Top Compliance Trends of 2026: Tips, Tricks, and Traps That HR Must Know

Eric De Wames is a skillful trial attorney known for his expertise in the employment law field of practice. He is an outstanding counselor for all forms of businesses, public entities, and school districts in all matters before federal and state agencies including the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, the Department of Labor, the Civil Rights Department, the Division of Labor Standards Enforcement and the Office of Administrative Hearings  – he brings particular expertise to representing clients in class actions and claims under the Private Attorneys General Act. De Wames provides advice and counsel for clients and conducts audits on employers’ practices to ensure compliance with current labor regulations and laws. He is a trusted pilar of the HR community and often educates HR specialists and executives by presenting on Employment Law issues at professional conferences, remotely via Webinar or on his monthly podcast, The Employers’ Legal Lounge, as well as other client-requested engagements. Twice he was named one of California’s Super Lawyer Rising Stars by Thomson Reuters. Additionally, he serves as a recurring advisor for the firm’s Managing Partners, providing expert guidance on critical topics such as Leaves of Absence, Wage and Hour disputes, Serious & Willful actions, 132a claims, and Class Action Lawsuits. His commitment to education and collaboration ensures that Michael Sullivan & Associates remains at the forefront of legal representation in all areas of labor law. An engaging speaker, De Wames conducts seminars across the state to assist employers in navigating California’s rigorous, ever-evolving compliance regulations, always with an emphasis on preventing litigation. He is also an employment law expert consultant for Insurance Education Association (IEA) an organization dedicated to providing HR, risk managers and insurance carriers education on disability management and other employment-related compliance mandates. He’s a founding member of the Children’s Hospital Los Angeles Advisory Council and supports a wide range of charities for human rights, animal welfare and access to health care. Mr. De Wames further supports the HR community as the Co-Legislative Director for CalSHRM and the PIHRA College Relations Chair.

Victoria Collar, SHRM-SCP, is Director, Knowledge Community and Operations at SHRM. Collar brings over 20 years of extensive experience in human resources, business development, operations, and leadership, with a proven track record of driving growth and innovation. Her career includes serving as an HR department of one, scaling HR functions, and as an HR Business Partner for global customer experience centers with brands including Marriott, Clover/CGD Hospitality and Founding Farmers.  She has designed M&A and growth strategies, built remote engagement plans, and championed enterprise-wide change initiatives. Collar has a passion for developing high-performing teams, cultivating talent, and aligning people/culture strategy with business outcomes across all stages of the organizational life cycle. She holds the SHRM-SCP as well as the Project Management Professional (PMP) certifications.  She lives in North Bethesda, MD and in her downtime, she enjoys traveling, cooking, and exploring the museums in Washington DC.