Employers' Legal Lounge

Special Guest: Dr. Marie-Helene Pelletier - Work Psychologist

Topics covered in this month’s podcast:

✅ Legislative updates (SB 947, SB 951, AB 1883, AB 1331, AB 1803, AB 2495 & more)

✅ Artificial Intelligence

✅ Strategic HR Planning

✅ Lessons From “The Resilience Plan”

Links:

🔗 SHRM NorCal 2026 Conference: https://msa.news/shrm-norcal-26

🔗 Kern County SHRM 29th Annual Conference: https://kcshrm.org/events/

🔗 PIHRA CELU 2026 - 2027 Conferences: https://pihra.org/celu26-fall/

🔗 SHRM Northstate 2026 HR Summit: https://msa.news/shrm-ns-2026-summit

🔗 SCWC 2026 Annual Conference: https://msa.news/scwc2026

🔗 Free Worksheets from “The Resilience Plan”: https://msa.news/TRP-worksheets

Special Guest: John Bernatovicz (Founder - Willory | Author & Speaker)

Topics covered in this month’s podcast:

✅ Legislative Updates (SB 7, SB 947, SB 951, AB 1941, AB 1803, SB 1149, AB 2495 & more)

✅ Getting Legal Help with Employment Issues

✅ Lessons From “HR Like a Boss”

✅ Services Offered by Willory

✅ HR Technology Platforms

✅ HR Like a Boss Podcast - Season 7

Links:

🔗 SHRM NorCal 2026 Conference: https://conference.shrm.org/norcal-conference

🔗 Kern County SHRM 29th Annual Conference: https://kcshrm.org/events/

🔗 PIHRA CELU 2026 - 2027 Conferences: https://pihra.org/celu26-fall/

🔗 Willory: https://willory.com/

🔗 HR Like a Boss (Podcast): https://willory.com/podcast/

🔗 HR Like a Boss (Book): https://msa.news/4qoVU5e

Special Guests: Joshua Stewart (Attorney - MS&A), Andy Covell (State Director - CalSHRM | Founder - Lion Tech Solutions), Cherrity Ricks (President - Kern County SHRM | Certification Director - CalSHRM | Compensation Manager - Western Management Group), and Nina Woodard (Board Secretary - SHRM Colorado | State Council Professional Development Director - CalSHRM | Board Member - Rise Up | Chair of the Board of Directors - Safe Place for Pets | President & Chief "N" Sights Officer - Nina E. Woodard & Associates)

Topics covered in this month’s podcast:

✅ CalSHRM 2026 California Legislative & HR Leadership Summit

✅ Proposed Legislation: SB 947, SB 1898, SB 951

✅ Caregiver Benefits

✅ Current Litigation Trends

✅ AI Use by Latest Generation of HR Professionals

✅ Balancing Empathy and Business Objectives

✅ The Role of Artificial Intelligence in HR

Links:

🔗 PIHRA's 2026 CAHR Conference: https://cahrconference.org/

🔗 SHRM California (CalSHRM): https://www.calshrm.org/

🔗 Professionals In Human Resources Assoc. (PIHRA): https://pihra.org/

Special Guests: Paul Falcone (Bestselling Author & Global Keynote Speaker | Principal - Paul Falcone Workplace Leadership Consulting, LLC) and Patti Cuthill (VP of People & Culture - Verve Cloud | Southern California District Director - CalSHRM)

Topics covered in this month’s podcast:

✅ Legislative Updates (SB 806 / AB 5, Bereavement Leaves, AI, Remote Work)

✅ Giving Professional Feedback

✅ Performance Reviews

✅ Disciplinary Actions

Links:

🔗 CalSHRM Legislative & HR Leadership Summit: https://msa.news/calshrm-4-15-26

🔗 CAHR Conference 2026: https://cahrconference.org/

🔗 Professionals in Human Resources Assoc. (PIHRA): https://pihra.org

🔗 Workplace Leadership Consulting, LLC: https://www.paulfalconehr.com

🔗 Books by Paul Falcone: https://www.paulfalconehr.com/books

Special Guests: Tara Fournier (Founder & Chief Executive Consultant, T4 HR | Deputy Director, SHRM CA | Past President, PIHRA) and Andy Covell (Founder, Lion Tech Solutions | State Director Elect, SHRM CA)

Topics covered in this month’s podcast:

✅ Upcoming PIHRA & SHRM Events

✅ Legislative Updates (SB 294, SB 513 & AB 692)

✅ Workplace Surveillance

✅ Employee Training

✅ I-9 Audits

✅ Employees vs. Independent Contractors

✅ Accommodations

Links:

🔗 California Employment Law Update - San Diego & Riverside: https://pihra.org/employment-law-update/

🔗 2026 California Legislative & HR Leadership Summit: https://msa.news/shrm-ca26

🔗 PIHRA HR Cruise: https://hrcruise.org/

🔗 T4 HR: https://www.t4-hr.com/

🔗 Lion Tech Solutions: https://lionstechsolutions.com/

Special Guests: Christine Rodman (CEO - Lynx Employer Resources LLC) and Monique Akanbi (Membership Initiatives Director - SHRM)

Topics covered in this month’s podcast:

✅ Legislative Updates

✅ Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA)

✅ Artificial Intelligence (AI)

✅ Workplace Surveillance

✅ Return to Work

✅ HR Industry Trends

Links:

🔗 California Employment Law Update (CELU) Conferences - https://pihra.org/employment-law-update

🔗 PAGA 2025 Legal Updates Webinar Recording - https://msa.news/9-23-25-paga (Passcode: DFgVK@F8)

🔗 2026 SHRM CA Legislative & HR Leadership Summit - https://msa.news/shrm-ca26

🔗 2026 HR Cruise by PIHRA - https://hrcruise.org

🔗 Lynx Employer Resources - https://lynx-er.com

Special Guest: Nathan Craig - President of Employee Benefits, Culture Insurance Group

Topics covered in this month’s podcast:

✅ 2025 legislative updates

✅ Trends in the benefit plan ecosystem

✅ Recent executive orders

✅ Artificial Intelligence (AI)

✅ Consumer privacy news

✅ Arbitration updates

✅ Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA)

Links:

🔗 CalSHRM 2025 California Legislative & HR Leadership Summit: https://www.calshrm.org/about-1-2

🔗 CalSHRM 2025 Case Competition: Anything is Possible: https://msa.news/4hNsoky

🔗 CalSHRM Wildfire Resources: https://www.calshrm.org/about-1-3

🔗 SHRM Background Check Survey on LinkedIn: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RJY9GRZ

🔗 2025 California HR (CAHR) Conference: https://cahrconference.org/

Special Guests: Rafael Rivera: CEO, Professionals In Human Resources Association (PIHRA) and Dana Mayhew: Founder, TDC Consults | Adjunct Faculty, Claremont Graduate University | Faculty, El Camino Group LLC | Instructor, UCLA Extension

Topics covered in this month’s podcast:

✅ Wildfire relief resources

✅ PIHRA’s CELU Riverside conference

✅ PIHRA resources & upcoming events

✅ PIHRA College Relations Committee news

✅ Legislative advocacy updates

✅ Overview of 2025 employment laws

Links:

🔗 Ready LA County: https://msa.news/4h6Ob6p

🔗 DisasterAssistance.gov: https://www.disasterassistance.gov

🔗 Shelters Available for Communities Impacted by the Wildfires in Southern CA: https://msa.news/4ayUmxz

🔗 CA Dept. of Insurance - Mandatory One Year Moratorium on Non-Renewals: https://msa.news/3WznC1v

🔗 Wildfire Assistance for Small Businesses Available Through the Federal Small Business Administration (SBA): https://msa.news/4gbZB7G

🔗 Monitor Ongoing Fires: https://www.fire.ca.gov

🔗 Find Wildfire-Related Volunteer Opportunities: https://msa.news/4h7hNR3

🔗 List of Safe Ways to Donate: https://msa.news/3WxV2NX

🔗 SHRM Article - LA Wildfires Have Cost Some Workers Everything, Endanger Others: https://msa.news/40Nad8L

🔗 PIHRA’s Employer Tips for L.A. Wildfires webinar: https://msa.news/4hrz6fC

🔗 CalSHRM 2025 California Legislative & HR Leadership Summit: https://www.calshrm.org/about-1-2

Special Guests: Tara Fournier: President, PIHRA | Deputy State Director, CalSHRM | Interim Chief People & Culture Officer, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and Susan Bowman: Sr. Human Resources Manager, Rite Aid | President-elect, PIHRA

Topics covered in this month’s podcast:

✅ Employment Law Update: New Laws Passed for 2024-2025

✅ Compliance Updates for 2025 Handbooks

✅ PAGA Reform

✅ Artificial Intelligence (AI)

Links:

🔗 Civil Rights Dept. Council: https://msa.news/3NE9mjf

🔗 Oct. 2024 CalSHRM Legislative Report: https://msa.news/3BVnjqp

🔗 2024 SD SHRM Annual Conference: https://msa.news/4dZ3A6E

🔗 2024 - 2025 California Employment Law Update (CELU) Conferences: https://msa.news/4hmKTwn

🔗 2025 CalSHRM California Legislative & HR Leadership Summit: https://www.calshrm.org

🔗 2025 California HR (CAHR) Conference: https://cahrconference.org

🔗 2025 SHRM Annual Conference: https://annual.shrm.org

Special Guest: Carrie Rostron, Workers’ Compensation and Risk Control Director at CMR Risk & Insurance Services.

Topics covered in this month’s podcast:

✅ PAGA Reform

✅ SB 399

✅ Workers’ Comp Trends

✅ Workers’ Comp & HR Crossover

Links:

🔗 CAJPA (South Lake Tahoe – Sept.): https://msa.news/cajpa24

🔗 NorCal SHRM (S.F. – Sept.): https://msa.news/norcal-shrm24

🔗 PIHRA CELU (L.A. – Oct.): https://www.pihra.org/celu/

🔗 PIHRA CELU (O.C. – Nov.): https://www.pihra.org/celu/

🔗 CalSHRM (S.D. – Nov.): https://msa.news/calshrm-sd24

🔗 Eric & Carrie’s PAGA Webinar: https://msa.news/20240731paga (Passcode: Fa9by%9w)

🔗 CMR Risk & Insurance Services: https://cmrris.com/

🔗 Carrie Rostron’s LinkedIn Profile: https://msa.news/c-rostron