On April 12 and 13, the Penn State University will be presenting a two day event
featuring some of the leading professionals in the labor, employment law and HR fields
(and lowly old me). Continuation education credit for attorneys and HR professionals is
pending. I would welcome the opportunity to show you my favorite college campus and
to enjoy a few adult beverages with you after the Friday program at one of my former
stomping grounds. This promises to be an informative and enjoyable educational
experience.
To register for the event, go to http://lser.la.psu.edu/70th/index.shtml.
Session 1, 8:30am – 9:30am
Workshop 1: HR: Learning to Love Black Swans and Volatility
Today's business environment is increasingly volatile, chaotic and risky. This workshop
will explore a leadership role for HR practitioners involving the development of a
workforce capable of thriving in times of chaos. Required organizational capabilities and
core competencies will be discussed.
Dr. Tom Hogan, Professor of Practice in Labor Studies Employment Relations
Rex Simpson ’70, LSER Faculty & Vice President of Administration, Yokohama Tire
Charlene Binder ’82, Senior Vice President Human Resources, ABB, North America
Workshop 2: Recent Developments under the NLRA
Mr. Krafts will give attendees an overview of recent, significant NLRB case rulings,
including a recent ruling of the D.C. Circuit Court disputing the authority of the NLRB,
with recess appointees, to take any action. He will also explain important cases now
awaiting decision by the NLRB.
Mr. Sullivan will give a management perspective on union organizing activity, with a
special focus on NLRB cases setting down the rules for the determination of bargaining
units. Part of his presentation will cover rulings affecting all U.S. industries and sectors;
other parts of his presentation will focus upon the sector witnessing perhaps the
greatest level of union organizing activity, namely, health care.
Mr. Aronson will give a labor perspective on how privatization of formerly public
services implicates important labor law issues.
Andrew Krafts '91, Deputy Chief Counsel, National Labor Relations Board
James J Sullivan, Jr, Shareholder/Attorney, Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney
Irwin Aronson '73, Attorney/Partner, Willig, Williams & Davidson
Workshop 3: Responsibility to Report
In an instance of workplace violence or other type of behavior that might constitute a
crime, an employee is often confronted with a dilemma: Should I call the police? Making
that call amounts to reporting the incident to authorities who are authorized to
investigate and prosecute possible crimes. The recent events at Penn State have
created renewed interest in this topic. What rules should an employer adopt with
respect to reporting crimes? When should they be reported?
Antone Aboud, Lecturer in Labor Studies and Employment Relations
Session 2, 9:45am – 10:45am
Workshop 4: Employment Law Update
One hour presentation on emerging issues in employment law, including whistleblower
protection, EEOC priorities, and other hot topics.
Brian D Balonick, Partner/Attorney, Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney
Joseph Costello, Partner/Attorney, ’78, Attorney, Morgan, Lewis
John Gerak ’92, Attorney/Shareholder, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart,
P.C.
Workshop 5: A Virtuous Circle: How Effective Unions are Good for the Economy
This workshop will examine how union wages and benefits contribute to a strong middle
class of consumers essential to a full economic recovery. It will also examine the
productive ways effective unions have worked with employers to help make employers
more competitive in a global marketplace.
Doug Allen ’73, Professor of Practice in Labor Studies and Employment Relations
Mary MacDonald, Executive Director AFT, Healthcare Division
Rick Bloomingdale, President, AFL-CIO
Workshop 6: Early Career Workshop
This workshop will provide recent graduates, especially those who are on a career path
in human resources, labor relations, dispute resolution or other careers served by an
LER or HRER degree, with useful and practical information to help them advance in
their chosen careers. The workshop panelists will attempt to answer the question: What
do wish I had known two years, five years, or ten years after I graduated that would
have helped advance my professional and career development?
Nik Shah ’95, Partner, PricewaterhouseCoopers
Session 3, 11:00am – 12:00pm
Workshop 7: The Future of Workplace Arbitration
Tom Giotto ’76, Attorney, Buchanan, Ingersoll & Rooney, PC
Scott Buchheit ’73, Arbitrator, National Academy of Arbitrators
Walt DeTreux ’83, Labor Arbitrator and Mediator
Workshop 8: Engaging Employees in a Global Workforce
The workshop is designed to introduce participants to two important concepts in the
management of international firms: employee engagement (definition, value, how it is
created), and national culture (which explains how employees from different countries
might hold different values, affecting how they might define engagement, and how it
might be engendered).
Elaine Farndale, Assistant Professor in Labor Studies and Employment Relations
Jacquelin Brova ’75, Executive Vice President Human Resources, Church and Dwight
Co, Inc
Workshop 9: International Labor Issues
Mark Anner, Associate Professor in Labor Studies and Employment Relations &
Political Science / Director of the Center for Global Workers’ Rights
Dan Hawkins, Post-Doctoral Scholar in Labor Studies and Employment Relations
Jill Jensen, Visiting Assistant Professor in Labor Studies and Employment Relations
Lunch – Assembly Room, Nittany Lion Inn
Speaker: Dennis Davis
“Myths and Mysteries Uncovered: Understanding and Preventing Workplace Violence”
Session 4, 2:00pm – 3:00pm
Workshop 10: End of Leave Doesn't Necessarily Mean Return to Full-Time
Employment Without Restriction: Navigating Difficult End of Leave Issues Under
the ADA, FMLA, STD and Workers' Compensation Laws
Many employers have sophisticated policies and practices in place designed to
determine whether and to what extent employees qualify for leave under company
policy. While these policies generally provide guidance as to the amount of leave
available to employees under company policy, application of rigid policies to return to
work situations can expose employers to liability under the Americans with Disabilities
Act, Family and Medical Leave Act, short term disability policies and workers
compensation laws. This seminar addresses the overlay of the ADA, FMLA, STD and
workers compensation laws to various return to work issues, including requests for
additional leave, requests for workplace accommodations, requests for light duty work,
documentation supporting the return to work, the ability to fill positions formerly held by
employees who are out on leave, and termination of the employment relationship.
John Gerak ’92, Attorney/Shareholder, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, PC
Agenda
Friday, April 12th
10:30am – APG Board Meeting – Alumni Lounge,
12:00pm Nittany Lion Inn
12:00pm – Awards Luncheon – Alumni Lobby, Nittany
1:30pm Lion Inn
1:30pm – APG Board Meeting – Alumni Lounge,
3:00pm Nittany Lion Inn
3:00pm – Career Roundtables – Faculty Staff Club,
5:00pm Nittany Lion Inn
6:00pm –
Reception – Alumni Lobby, Nittany Lion Inn
7:00pm
70th Anniversary Dinner – Assembly
7:00pm –
Room, Nittany Lion Inn
9:00pm
Philip Murray Lecture (Speaker TBD)
Saturday, April 13th
8:00am – Registration / Continental Breakfast
8:30am (Chambers Building)
8:30am –
Workshop 1, 2, & 3 (Chambers Building)
9:30am
15 min break
9:45am –
Workshop 4, 5, & 6 (Chambers Building)
10:45am
15 min break
11:00am –
Workshop 7, 8, & 9 (Chambers Building)
12:00am
Lunch – Assembly Room, Nittany Lion Inn
Speaker: Dennis Davis
12:00pm –
“Myths and Mysteries Uncovered:
2:00pm
Understanding and Preventing Workplace
Violence”
Workshop 10 (Assembly Room, Nittany Lion
2:00pm –
Inn)
3:00pm
Workshop by John Gerak – Alphabet Soup
70th Anniversary Film Sponsor
Blue Sponsors
White Sponsor
Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
127 Public Square, Suite 4130 | Cleveland, OH 44114 | www.ogletreedeakins.com