Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference - 2023

In-Person Location
Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite
1122 Highway 41, Fish Camp, CA 
1122 Highway 41
Tel.: (559) 683-6555
Website: https://www.tenayalodge.com

A MESSAGE FROM THE CHAIR
For more than four decades, our section’s  Annual Yosemite Labor and Employment Law Conference has gathered about 100 of the most active, experienced and varied workplace lawyers in our community, to hear from and dialogue with the best labor or employment experts from all sides of  private practice, ADR,  the bench, government and academia .

We held our 2021 and 2022 Meetings virtually. Both were well received with great speakers and content; but they could not capture the informal, collegial atmosphere that is a constant hallmark of the Yosemite conference -- -- nor the post session walks in the park.  

Your executive committee and staff are planning to return our annual conference to Yosemite at the Tenaya Lodge , holding our sessions on the afternoon of Friday February 10, and the morning of February 11, 2023.  We have been able to secure the room charge at 2019 rates, starting at $239 per night. 

There will be plenty to talk about, including:

• The practical employment law challenges of remote and hybrid work
• Who is leaving employment, who is returning and why
• How employers are reorganizing their workforces
• The revolution in employment law substance and procedure
• Collective bargaining and representation in  the new workplace
• How Dobbs v. Jackson impacts employee rights and benefits

We look forward to seeing you there!

Mark Schickman
Chair, BASF Labor and Employment Law Section

FRIDAY, February 10th, 2023 

PANEL I: The Rise in Union Organizing, Employer Responses and What’s Next for Labor
DATE: 2/10/23 | TIME: 1:45 - 3:15 p.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour

After decades of decline in union membership, workers are organizing at some of the largest companies in the country such as Starbucks and Amazon, and in new sectors and industries.  With the increased organizing has come a rise in elections, strikes and other protected concerted activity, and the need to bargain first contracts. This panel will discuss the evolving legal issues these changes present for employers, unions and government agencies.

PANELISTS
Professor Catherine Fisk, Barbara Nachtrieb Armstrong Professor of Law, Berkeley Law
Caitlin Vega, General Counsel, California Labor Federation
Michael Pedhirney, Littler Mendelson P.C.

MODERATOR
BJ Chisholm, Altshuler Berzon LLP

PANEL II:  Practical Considerations in the Return to Work
DATE: 2/10/23 | TIME: 3:30 - 5:00 p.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour

This roundtable panel will address issues such as:
Mental health issues associated with remote work and return to office; recruiting/hiring issues raised by remote work; Expense and travel reimbursement for employees who choose to work at home;  Managing “home offices”, especially in regulated industries; Tracking and timekeeping methods; Tax implications for remote out of state employees; Impact on compensation (salary/promotions) when compensation is tied to location; OSHA compliance and Work comp issues in the remote workplace; Jurisdiction/venue of home workers, domestically and abroad; the impact of  categorizing workers into home/work/flex; diversity and issues -- -- who is returning to work? 

PANELISTS
Jeff Osofsky, Lead Employment Counsel, Block
Sonya Smallets, Partner, Minnis & Smallets LLP
Gilbert Tsai, Partner, Hanson Bridgett LLP
Kristen Pezone, Intel 

MODERATOR
William (Bill) Metke, Partner, The Mitzel Group

RECEPTION: Welcome to Tenaya Lodge
DATE: 2/10/23 | TIME: 6:00 - 8:00 p.m. 

PANEL III: Post-Dobbs ripple effect? Impact on employers’ provision of health care benefits, and potential impact on other substantive due process workplace rights.
DATE: 2/11/23 | TIME: 8:45 - 10:15 a.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour

The impact of Dobbs on employment is far-reaching, implicating employee health benefits, programs, and workplace rights. This panel will discuss the substance of the Dobbs decision, how states have responded, and the decision’s impact on employers and employees. Beyond reproductive rights and associated health benefit issues, the panel will address the potential impact on marriage rights, healthcare for trans employees or their dependents, and other substantive due process rights.

PANELISTS
Kristen Jacoby, Deputy General Counsel, Employment Law, Aurora
Elizabeth Gil, Senior Staff Attorney, ACLU
Easha Anand, Visiting Faculty, Stanford University
Alison Wright, Hanson Bridgett LLP

MODERATOR
Alexandra Stathopoulos, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP

PANEL IV: What’s New and On The Horizon: Legal Developments in 2022 and Beyond
DATE: 2/11/23 | TIME: 10:30 a.m. -12:00 p.m. | MCLE: 1 Hour

The panel will address 2022 legal developments, including Viking River, California’s new pay transparency requirements, a raft of other new laws passed in 2022, and actual/awaited case developments (including Lawson v. PPG, Chamber of Commerce v. Bonta, and Castellanos v. California). The panel will also discuss their employment law forecasts for 2023 and beyond. 

PANELISTS
Eileen Goldsmith, Altshuler Berzon LLP
Lisa Hamasaki, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P. C.
Jessica James, Orrick, Herrington & Sutcliffe LLP
Michelle Lee, Rudy Exelrod, Zieff and Lowe
Gina Roccanova, Jackson Lewis P.C.

MODERATOR
Peter Rukin, Rukin Hyland & Riggin/Sequitur Resolutions 

 SILVER SPONSORS
                               McDermott Will & Emery

BRONZE SPONSOR
Judicate West
   
Interested in sponsorship opportunities? Email events@sfbar.org
For a printable sponsorship form, click here.

YOSEMITE ACCESS: 

As of 1/11/2023 - Reservations are now needed for the weekends due to Horsetail Falls.  For more information, visit. Horsetail Fall - Yosemite National Park (U.S. National Park Service) (nps.gov)
Guests can still book our Yosemite 360 Tour from the hotel and information can be found here: Yosemite Winter Tours - Tours of Yosemite (visittenaya.com)  Reservations would not be required.  Booking: Tenaya Lodge at Yosemite (zaui.net)

Here is the link for the Yosemite National Park Service plan your visit page https://www.nps.gov/yose/planyourvisit/index.htmwhich.

ACTIVITIES: Tenaya Hotel Activities in the Winter: Click here
For Driving Directions, Local Weather and Resort MAP provided by the Tenaya Hotel: Click here

HOTEL INFORMATION

ROOM RESERVATION:  Discounted Deadline was  January 12, 2023 (Conference Discount Group Code:NTK020923BASF)
Thursday, 2/9/22 - Sunday, 2/12/22: https://be.synxis.com/?Hotel=474&Chain=398&arrive=2023-02-09&depart=2023-02-12&adult=2&child=0&group=NTK020923BASF
Friday, 2/10/22 - Sunday, 2/12/22: https://be.synxis.com/?Hotel=474&Chain=398&arrive=2023-02-10&depart=2023-02-12&adult=2&child=0&group=NTK020923BASF
Friday, 2/10 – Saturday, 2/11: https://be.synxis.com/?Hotel=474&Chain=398&arrive=2023-02-10&depart=2023-02-11&adult=2&child=0&group=NTK020923BASF
Saturday, 2/11 – Sunday, 2/12: https://be.synxis.com/?Hotel=474&Chain=398&arrive=2023-02-11&depart=2023-02-12&adult=2&child=0&group=NTK020923BASF

To confirm, modify or cancel your Tenaya Hotel Reservation: Click Here or call reservations at 888-332-3135.

Event Code: G230301

Note: This is a two day in-person conference, registration is for February 10th and February 11th.
Please make sure to book your hotel accommodations after registering for the conference.

CONFERENCE REGISTRATION:

1. Sign-in to your account and select Register Myself at the bottom of the page.
   • Use Forgot Username or Forgot Password if you don't know your account information. Don't have an account? Select Create Account. 
2. Select Proceed to Checkout to enter payment information, submit your order and complete the registration process.

Substitution, Cancellation, and Refund Requests
A refund is available if you submit your cancellation request at least 2 weeks (1/27/23 deadline) prior to the conference date. A 50% handling fee will deducted from your refund. Please complete the Event Cancellation Form.  After 2 weeks a refund can longer be provided.

MCLE Notice
To receive MCLE credit, you must sign in during the designated MCLE registration period. This activity is approved for Minimum Continuing Legal Education credit by the State Bar of California. BASF is a certified provider: Provider #103

Accessibility
People with disabilities and/or special requests should contact BASF regarding reasonable accommodations.