2026 HR Seminar

Thursday, April 30, 2026
8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m. ET

Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park
Huizenga Grand Room
1000 E Beltline Ave NE
Grand Rapids, MI 49525

Please join Warner’s employee benefits and labor and employment attorneys for the 2026 HR Seminar, hosted on Thursday, April 30, 2026, in the Huizenga Grand Room at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park. This full day of presentations will focus on a variety of topics spanning law changes and current trends impacting the employee benefits and labor and employment landscape.

Agenda

8:00 – 8:30 a.m.
Registration

8:30 – 9:30 a.m.
Employee Benefits Legal Update
Justin Stemple and Stephanie Grant
This legal update will discuss recent developments and trends impacting retirement plans and health and welfare plans. Topics include updates on employee benefits litigation, regulatory and agency guidance and emerging compliance considerations affecting employee benefits. This session is designed to provide human resources professionals with practical insights and takeaways for plan administration and risk management.

9:35 – 10:35 a.m.
Retirement Plan Blind Spots: What Sponsors Often Miss
Heidi Lyon and Jennifer Watkins
Even well-intentioned retirement plan sponsors can overlook issues in plan administration, governance or service-provider oversight. This panel will explore common areas where plans tend to go off track, why these issues arise and how sponsors can spot them sooner. Presenters will focus on practical awareness and day-to-day risk management that sponsors can apply to strengthen their overall plan process.

10:35 – 10:50 a.m.
Break

10:50 – 11:50 a.m.
Compliance Court
Stephanie Grant, De'Andre Robbins and Cade Bunton
Compliance Court puts common health and welfare plan mistakes on trial. In each case, we’ll present the facts of a real-world compliance scenario and you’ll play the role of the jury, deciding whether the employer is guilty or not guilty. After the verdict, we’ll walk through the applicable rules, the real enforcement risk and the practical steps employers can take to avoid ending up back in court.

11:50 a.m. – 12:50 p.m.
Lunch

12:50 – 1:35 p.m.
Fact or Fiction: Immigration Edition — HR vs. the Headlines
Sarah Bileti, Daniel Persinger and Christopher LeClair
Immigration compliance can be challenging for HR professionals, particularly as evolving regulations and public discourse create confusion about employer obligations. In this interactive session, presenters will introduce common immigration “fact or fiction” scenarios and invite participants to weigh in through live polling. Each scenario will then be reviewed to clarify what the law actually requires, highlight potential risks and provide practical guidance for employers managing immigration issues within their workforce.

1:40 – 2:25 p.m.
Practical Guidance on Navigating Protected Speech in Today's Workplace
DeAndre' Harris and Abby Coté
We will explore what constitutes protected speech under federal laws, how it intersects with organizational policies and where employers retain the right — and responsibility — to act. This session explores common gray areas such as political expression, social media activity, concerted employee activity and other speech that may be offensive yet legally protected. Attendees will leave with actionable strategies for responding consistently, reducing legal risk and maintaining a respectful, productive workplace while honoring employee rights.

2:25 – 2:40 p.m.
Break

2:40 – 3:25 p.m.
Navigating Workplace Accommodation Requests Can Be Complex — Getting It Right Matters
Allyson Terpsma and Joe Rockwell
This session offers a real-world guide to handling accommodation requests related to disability, pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions, as well as religion. We’ll break down employer obligations under the Americans with Disabilities Act, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act and Title VII, highlighting where these laws overlap and differ while sharing best practices for navigating the interactive process. Attendees will also learn when accommodations may be lawfully denied due to undue hardship and leave with practical strategies they can apply with confidence.

3:30 – 4:15 p.m.
Hot Topics for Workplace Compliance: ESTA and Wage and Hour Update
Amanda Fielder and Anne Steen
Staying compliant with evolving employment laws is more critical than ever. This session will provide a timely update on the Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) and key developments in wage and hour law that impact employers.

Participants will gain a clear understanding of current requirements, recent regulatory changes and emerging enforcement trends. The session will cover practical guidance on employee classification, overtime compliance, paid leave obligations, recordkeeping and common pitfalls that can lead to costly claims or audits.

Pricing

Full-Day Program:                 
$150 WNJ Clients      
$200 Non-clients

Half-Day Program:                
$100 WNJ Clients      
$150 Non-clients

Multi-Attendee Discount: If three or more people from the same organization attend, you can receive a 15% registration discount. Be sure to enter "WNJ-HR-2026" as the promotional code to receive the discount.

Cancellations are non-refundable after April 23, 2026.

Lunch and materials are included with every registration. Program materials are provided online one day in advance of the seminar.

Parking is complimentary at Frederik Meijer Gardens & Sculpture Park.

Continuing Education Credits

This program has been pre-approved for 6.0 HR (General) recertification credit hours toward aPHR®, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®). This program qualifies for SHRM Professional Development Credits (PDCs) which relate to the SHRM Body of Competency and Knowledge™ (SHRM BoCK).