Tuesday, May 13, 2025
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 2025 HR Seminar, hosted on Tuesday, May 13, 2025, in the Huizenga Grand Room of the 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, arbitration of employee benefits claims, cybersecurity for employee benefits plans and regulatory actions taken and withdrawn.
9:35 – 10:35 a.m.
Feeling SECURE Yet? Key Updates and Insights on SECURE Act Changes for Retirement Plans
Heidi Lyon, Jennifer Watkins and Brandon Cross
This presentation will cover key provisions of the SECURE Acts, focusing on new guidance, upcoming requirements and optional changes for retirement plan sponsors and fiduciaries. We’ll also discuss industry insights and practical steps to implement these changes, avoid compliance pitfalls and ensure smooth plan operations. Whether you manage a 401(k) or another retirement plan, this session will help you stay on track with SECURE legislation updates and explore opportunities to optimize plan design.
10:35 – 10:45 a.m.
Break
10:45 – 11:45 a.m.
Fiduciary Responsibility Panel Discussion: Navigating Retirement and Health + Welfare
Moderator: Justin Stemple
Panel: Heidi Lyon, Jennifer Watkins, Stephanie Grant and Nadia Little
This panel discussion will address the critical responsibilities and obligations of those overseeing retirement plans and health and welfare plans. Panelists will delve into fiduciary roles, emphasizing the duty to act in the best interests of plan participants and beneficiaries while navigating evolving risks from new legislation, litigation, innovative plan designs and the challenges of rising health care costs and retirement security. This session will offer practical guidance to help fiduciaries effectively manage their plans and protect themselves from legal exposure.
11:45 – 12:45 p.m.
Lunch
12:45 – 1:30 p.m.
Immigration Compliance + ICE Preparedness: What Employers + HR Need to Know
Madelaine Lane and Sarah Bileti
In this session, Madelaine Lane and Sarah Bileti will explore the latest developments in immigration law and their impact on employers and HR professionals. As global talent markets shift and regulatory frameworks evolve, staying informed is essential for compliance and maintaining a competitive edge in hiring and retaining international talent. The discussion will cover recent policy changes, best practices for legal compliance and how to respond if ICE conducts a workplace visit. Additionally, the session will highlight strategic hiring approaches that help businesses attract and retain top global talent while navigating complex immigration laws.
1:35 – 2:20 p.m.
Managing Medical Leave Issues
Allyson Terpsma and Joe Rockwell
This session will provide insights into managing employee health-related leave requests, ensuring a fair and transparent process and maintaining legal compliance. We will discuss not only legal requirements, but best practices under the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Michigan’s Earned Sick Time Act (ESTA) and other applicable laws.
2:20 – 2:35 p.m.
Break
2:35 – 3:20 p.m.
Internal Investigations: Determining Fact from Fiction
DeAndre’ Harris and Anne Steen
Internal investigations can be useful tools for mitigating liability and dealing with workplace issues – if they’re done right. This session will provide a detailed exploration of internal investigations, and the legal pitfalls associated with them. Participants will gain a solid understanding of best practices for conducting internal investigations as applied to various issues in the workplace such as misconduct, workplace safety incidents and other aspects of employment.
3:25 – 4:10 p.m.
Update on the Changing Workplace Landscape
Jonathan Kok and Abigail Coté
2025 has been a year of change, particularly as it pertains to the workforce. With the recent change in administration, employers have experienced drastic shifts in EEOC and Labor Board priorities, views on DEI programming and beyond. This session will walk through these changes, provide a thorough review of the complex legal developments that have impacted employers thus far and address the likely challenges and opportunities these developments may bring.
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 may receive a 15% registration discount. Be sure to enter “WNJ-HR-2025” as the promotional code to receive the discount.
Cancellations are non-refundable after May 6, 2025.
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.
Guests are allowed complimentary admission to open exhibits and garden areas the day of the seminar.
Continuing Education Credits
This program has been approved for 5.50 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).
Questions
If you have questions about the program, or are interested in a hotel room in our room block, please contact Lori Folkertsma at 616.752.2492 or lfolkertsma@wnj.com.
