Employment Law for HR: A Deep Dive into Recent Case Law and Developments

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Event Summary:
Doors open at 8:30am for breakfast, coffee, and networking conversations! Our presentation starts at 9:00am.

Should you have an accessibility request that will support your conference participation, please let us know by sending an email to [email protected].

Location and Parking Notes:
Please note that this event will be held at the Emerald Queen Casino and Hotel in Tacoma, WA. Parking is available in the EQC parking garage.

Presentation Overview:

Join Washington employment law attorneys Michael Church and Alice Riethman for a fast-paced, engaging three-hour workshop designed to equip HR professionals with the knowledge they need to navigate today's evolving legal landscape. Michael and Alice will open with a comprehensive case law update, highlighting the most significant recent decisions from Washington State and across the country that directly affect HR practice.

The workshop will then turn to the 2026 Washington State Legislative Session, where attendees will gain a thorough understanding of the key legislative changes impacting employers this year. To close out the session, your Puget Sound SHRM team will host a live Q&A with Michael and Alice, giving attendees the opportunity to ask questions and discuss the issues that matter most to the HR profession.
Attendees will have the opportunity to:

• Identify recent court decisions from Washington State and nationwide that carry significant implications for HR policies and practices.
• Understand the key employment-related legislation enacted during the 2026 Washington State Legislative Session and how it affects employer obligations.
• Assess potential compliance risks arising from new legal developments and determine practical steps to address them.
• Apply insights from real-world case law to strengthen workplace policies, procedures, and decision-making.

Speaker Bios:

Michael Church has extensive experience representing employers in all aspects of employment law with a focus on complex and high-stakes litigation. Michael has particular skill in wage and hour class/collective actions, workplace investigations, unfair competition claims, trade secrets, as well as class actions relating to other employment-related matters. Michael is admitted to practice before all Washington State Courts, the U.S. District Courts for Eastern and Western Districts of Washington, and the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.

Alice Reithman brings a diverse background in employment litigation, representing both employees and employers, and prior experience in human resources. For clients in Washington and New Mexico, this means real-world employer advice on the most critical topics in employment, practical compliance assistance in navigating employment laws, and workplace training that is tailored to each organization’s unique needs.

This program is pending approval for 4.0 PDCs toward SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification and 4.0 General Credit pending approval through HRCI.

Attendee information will be shared with our sponsors and guest speaker.

Contact Michael Holloway to learn more!

t: (661) 965-3833

Contact to learn more!

t: (360) 484-1197

Contact Manny Martinez to learn more!

t: (360) 561-4330

Contact Lucy Gregg to learn more!

t: (503) 858-7313

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Host or Publisher South Puget Sound SHRM