CONNECT Frameworks Workshop: EMPLOYMENT LAW FOR EARLY STAGE COMPANIES

Program Overview:
Start-up companies walk through a volatile minefield when it comes to hiring and managing employees. With California’s unique employment laws, every new hire can result in large-scale liabilities if a company does not have ongoing compliance and monitoring. Because this level of supervision can be costly, and consume management’s time and attention, early stage companies frequently find themselves unprepared to cope with employee challenges, or learn to do so only after an expensive “lesson”. In addition, contrary to what some companies have heard, there are no “exceptions” for small, start-up or entrepreneurial companies. All private employers, large and small, must obey the same restrictive laws. In this workshop, George Howard from Jones Day will provide attendees with proactive, client-focused advice to help you avoid the dangers of the employee minefield.

Who should attend:
Human resource professionals, finance personnel, senior managers or others who have responsibility for human resource management and employment law compliance. Please, no competing law firms.

What you will learn:
• What types of hiring processes should you have?
• What types of employment documentation are required?
• What are the unique features of California’s wage and hour laws?
• When are employees “exempt” from overtime pay?
• What types of policies, training and procedures are required with respect to employment discrimination and harassment laws?
• How to document employee performance issues (and how not to do so)
• When are employees entitled to “protected” leaves of absence?
• Which employees are “disabled” and what accommodations are required?
• What sorts of non-disclosure or proprietary information agreements are most effective in California?
• What happens when you have to terminate an employee?

About the presenter:
George Howard, Partner, Jones Day
George Howard practices labor and employment law on behalf of management, and has been listed in every edition of The Best Lawyers in America since 1993. In addition, in 2007, 2008 and 2009 he was recognized by Super Lawyers as one of the top 10 attorneys in San Diego in any area of practice, and in 2007 and 2009 he was selected by the San Diego Daily Transcript as one of the city's leading labor lawyers. Since 2005 he has been listed annually in Chambers USA as one of the premier labor and employment lawyers in California.

George has tried a myriad of employment cases, and has represented countless early-stage, entrepreneurial and technology-based companies. He has handled numerous lawsuits involving employment discrimination, wage/hour issues, harassment, trade secrets, employment contract disputes, union-management issues and wrongful termination.