Get up-to-date guidance and compliance solutions for your employment law challenges, while also learning the latest HR trends during this two-day virtual event.
HR professionals like you are grappling with more employment laws and regulations than ever, while litigation against employers has reached record highs. In FY 2024, the EEOC collected almost $700 million on behalf of 21,000 victims of employment discrimination. That marked the largest total monetary recovery in EEOC history and a 5% increase over FY 2023. And the EEOC received 88,531 new charges of discrimination in FY 2024, reflecting an increase of more than 9% over FY 2023.
To say the world of employment law is rife with challenges and change would be a gross understatement. As federal and private employers face cuts, employers are faced with difficult decisions. That’s why we’ve created an agenda for the HR Specialist Summit that provides the answers you need. For example, one of our sessions, How to Conduct a Reduction in Force, is a response to the difficult market conditions you face.
That’s just one of the many topics at the 9th annual HR Specialist Summit, a comprehensive digital workshop that features 10 nationally recognized lawyers, HR leaders, and trainers.
Our unique two-track approach provides the best training on your most pressing HR concerns. Compliance Day (Wednesday) helps you make all the right legal moves and keep your organization out of court. Strategy & Tactics Day (Thursday) provides timely advice on managing employees from talent acquisition to benefits and those tricky communication issues.
With its comprehensive program spanning both employment law and HR strategy — plus handouts, presentation materials, and recordings (so you can revisit what you’ve learned and share these leadership development tools with your team) — the HR Specialist Summit is your one-stop training for all things HR, all year long.
Compliance Day
Wednesday, September 10
(all times Eastern)
Anniken Davenport
HR Employment Law Advisor
Employment Law Update: Current Trends & What’s Coming in 2026
1:00 - 1:40 p.m.
The most pressing compliance issues and latest trends facing HR professionals as well as how to stay on top of the ever-growing list of challenges that affect employers. Plus, our legal expert will help you prepare for coming changes in 2026.
Carrie Hoffman
Foley & Lardner
Wage & Hour Compliance: Overtime Changes and More
1:40 - 2:20 p.m.
Recent years have seen an explosion in lawsuits brought against employers for failing to comply with complicated pay-related issues, placing the risk for employers at an all-time high. In this session, you'll learn effective strategies to wade through these complexities and protect your organization from legal troubles.
Chris Thomas
Holland & Hart
Managing Immigration Challenges and Compliance
2:35 - 3:15 p.m.
Employers are facing a new era of heightened immigration compliance demands. Learn what these changes mean for your business and how you can continue to recruit and retain top talent amid an employment landscape facing tightened restrictions. This session is a must for anyone who handles I-9 forms and immigration issues.
John Doran
Taft Law
Conducting Legally Sound HR Investigations: Best Practices for Today's Work Environment
3:15 - 3:55 p.m.
The right approach to conducting thorough investigations, reaching legally defensible decisions, and properly documenting the entire process. Avoid common pitfalls and resolve workplace complaints efficiently and effectively with the tools acquired from this discussion.
Jennifer Trulock
Bradley Arant
How to Conduct a Reduction in Force
4:10 - 5:00 p.m.
Learn how HR professionals can plan and execute a Reduction in Force (RIF) with clarity, compliance, and compassion. This session will cover best practices for implementing a RIF, documenting selection criteria, legal risk mitigation, effective communication strategies, and handling employee pushback in a consistent manner.
Strategy & Tactics Day
Thursday, September 11
(all times Eastern)
Suzanne Lucas
The Evil HR Lady
Handling Ethical Dilemmas in HR: Real-Life Challenges and Solutions
1:00 - 1:40 p.m.
HR professionals often face ethical dilemmas that test their judgment, values, and resilience. From balancing confidentiality with organizational transparency to addressing power imbalances, these situations demand a thoughtful and principled approach. This session dives deep into real-life scenarios, providing actionable strategies for navigating ethical challenges while maintaining trust and integrity.
Paul Falcone
Best-Selling Author
Managing Performance: Verbal and Documented Disciplinary Interventions
1:40 - 2:20 p.m.
Tough conversations are part of the job—but they don’t have to trip you up. In this session, we’ll walk through how to handle verbal warnings and write solid documentation that protects you and supports your team. Learn how to lead with clarity, stay compliant, and keep things on track.
Patrick Morrison
Marsh McClellan Agency
Benefit Trends and Strategies
2:35 - 3:15 p.m.
HR’s role in your company’s benefits program extends way beyond your offerings. Learn how to communicate your benefits differently to the varied generations in your workplace, the role of AI in benefits selection, future benefit trends, and offer an understanding of the underwriting process—why you pay what you pay.
Hilary McClain
Modern Management
Transforming HR: Shifting Perceptions and Elevating Impact
3:15 - 3:55 p.m.
You may love your job, but mainstream media increasingly paints HR in a negative light. On top of that, employees who don’t always trust HR often prefer approaching their managers about sensitive issues. Join us to learn how HR professionals can reinforce the value of their role to employees and leadership alike, and claim more space at the decision-making table.
Kevin Eikenberry
The Kevin Eikenberry Group
Flexible Leadership: Navigate Uncertainty and Lead with Confidence
4:10 - 5:00 p.m.
Learn how to adapt your leadership approach to fit your varying situations you are faced with in HR, while working effectively with different types of people. By the end of this session, you’ll leave equipped with practical strategies to embrace flexible leadership and inspire your team to succeed.
Here’s what some attendees from previous years had to say about the HR Specialist Summit:
Great speakers and excellent information, helpful to my HR Manager job in keeping our company compliant and much more.
Denice Stone
Precision Cabinets
Outstanding conference! Engaging, informative, educational and fun!
Kim Stanley
Penske Automotive
Speakers provided beneficial tips and tools that I can use to improve HR and my company. Thanks for a great conference.
Angela Cray
Very informative and I will be using a lot of it to 1) update my handbooks, 2) train my managers, 3) broaden my orientation process, 4) update the owners on upcoming issues.
It was my first year attending and I thought it was very good. Content was very relevant to what I deal with daily.
My first time attending an HR Summit and I was very well pleased with the virtual presentation. I honestly preferred a conference this way. Very convenient.
Useful information that gave me insight and a “to do” list.
The presenters were outstanding.
It was great info and brought up a lot of statistics to back up the topic.
Very good pointers.
Excellent strategies to consider.
Loved the examples.
Everyone Who Orders Will Also Receive
Video recordings of all conference sessions
No need to worry about missing any sessions — Video recordings will be made available to all who register.
PDFs of each presentation
We’ll send you the presentations ahead of time so you can follow along and enhance your training.
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Business Management Daily is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDC) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.
This Program has been pre-approved for 7.00 HR (General) credit hours toward aPHR®, aPHRi™, PHR®, PHRca®, SPHR®, GPHR®, PHRi™ and SPHRi™ recertification through HR Certification Institute® (HRCI®).
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