Issue 116 - October 2021
NEWS: WORTHY
California JPIA Secures CALPELRA Speaking Engagements
California JPIA Employment Practices Manager Kelly Trainer Policky will present two sessions at the 2021 California Public Employers Labor Relations Association (CALPELRA) Annual Conference in Monterey, November 16–19.
CALPELRA provides training and professional development that helps California public sector labor and employment professionals better serve their local government agencies. The Conference, themed “Color Your Space: A Spectrum of Opportunities,” offers a forum in which attendees can learn about and gain fresh perspectives on the nuances of California’s public sector labor and human resources.
First, Policky will team up with Katy Suttorp of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP to present “Navigating through the Fog of Fitness-for-Duty Evaluations.” The session will address a complex question: When and by what means is it appropriate to order an employee to submit to a fitness-for-duty evaluation? Policky and Suttorp will analyze the legal framework that governs fitness-for-duty evaluations, including disability laws under the Americans with Disabilities Act and Federal Emergency Management Agency, medical leaves of absence under the Family and Medical Leave Act and California Family Rights Act, and medical privacy standards under the U.S. Constitution and privacy statutes such as the California Confidentiality of Medical Information Act and Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, as well as Peace Officer Standards and Training for law enforcement personnel. Through real-life scenarios, participants will learn about the circumstances that can—and the circumstances that do not—justify a fitness-for-duty evaluation, common mistakes and how to avoid them, how to effectively use fitness-for-duty evaluations in the workplace, the importance of having a fitness-for-duty evaluation policy, and how updating job descriptions can proactively address common fitness-for-duty issues.
In her second session, “Somewhere Over the Rainbow: Legal Lessons Learned from the COVID-19 Pandemic,” Policky and Traci Park of Burke, Williams & Sorensen, LLP will cover emerging liability and litigation issues stemming from the COVID-19 pandemic, using examples from the more than 400 employment-related lawsuits filed in California over the last year. Focusing on what organizations can do to prevent and mitigate against liability stemming from the most common causes of action, Policky and Park will discuss how to develop policies and practices that will translate into a healthy and legally compliant workplace for the long term.
“It is an honor to be part of CALPELRA’s Annual Conference,” said Chief Executive Officer Jon Shull. “Sharing information and exchanging insight with the influential professionals in attendance will reinforce the California JPIA’s commitment to stewarding best practices in risk management among our members and throughout California.”
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