Keynote Address:
The Business of Ethics: Why Smart People Sometimes Do Dumb Things
Patrick J. Kuhse
President, Speaking of Ethics
The erosion of business ethics continues to make news headlines across the country. In human resources, raising personal awareness of subtle and covert wrongdoing in an ethical manner is essential to the prevention of white-collar crime. In this entertaining, illustrative and informative session, Patrick Kuhse will take you on his own personal journey -- from a successful stockbroker with a loving family in San Diego to the jungles of Central America as an international fugitive to incarceration in two countries. Along the way, Mr. Kuhse will detail 8 critical thinking errors to recognize in your own personnel assessments. These assessments can be used as "early detection" systems to determine when employee behavior is not in alignment with established ethical and corporate standards and poses a risk to your company. Each of us is faced with moral and ethical dilemmas every day; Mr. Kuhse will show you the preventive techniques to keep moral compasses pointing true north.


2008 Employment Law Update: The Legal Year in Review and New Developments in the Courts and the Legislature
Laura Petroff, Esq.
Managing Partner, Winston & Strawn LLP
This session will provide a concise yet engaging review of the most compelling rulings from the Courts as well as the most significant pieces of State and Federal legislation from the past 15 months. In addition, there will be a fast-paced examination of the most recent employment law developments that are likely to impact your organization throughout the year. Topics include recent legislation and new case law concerning:
• Wage and hour
• Disability accommodation
• Harassment
• Discrimination 
In addition, Ms. Petroff will provide a brief survey of recent trends and a look ahead at what HR professionals will need to focus on in 2008 to protect against the next wave of claims and lawsuits.


“And the Winner Is . . .” Award-Winning HR Lessons from Working at the Emmys
Gregory Sims, SPHR
Director, Human Resources, Academy of Television Arts & Sciences
Have you ever wondered what it would be like to manage the HR function of a celebrated, international organization that is part non-profit, part trade association, part awards business and part entertainment industry? This session will serve as a unique case study of what it is like to do just that. Gregory Sims will share his experiences, approaches and problem-solving strategies as the HR Director of a high-profile, high-impact organization like the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences, better known to the public as the “Emmys”. Along the way, Gregory will address several of the challenges and nuances of this non-traditional business environment. For instance, how do you effectively manage and resolve conflict when egos and practicality clash? How do you respond appropriately when your business partners, who also happen to be volunteers, essentially control the organization? The primary objective of the session is to share the similarities and differences of this distinctive work environment, as well as lessons that may offer guidance for your own HR situations. Rumor has it that Gregory may even bring along an actual Emmy Award, too.


When California and Federal Leave Laws Collide
Leonora "Lenny" Schloss, Esq.
Partner, Sedgwick Detert Moran & Arnold LLP
Managing the absence of an employee who requires time off because of a medical condition can be a significant challenge to supervisors and human resources professionals alike. The challenge is not simply finding creative solutions to get the work done during the employee’s absence. Rather, the challenge also lies in sorting through and making sense of the overlapping employee rights and employer obligations created by the explosion of state and federal laws that regulate and protect medical absences. State and federal medical leave laws were enacted at different times, for different purposes, and contain varying employer obligations. Is it any wonder that compliance with these complex and unforgiving laws is not simple? In addition, recently both California and the federal government have added leave of absence protection for families of military members. Are you and your organization up to date on the latest medical leaves? An out-of-date approach to leaves may be costly. This advanced session will provide tried and true approaches to some of the most challenging leave conflicts due to differing state and federal laws that are guaranteed to simplify and streamline your next employee request for a leave.


Critical Issues for Wage and Hour Compliance Part I: Exempt Status
Tracy L. Cahill, Esq.
Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP
California employers face ever increasing challenges to the exempt classification of their employees. This session will provide an in-depth analysis of the current California and Federal law requirements for classifying employees as exempt from overtime and other wage and hour requirements. Attendees will learn to navigate the most recent court decisions to learn the key factors in assessing the validity of the professional, administrative, and executive exemptions. Other highlighted exemptions will include a discussion of the computer professional, outside salesperson, and motor carrier exemptions. As more and more lawsuits are filed to challenge the exempt status of employees every year, this session is essential for staying current on the newest legal developments in this critical area of employment compliance.


Strategies for Implementing a Successful Recognition Program
Cindy Ventrice
President, Potential Unlimited
One of the main reasons why people leave their jobs stems from the lack of sincere appreciation. Ideally, while also improving morale, productivity, and profitability, employee recognition programs are supposed to address the need for appreciation, but far too many of these programs fall short of this objective. After investing a significant amount of time and money in a recognition program, it can be confusing when survey scores show little change or improvement. Worse, it can be aggravating when employees respond to programs with downright apathy or suspicion. If you have been tasked with creating or revamping an employee recognition program, maybe you have encountered obstacles like these ones: executives who delegate full responsibility to others, managers who claim they are too busy to get involved, and organizational actions that run counter to the guiding message of the program: “You are valued by this company.” Even if you are able to develop an effective recognition program that is highly regarded by employees, rarely will you be able to achieve the bottom-line results that top management expects. Of course, this should not come as a huge surprise, after all, successful recognition programs require a total approach that involves the day-to-day support of top leadership and line managers, alike, and a culture that includes peers in the recognition process. In this session you will learn:
• What employees mean when they say they want recognition.
• How to prepare for the realities of managing a recognition program.
• What it takes for a recognition program to provide a positive ROI.
• What the “50/30/20 Rule of Recognition” is and why most programs make the mistake error of omitting it.
• Which three strategies are guaranteed to make your program a rousing success.
In addition, Cindy will sign her new book immediately following the session.


Identity Theft: Understanding the Impact and Taking Action in the Workplace
Bill Butkovich
Vice President and Identity Theft Risk Management Specialist, Pre-Paid Legal Services, Inc.
How does identity theft impact a business, its employees and its clients? There are 5 common types of identity theft, and each has an adverse effect on the workplace – not to mention additional work for the human resources department.  When an employee becomes a victim, both work performance and attendance usually suffer. Luckily, help is on the way. New legislation will impact employers and employees alike, and the Federal Trade Commission (FTC) is strongly advising companies to understand their new responsibilities. In particular, they stress four major compliance areas that businesses need to implement. By attending this informative session, you will:
• Learn about the steps a business should take to mitigate exposure.
• Learn about FTC expectations and new legislation directly impacting companies.
• Receive tips and valuable information pertaining to Non Public Information (NPI).
• Leave with resource sheets on identity theft and the FTC.


Succession Planning
Debbie McGrath
CEO, HR.com
This session will explore some of the more innovative ways as well as the true and proven methods to handle succession planning of your executive team. In addition, you will be able to interactively share market research based on a recent survey of HR Executives on their best practices on succession planning. Topics will include: building a talent pool, handling HIPOS, and the latest technology.


Invest in Your Investigations: How to Properly Conduct Workplace Investigations
Helene Wasserman, Esq.
Partner, Ford & Harrison LLP
When employers either suspect, witness, or are advised of potentially improper conduct in the workplace, their first instinct is to investigate. Yet, properly conducting investigations takes thought, planning, and time. Unfortunately, many employers who have the right idea to conduct the investigation don’t necessarily execute the investigation properly. Conducting workplace investigations is not an area where employers should take short-cuts as properly conducted investigations can prevent litigation in its entirety or, at a minimum, make a lawsuit easier to defend. This session will provide guidance as to how to properly conduct workplace investigations. Specific topic areas addressed will include: how to identify the right witnesses to interview, how the interviews should take place, who should be present during investigatory interviews, the importance of proper documentation, as well as issues related to confidentiality of investigations.


Recruiting Excellence: Finding Solutions to Your Recruiting Challenges
Adriana Estrada, Tracey Virtue, Deirdre Hutton, and Michelle Khojasteh
Volt Workforce Solutions
Under normal market conditions, recruiting and sourcing new talent for your business can be difficult, but today's relatively low unemployment makes it even tougher to identify and acquire top talent, especially in certain industries. This session will take a unique approach to offering advice and guidance for recruiting challenges. Instead employing a traditional lecture-style format, this session will be completely interactive. Think of it as an open forum that keys in on your specific needs and interests. With over 60 years of combined recruiting experience, the panel of recruiting experts will offer seasoned insight and practical solutions to your recruiting and sourcing challenges. So bring your specific questions to the conference and tap into the synergies of the panel of experts. To make this session even more effective, please e-mail your questions and recruiting challenges in advance to CSnyder@volt.com. Remember to reference “HR Star Conference” in the subject line.


Appreciative Inquiry: An Inventive Approach to Change
Ann E. Feyerherm, Ph.D.
Director of MSOD Program and Professor of Organization and Management, Pepperdine University
Appreciative Inquiry is a philosophy and methodology for approaching change from a holistic perspective. Essentially, it asks leaders to examine what is working in their organizations. There is no doubt that changes of all kind are needed to help organizations become more productive and to develop their capacity to engage the human spirit. Typically, the standard approach is to define the problem and then look for a solution. This is not a bad approach when you are dealing with mechanical systems or basic types of problems. However, another approach, known as Appreciative Inquiry, has been found to be more powerful when addressing more complex issues and situations. It is based on seeking what is working, what gives energy to a group of people, and how their creative potential can be tapped to yield solutions that go far beyond what is normally discovered. This session will give participants:
• A foundation for understanding the elements of Appreciative Inquiry.
• A sense for the potential of using this methodology in a variety of settings and with a variety of issues.
• Recommendations for using Appreciative Inquiry as an approach.
• Resource materials for better grasping the nuances of Appreciative Inquiry.


Ten Things That Will Prevent You From Being Sued
Phillip R. Maltin, Esq.
Partner, Silver & Freedman, APLC
This session will identify and explore policies that are critical to a successful human resources initiative. Using colorful stories and funny video clips to analyze serious subjects, this session will offer employers practical ideas for how to immunize themselves from potential legal problems. Along the way, this session will address the top ten essentials that employers should do (or should never do) if they want to keep their employees from suing them. It will also offer ideas for how to maneuver to solve problems when employees do threaten lawsuits. Pertinent for just about every business and industry, this seminar will help human resources professionals to develop not just an understanding of the law, but credible skills as a manager and leader. Among others, this session will provide answers to questions like:
• Why do leaves of absence invite lawsuits?
• How can employers tell if an employee is lying?
• How should you handle the difficult and dishonest employee?
• What is the one thing most employers do that virtually ensures a lawsuit?


Critical Issues for Wage and Hour Compliance Part II: Timekeeping, Overtime Calculation, Meal/Rest Periods, Expenses and Other Key Issues
Tracy L. Cahill, Esq.
Partner, Mitchell Silberberg & Knupp LLP
This session tackles the most significant wage and hour issues that California employers face for non-exempt employees. By attending, participants will develop a checklist of the key provisions of California and Federal wage and hour laws for compliance. New legal developments, such as the proper method for reimbursing expenses, will be also discussed. Other compliance topics include: how to calculate overtime properly, how to ensure that employees are recording all hours worked, and how to determine if employees are recording requisite meal and rest periods. In addition, this session will discuss under what circumstances an employer must pay for time spent traveling as a non-exempt employee and time spent preparing for or finishing work (such as changing clothes and gathering/returning equipment). Do not miss this session for essential tips to keep your company out of the courtroom and avoid high-impact litigation.


Pre-Employment Screening: Best Practices, New Developments and Legal Issues
Lester S. Rosen, Esq.
President & Founder, Employment Screening Resources (ESR)
It has become a statistical certainty that employers who fail to exercise due diligence in their hiring practices run the risk of hiring criminals or imposters, as well as increased workplace violence, theft and litigation. Human resources professionals are now faced with the stark reality that: 
1) Fraudulent résumés run as high as 40% of the applicants considered. Applicants often misrepresent their experience, level of education, and ability to perform essential functions on the job.
2) Up to 10% of applicants that sign background waivers have a criminal record.
3) On average, at least half of all new hires don't work out.
4) Negligent hiring is one of the fastest growing areas of employment litigation.
5) Employee dishonesty costs U.S. business over $50 billion annually and over 45% of inventory shrinkage is employee-related.
In addition, employers also face legal and privacy challenges in performing background checks. In this session, learn best practices when it comes to due diligence in hiring and employment background screening. Audit your current practices and legal compliance through case studies and a legal update. As a bonus, this session will also focus on unique, "only in California" aspects of background checks.


How to Overcome the H-1B Visa Quota and Protect Your Organization from Immigration Audits
Bobby C. Chung, Esq.
Principal, Law Office of Bobby C. Chung, P.C.
Kaushik Ranchod, Esq.
Principal, Ranchod Law Group, P.C.
Obtaining a new H-1B visa is akin to winning the lottery, and as we approach the April 1st filing date, not every applicant will be a winner. What do you do if your employee is not granted an H-1B visa? Are there alternatives for employers who cannot wait for their candidate to begin employment on October 1st of the same year? With rising immigration audits and enforcement against employers, vigilant compliance with the employment verification requirements and maintaining appropriate records are equally as important as hiring the best and brightest employees. How do companies avoid tripping over the minefield of immigration regulations? This session will focus on critical immigration issues faced by HR professionals. The presentation will suggest best practices and solutions that will benefit organizations of all sizes and their foreign employees. Specifically, the discussion topics will include:
• Alternatives to the H-1B visa: Once the H-1B quota is exhausted, organizations must consider all available visa options to employ foreign nationals.
• Coping with the immigrant visa backlog: Timing strategies to ensure your foreign workers have continuous work authorization during the PERM and lengthy green card process.
• Social Security Mismatch Letters: What are the employer's responsibilities and strategies for avoiding liability when notified by the government of potential unauthorized foreign workers?
• Being prepared for government audits: Tips and suggestions to ensure compliance with the I-9 employment eligibility verification and H-1B record keeping requirements.
• Recent legislative updates and other hot immigration topics.


Bridging the Gap: Managing a Successful Partnership between Human Resources and Payroll
Henry Lonsdale
President and Founder, California Payroll
Traditionally, payroll has been a function of the finance and accounting departments. However, payroll is increasingly becoming an integral part of the human resources process, especially as a primary tool for communicating with employees. This session will center on developing the relationship between human resources and payroll. Proper policy development and implementation, as well as effective and efficient service delivery, requires bridging the gap between these two functions and departments. Along the way, the presentation will explore and examine the following items:
• Establishing policies and procedures that work for both teams: identifying the direction of data flow between departments, tracking employee time-off, handling the new hire process, and establishing policies and procedures for benefits enrollment and changes.
• Clearly identifying roles and responsibilities between the departments: role perceptions, understanding actual roles, outlining and implementing processes, and the role of management and decision-making.
• Evaluating tools and systems: what tools and systems to look for, including time and attendance, human resources and payroll systems; getting your systems to talk so payroll and HR data integrates; and how to determine what is best for your organization and internal processes.
• Tips for reducing friction between the departments: finding ways to have your teams communicate to each other more effectively.


Defining Business Casual for HR: It All Begins with You
Denise McCommins
President, Just Imagine Professional Image Service
In a professional setting, how you come across also helps determine how you get your message across. Join celebrated image specialist, Denise McCommins, and learn how to look and be your best professional self. In this interactive workshop, Denise will help define the principles of business casual and help you develop strategies for managing how it is perceived in your workplace. In addition, Denise will show how you can build a core professional wardrobe on virtually any budget and select styles that are most appropriate for your position. Along the way, Denise will present the top 10 professional “must haves” for spring 2008, modernizing the concept of corporate and business casual. Using the professional image tips and techniques learned in this session will help you to:
• Assess your own professional image as an HR professional.
• Create an updated business casual dress code.
• Guide supervisors and managers in implementing the updated dress code.
• Feel more empowered and more confident in day-to-day interactions with employees, executives and peers.