receive an EEOC Complaint.    

SESSION TWO

The Toxic Leader: Its Impact on your Workforce and Strategies for Dealing with Dysfunctional Behavior.

WORKPLACE APPLICATION

This session will discuss leadership models that promote a healthy culture and those that are toxic and antithetical to morale, retention, growth and employee well-being.

DESCRIPTION

This session will analyze leadership in the context of healthy workplaces versus toxic workplaces. How do you identify a toxic leader. We will discuss the impact that leadership has on business outcomes, morale, litigation risk, retention and waste. What can you do to improve the situation, especially where the leader is substantial revenue producer? What does Emotional Intelligence and Mental Health have to do with the toxic leader?

PROGRAM OBJECTIVES:

1. Exploring culture and how leadership shapes culture.
2. Exploring leadership styles that promote health workplaces.
3. Identifying techniques and strategies to combat the toxic boss or co-worker.
4. The Role of Employee Well-being and mental health in creating positive workplaces and strong leadership models.

Our Speakers:

Vanessa M. Kelly Esq of Clark Hill PLC.  Vanessa's clients seek her experienced, confident counsel in addressing their employee management needs. She provides legal services including risk assessment and risk avoidance in employee terminations, accommodating disabilities, addressing workplace misconduct, protecting key personnel and proprietary information, performing reductions in force, and implementation of workplace policies designed to avoid disputes and comply with state and federal law. Her clients appreciate her focused and pragmatic approach to resolving their problems, her creative and collaborative energy and her passion for assisting her clients achieve the best possible outcome. If litigation is unavoidable, Vanessa represents employers in federal and state courts and administrative agencies.

Donna M. Hughes, Esq., ACC - Founder and CEO of Hughes Solutions, LLC, an executive coaching and human resources consulting business.  Donna helps companies and leaders transform cultures and build high-performing teams.  She is an organizational leadership coach, former human resources executive, and accomplished attorney, with more than 25 years of experience, spanning the healthcare, life sciences, and retail industries.  Donna's prior roles include Chief People Officer for EmblemHealth, one of the nation’s largest not-for-profit healthcare insurers, and its physician affiliates; SVP, Human Resources for Impax Laboratories, a small-cap pharmaceutical company; Vice President of Labor & Employment at Allergan, a $15 billion global pharmaceutical company; and Director and Assistant General Counsel for Circuit City Stores, Inc.

Tara Chalakani, PHD – CEO of Preferred Behavioral Health Group. Dr. Tara Chalakani (she/her/hers) is an integrative psychotherapist who is passionate about her work. She combines her leadership and business acumen with her integrated counseling approach to help her employees and the organization’s clients thrive.  Dr. Tara's background includes over 30 years in health care with various roles including: Maternal/Child Health, Crisis Response, Inpatient Adult Psychiatric, Community Mental Health, Partial Care, Intensive Outpatient, Behavioral Health Leadership, and Organizational Consulting. Dr. Tara has undergraduate degrees in Nursing and Psychology, a Masters in Mental Health Counseling, and a Doctoral degree in Psychology. She is also a Reiki Master and Acupressure practitioner.  Dr. Tara has had several years of training in Psychodrama, is a certified Jungian Sand Play therapist, and an EMDR practitioner. She has studied Holistic Health at the Doctoral Level and maintains licensure as Registered Nurse. Dr. Tara is an Assistant Professor in the Department of Psychiatry and Behavioral Health Medicine at Hackensack Meridian Medical School and an adjunct professor at Kean University’s Nathan Weiss Graduate College. She is a frequent guest speaker/expert panelist across the state. Dr. Tara's trauma-informed approach to therapy is warm, gentle, and encouraging.

Jakob Williams, Esq of Clark Hill PLC - Jakob represents employers facing wage and hour, discrimination, retaliation, and other state and federal employment claims. Jakob also represents employers as both plaintiffs and defendants in restrictive covenant, non-compete, and trade secrets suits. A large part of Jakob’s practice covers advising employers on labor compliance issues, workplace best practices, employment policies, and workplace training.

Danielle Martinez, M.Ed, MSHRM, SHRM-CP – CEO & Founder of Sole Hire.  Danielle is the founder of Sole Hire, LLC which specializes in Strategic Human Resources Consulting and Recruitment. Her consulting focuses on company restructuring and reorganization, performance management, bench marking, DE&I, learning and development, and off-boardng. Her full-life cycle recruitment services specialize in full and part-time direct hiring at all levels of her client’s organizations. Danielle is an active volunteer and serves as the Director or D&I for the HRMA of Princeton and as D&I Council Lead Chair of the Garden State Council SHRM.