HR Roundtable

Description

*Please note, registration for this event is limited to Business Owners & HR Professionals*

Doors open at 12:00 p.m. The program runs promptly from 12:30 p.m. to 1:30 p.m. Pizza lunch will be provided.

SHRM Credit: This course is approved for 0.75 SHRM learning credits.

The 2026 HR Legal Playbook: Staying Ahead in the Workplace

This presentation provides HR professionals, executives, and business leaders with a practical overview of key employment law developments shaping workplace compliance and risk management in 2026. It highlights major legal decisions, regulatory updates, and emerging workplace trends that employers must understand to stay compliant and avoid liability.

Core Topics Covered

• Recent Supreme Court rulings affecting religious accommodations, discrimination standards, and labor injunction requirements.
• EEOC enforcement priorities, including the legal implications of AI-driven employment tools and updated pregnancy accommodation rules.
• Artificial intelligence in employment decisions, emphasizing validation, bias auditing, and employer liability even when using third-party vendors.
• Gender identity and harassment law developments, including federal protections under Title VII and broader state and local protections.
• Pregnancy and family-related protections, such as PWFA requirements and new paid prenatal leave laws.
• Protected class expansions at the state and local level, including newly protected characteristics like height and weight in certain jurisdictions.
• Election-year workplace conducts issues, such as political speech, social media activity, and employer discipline considerations.
• Emerging HR risk areas, including worker classification, hybrid work compliance, PTO policies, mental health accommodations, and alternative workweek models.

Key Takeaway

Employment law is evolving quickly across federal, state, and local levels. Employers who proactively audit policies, train managers, document decisions, and monitor compliance trends will be best positioned to reduce legal exposure and manage workplace risk effectively.