Did you know?
The Arizona Medical
Marijuana Act “prohibits employers from discriminating in ‘hiring,
termination or imposing any term or condition of employment or otherwise
penalize a person’ based upon the person’s status as a cardholder or a drug
test that detects marijuana.
“Nevertheless, employers
may discipline employees who used, possessed or were impaired by marijuana
while at work or during work hours.” – from The Cavanaugh Law Firm website.
Two Cavanaugh Law Firm
attorneys, David A. Selden and Julie Pace, will conduct a four-hour
power-packed Human Resources Law Seminar, “An Overview of Arizona Human
Resources Manual, on Friday, April 15. The place: London Bridge Resort
Convention Center, from 8 a.m. to noon. A continental breakfast will be
served from 7:30 – 8 a.m.
Reservations must be
made by calling the Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce, 855-4115, by 1
p.m. on Tuesday, April 12. The cost is $100 for the first registrant and
includes three books. Additional registrants from the same Chamber member
organization will pay an additional $35; the cost for additional non-member
registrants is $50.
The two representatives
from the Phoenix law firm will explore the ever-evolving world of human
resources policies in the workplace as it applies in Arizona. The Medical
Marijuana Act, for example, was approved by Arizona voters in November, and
Arizona is now the 15th state to have this statute on the books.
In business today, it is
imperative to stay on top of laws and regulations affecting both sides of
the employer-employee equation, in fairness to both, to protect both.
Continuing education
credits through the Human Resources Certification Institute may be submitted
to the Society for Human Resource Management. Qualified persons would need
to go online to submit the information and learn what the time frame is for
approval. The course also counts for Continuing Legal Education credits.
Topics to be covered
include:
·
Overview of
Arizona Human Resources Manual and major federal and state employment laws
·
Recruiting and
hiring, orientation and training, background checks and employment
agreements
·
Counseling and
termination of employees
·
Equal
Employment Opportunity and Arizona Civil Rights Division charges of
discrimination and conducting investigations
·
Leaves of
absence
·
Personnel
manual and policies
·
Wage and hour
laws and issues
·
Immigration:
Form I-9 and E-Verify compliance
Details:
·
Employment
issues: Federal and state
employment laws, Employment Protection Act, employment at-will, employment
discrimination, independent contractors, temporary and leased employees,
workforce reductions, child labor
·
Hiring:
Topics to avoid while interviewing, contents of employment advertising,
reporting new hires, Fair Credit Reporting Act, defamation, advantages and
disadvantages to employment agreements
·
Performance: Evaluating
performance, risk areas, legal claims based on termination, recommendations
to follow when addressing terminations, terminating for misconduct versus
performance, polygraph testing, negligent supervision and retention,
settlement agreements and the Older Workers Benefit Protection Act
·
Complaints:
Responding to charges of discrimination, investigating reports, writing an
investigative report, avoiding retaliation
·
Leave:
Employee leaves; Americans with Disabilities Act; Family and Medical Leave
Act; and Workers Compensation; Arizona Crime Victim Leave Act; drug and
alcohol policies and responding to rest results; communicable diseases.
Books included in the
seminar include the Arizona Human Resources Manual, Model Policies and Forms
for Arizona Employers, and Employment Verification – an Employers Guide to
Immigration, Form I-9, and E-Verify Compliance.
The seminar was
organized by Nancy Darrow of the Chamber’s Education Committee.
Kathy Tippett
Lake Havasu Area Chamber of Commerce