Employment Law Conference

CBIA’s 2025 Employment Law Conference explores strategies for harnessing artificial intelligence in the modern workplace, guiding attendees through the essentials of adoption and sharing practical strategies for implementing tools.

We’ll show you how to recognize when aggressive or intolerant behavior rises to the level of a hate crime, detail the importance of reporting incidents, and explain your responsibilities as an employer.

This year’s conference also explains common mistakes employers make that result in litigation, helps you navigate the potential minefield of employee accommodation requests, and shows you how to distinguish between workplace harassment and bullying.

And don’t miss the opportunity to network with your peers from around the state!

AGENDA

7:30 | Networking Breakfast

8:30 am | Opening Remarks

• Diane Mokriski, HR Counsel, CBIA

8:45 am | Keynote

9:30 am | Responding to Employee Accommodation Requests

• Rachel Kushel, Partner, Robinson+Cole

• Abby Warren, Partner, Robinson+Cole

When must an employer grant an employee’s accommodation request? Whether it’s a modified holiday schedule for religious reasons, time off for prenatal appointments, remote work for someone who can’t drive, or reduced hours due to anxiety, the world of accommodation requests can feel like a minefield. Title VII, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act, the ADA, the Fair Labor Standards Act—as well as state laws—all require employers to provide accommodations, but under varying standards and rules. Which ones apply to your business? And what process should you follow when determining how to respond? 

10:25 am | Networking Break

10:45 am | Understanding Hate Crimes

• Moderator: Michael Bloom, Senior Director of External Affairs & Engagement, Connecticut Department of Emergency Services & Public Protection

• Nicholas Caez, Sergeant, Connecticut State Police Hate Crimes Investigative Unit

• Michael Dargan, Detective, Connecticut State Police Hate Crimes Investigative Unit

• Julia Stoner, Detective, Connecticut State Police Hate Crimes Investigative Unit

We’re living and working in an environment where we’re often confronted by aggression, animosity, and intolerance. When does that behavior amount to a hate crime? And what are your responsibilities as an employer? In this segment, we’ll learn what hate crimes are and are not, the importance of reporting incidents, and what to do if you’ve been a victim or an employer of a victim or perpetrator. 

11:30 am | How to Respond to Harassment & Bullying Complaints

Learn how hate crimes differ from harassment, and how harassment differs from bullying, as we explore which behaviors are illegal and which are just unprofessional, what constitutes a “hostile work environment,” what types of conduct are not illegal, and how employers should respond when they get a complaint? 

12:30 pm | Networking Lunch

1:30 pm | Strategic AI

• Bob DeLisa, Founder & CEO, Cooperative Systems

Join Bob DeLisa for an engaging session on harnessing AI to transform the modern workplace. This presentation will guide attendees through the essentials of organizational readiness for AI adoption. Attendees will learn practical strategies for implementing tools like Copilot, balancing innovation with security and privacy, accelerating value through rapid prototyping, and implementing humans-in-the-loop strategies. DeLisa will also provide a manager’s playbook for driving successful AI initiatives, ensuring your organization is prepared for the future of work. 

2:15 pm | How Not to Get a Letter from a Plaintiffs’ Attorney

• Joshua Goodbaum, Partner, Garrison Law

What are the most common mistakes employers make that result in litigation? We go right to the source for that answer, hearing from an attorney who specializes in representing employees. This will be an invaluable opportunity to gain new perspective, hear what kinds of claims are most valuable to a plaintiff’s lawyer (and so most costly for an employer), and learn how to avoid them. This session will focus primarily on discrimination, retaliation, and wage and hour complaints. 

3:15 pm | Adjourn

CBIA’s Employment Law Conference is made possible through the generous support of Robinson+Cole, with additional support from Cooperative Systems.

Host or Publisher CBIA