Employer Resource Institute Audio Conference

Originally presented on November 14, 2007

Order Option       Price   CD Recording Only       $199

As an additional benefit, you will receive a no-risk trial subscription to California Wage & Hour Advisor when you register for this audio conference (or purchase a CD recording). You will receive 3 evaluation issues. If you want to continue to receive the newsletter, simply pay the invoice you will receive in the mail. If you decide the newsletter isn't for you, just write cancel on the invoice and return it. You will owe nothing, and all issues you receive are yours to keep. As with all ERI products, your satisfaction is guaranteed 100%. (Offer good for new subscribers only.)

For many employees, the benefits granted by the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and the California Family Rights Act (CFRA) are a lifesaver - giving them the chance to balance their workloads with their responsibilities at home. And most workers act in an honorable manner and don't try to exploit the system.

Unfortunately, some workers do try to take unfair advantage, at the expense of both their honest co-workers and your organization's productivity.

Spotting and catching the abusers without landing in hot water yourself is not easy. Do you know the safest legal way to question an employee's FMLA/CFRA leave request? What do you do if a worker simultaneously claims time off under the family leave laws and other laws (e.g., workers' compensation, the Americans with Disabilities Act)? Do you know how to properly keep track of intermittent leave? Or when you can ask for a second, or even a third, medical opinion—and who pays for it? What do you do with employees who say they're not ready to return to work when their leave expires?

It's one strike and you're out on questions like these—because any mistake could lead to an expensive, damaging lawsuit and negative publicity.

Join us for this practical, informative 90-minute audio conference, specifically for California employers, on Nov. 14, when our experts will share their best advice for dealing with FMLA and CFRA abuses. You'll learn proven strategies for anticipating and managing family and medical leave requests, as well as the most common mistakes employers make in the process. And, we'll discuss the dos and don'ts of deterring family and medical leave abuses without affecting the morale of the rest of your workforce or exposing yourself to legal challenges.

YOU AND YOUR COLLEAGUES WILL LEARN:

• How to accurately determine which employees qualify for FMLA or CFRA leaves (and when)
• Recommended procedures for responding to, and documenting, leave requests
• The most common errors HR managers make with FMLA/CFRA requests—and how you can avoid repeating them
• When you must reinstate employees returning from leave—and when you may terminate them
• The legal rules governing FMLA- and CFRA-related medical exams and inquiries
• Practical tips for handing the increased workload during employee leaves (and how you can effectively re-integrate those employees into your operations when they return)
• The red flags that trigger your FMLA/CFRA obligations, even when employees never mention "FMLA" or "CFRA" by name
• How far you should go in disciplining employees who abuse the system
• How to create a workplace environment that discourages abuses of the family leave laws

ABOUT YOUR SPEAKERS:

Robert Ottinger, Esq., is a partner in The Ottinger Firm in New York City. He served as deputy attorney general for the California Department of Justice and as assistant attorney general in the Manhattan office of the New York State Attorney General's office before launching his own firm. With more than a decade of experience in handling employment matters, he has appeared as a legal commentator on Court TV, MSNBC, and the major network TV news programs. He graduated from Loyola Law School.

Jeffrey A. Wortman, Esq., is a partner in the Los Angeles offices of the law firm Seyfarth Shaw LLP. He specializes in labor and employment law and has represented employers in cases regarding issues ranging from wage and hour law violations and wrongful discharge to sexual harassment and union representation. He regularly advises clients with regard to drafting employment contracts and frequently conducts training seminars on diverse employment law topics. He earned his law degree from the University of Texas.

Approved for Recertification Credit

This program has been approved for 1.5 recertification credit hour toward PHR and SPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HRCI homepage at www.hrci.org.

How Do Audio Conferences Work?

An audio conference is remarkably cost-effective and convenient. You participate from your office using a regular telephone. You have no travel costs and no out-of-office time.

Plus, for one low price you can get as many people in your office to participate as you can fit around a speakerphone.

Because the conference is live, you can ask the speakers questions'either on the phone or via email.

With your registration, you also receive conference materials with additional practical information from California Employer Advisor sent to you via email shortly before the conference.

Why You Can Sign Up To Attend This Event with Confidence

As with all California Employer Advisor products, you're completely protected. If for any reason you are unsatisfied with this audio conference, simply let us know and we will return your entire registration fee.