Texas Conference for Employers

7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.       Registration
8:15 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.       Welcome & Opening
8:40 a.m. – 9:40 a.m.       Injured Employees / Recent Issues Under the NLRA
9:40 a.m. – 9:55 a.m.       Exhibit Hall & Networking Break
9:55 a.m. – 11:00 a.m.    Wage and Hour Law and Other Payroll Issues
11:00 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.  Workers’ Compensation  for Texas Employers
11:40 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.    Lunch:  On Your Own
1:00 p.m. – 1:45 p.m.      Independent Contractors
1:45 p.m. – 2:30 p.m.      An Introduction to Creating an Effective Policy Handbook
2:30 p.m. – 2:45 p.m.      Exhibit Hall & Networking Break (CPA, Non-CPA, MCLE, and HRCI/SHRM Certificates of Attendance will be available)
2:45 p.m. – 2:55 p.m.      Skills Training Opportunities for Business Video/Workforce Services
2:55 p.m. – 3:55 p.m.      Handling Unemployment Claims & Appeals
3:55 p.m. – 4:15 p.m.      Question and Answer Session/Closing Remarks

Registration includes both days.

Day 1

7:30 a.m. – 8:15 a.m.       Registration
8:15 a.m. – 8:40 a.m.       Welcome & Opening Session
8:40 a.m. – 9:25 a.m.       An Introduction to Creating an Effective Policy Handbook
9:25 a.m. – 10:25 a.m.     Wage and Hour Law and Other Payroll Issues
10:25 a.m. – 10:40 a.m.   Exhibit Hall & Networking Break
10:40 a.m. – 11:40 a.m.   Employment Law Update: Recent Court, Legislative, and Regulatory Activity
11:40 a.m. – 1:10 p.m.     Lunch:  On Your Own
1:10 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.       Background Checks, Social Media and Other Arresting Developments
2:10 p.m. – 2:40 p.m.       ADA, FMLA, and Other Leave-Related Laws
2:40 p.m. – 2:55 p.m.       Exhibit Hall & Networking Break
2:55 p.m. – 3:05 p.m.       Skills Training Opportunities for Business
3:05 p.m. – 4:05 p.m.       Handling Unemployment Claims & Appeals
4:05 p.m. – 4:25 p.m.       Question and Answer Session/Closing Remarks

Day 2

8:15 a.m. – 9:15 a.m.         Independent Contractors
9:15 a.m. – 10:15 a.m.       Injured Employees / Recent Issues Under the NLRA
10:15 a.m. – 10:30 a.m.     Exhibit Hall & Networking Break
10:30 a.m. – 11:00 p.m.     Advanced Topics in Wage and Hour Law
11:00 a.m. – 11:45 a.m.     Workers’ Compensation for Texas Employers
11:45 a.m. – 1:10 p.m.       Lunch:  On Your Own
1:10 p.m. – 2:10 p.m.         Workplace Privacy Issues
2:10 p.m. – 2:55 p.m.         Developments in Disability Discrimination Law
2:55 p.m. – 3:10 p.m.         Exhibit Hall & Networking Break (CPA, Non-CPA, MCLE, and HRCI/SHRM Certificates of Attendance will be available)
3:10 p.m. – 3:40 p.m.         Drug Testing and Unemployment Claims
3:40 p.m. – 4:00 p.m.         Question and Answer Session/Closing Remarks

You may register in advance online or by mail, or register at the event.  Seating is limited, so we recommend that you register in advance.  Registration over the phone is not accepted. The registration fee is $200 for a 1-day conference and $325 for a 2-day conference, non-refundable. Recommended attire for the event is business casual.

Online Registration

You may register online for any scheduled conference. You will have the option to pay online or mail a check.

Registration at the Conference

If the event is not sold out in advance, you may register at the door. You may pay the registration fee by cash, check or credit card.  Registration for a 1-day conference is $200 and $325 for a 2-day conference.

Cancellation Policy

The registration fee is non-refundable. If you cannot attend, you may send someone else in your place. If possible, your substitute should bring a copy of your confirmation letter.

Topics are selected based on the most common inquiries we receive from employers. We send out a tentative agenda with your registration confirmation. Due to occasional scheduling conflicts of our speakers and the travel variables that can arise, we sometimes substitute a topic or change the order of topics.

Seminar topics typically include:

• Texas Employment Law and Hiring Legally
• Federal and Texas Wage and Hour Law
• Unemployment Claims and Appeals
• Independent Contractors
• Employee Policy Handbooks
• Drug Testing
• Workplace Privacy Issues
• Background Checks and Social Media

Handout Materials

Participants receive informative handouts and the latest edition of the popular publication Especially for Texas Employers which address basic legal issues regarding hiring, post-employment and work-separation policies.

Most of the written materials in the conference notebook are designed by our speakers to be used in conjunction with their oral presentations. The materials are best understood in the context of the presentations. For this reason, we highly recommend someone attend in your place if you are unable to attend the conference.

Professional Development Credits

Certified public accountants who attend can earn continuing education credit, and other conference participants may qualify for general professional credit.

TWC's Commissioner  Representing Employers and the Society for Human Resource Management Texas State Council (Texas SHRM) are pleased to announce the formulation of a collaborative partnership between the two organizations to co-sponsor the Texas Conference for Employers - an educational showcase of business, employment law and human resource topics being offered in many cities throughout Texas. As a co-sponsor with TWC's Commissioner Representing Employers, Texas SHRM will begin offering recertification credits, targeted specifically for Human Resource professionals attending the conferences.

Attorneys may receive up to 5.5 hours of Mandatory Continuing Legal Education (MCLE) credit if they attend the entire conference. Information needed for the credit hours will be made available to all attorneys who sign an MCLE attendance roster at the registration table.

For more information on how to apply for these professional development credits upon attending Texas Conference for Employers, please visit the Texas SHRM website.

Neither the conference nor the Office of the Commissioner Representing Employers handles inquires about COBRA, HIPAA, ERISA or other similar insurance or retirement/pension topics. The conference also does not address labor unions or collective bargaining issues. Because all of the aforementioned topics are highly technical, they do not lend themselves to the high volume of business done in our office. If you have problems or questions in these areas, we strongly recommend that you hire private legal counsel to assist you.