Mid-Year Legal & Compliance Update 2026
May 29, 2026 | 9:00 AM - 3:30 PM
Are you ready to navigate the evolving landscape of California legal compliance in the workplace? Join us for a full-day program designed to equip HR professionals with the knowledge and tools they need to stay ahead in today's dynamic environment. As California continues to lead the nation in progressive legislation and regulatory enforcement, staying ahead of the state’s evolving compliance landscape is critical for every organization.
Attendees will gain actionable insights into emerging risks, upcoming legal changes, and best practices for maintaining compliance in an increasingly complex regulatory environment. Whether you manage operations, legal affairs, or compliance strategy, this session will equip you with the tools and foresight to confidently navigate California’s ever-changing legal terrain.
الوجبات السريعة الرئيسية:
- Understand the latest California legislative and regulatory updates for 2026
- Identify high-impact compliance risks and enforcement trends
- Learn strategies for operationalizing compliance across departments
- Engage with peers and experts on practical solutions for today’s legal challenges
من يجب أن يحضر؟
- أخصائيو الموارد البشرية
- Legal Counsel
- Business Owners
- Business Leaders
- HR Accountables
Location – In Person
SHRM NorCal Office
1820 Gateway Dr., Suite 170
San Mateo, CA 94404
Program Cost
SHRM Member: $169
SHRM Non-Member: $229
جدول أعمال البرنامج
9:00-9:30
Registration, Network, and Coffee
9:45-10:45
EEOC Compliance Update 2026
Speaker: Linda Li, Lead Outreach & Education Coordinator, U.S. EEOC:
Pregnant Workers Fairness Act: What to Expect Based on Recent Cases
What are similarities and distinctions between the PWFA and the ADA? And what types of cases are we seeing at the EEOC? In this session, we will review the key concepts for the EEOC’s most recent law mandating accommodations for pregnancy, childbirth and related medical conditions. Explore the five specific practices this statue prohibits and the four accommodations unlikely to pose an undue hardship. Determine what is reasonable (and what is unreasonable) to ask for in terms of supporting documentation, and promising practices for best results.
11:00-12:00
Legislative Mid-Year Review for California Workplaces
Speaker: Erika Frank, Esq. Vice President and Legal Counsel, California Hospital Association:
This breakout session will provide a comprehensive mid-year update on California employment law developments, including recent case law, regulatory activity, and key legislative trends shaping employer compliance obligations. Participants will gain insight into emerging proposals addressing the use of artificial intelligence in hiring and workforce management, changes to CA’s criminal background check laws, and new employee protections.
12:15-1:00
Lunch and networking
1:00-2:00
Understanding Employee Leave & Accommodation Rights: FMLA/CFRA and ADA/FEHA
Speaker: Rima Hopkins, SHRM - CP, SHRM Knowledge Advisor:
Employers and employees alike benefit from a clear understanding of workplace leave and accommodation regulations. Two key frameworks govern these rights: the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) and California Family Rights Act (CFRA), as well as the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and California’s Fair Employment and Housing Act (FEHA).
FMLA and CFRA provide eligible employees with job-protected leave for specified family and medical reasons, such as a serious health condition, bonding with a new child, or caring for a family member. While these share many similarities, important differences, particularly under CFRA, expand coverage and redefine who qualifies as a family member under California law.
ADA and FEHA focus on preventing disability discrimination and require employers to provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. FEHA generally offers broader protections than ADA, including wider definitions of disability and stronger employer obligations in California.
Understanding how these laws interact helps employers remain compliant and support a fair, inclusive workplace. Our upcoming session will provide a practical overview of these conditions, key differences, and common practices for implementation.
2:15-3:30
HR Best Practices When Documenting Employee Performance and Misconduct
Speaker: Jane Kow, Founder/Employment Lawyer, HR Law Consultants
This session will provide HR professionals with a step-by-step guide on how to clearly document and communicate concerns about employees’ performance and misconduct issues. These documentation practices will help ensure that sound personnel decisions are based on a properly documented record, aimed at minimizing the appearance of harassment or unfair treatment. Attendees will be provided with templates that provide employees with clear feedback and areas for improvement and development, while notifying them of the basis for key personnel decisions that will be essential to the defense against employee claims and lawsuits.
Program Speakers
Linda Li
Lead Outreach & Education Coordinator
U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission - San Francisco District
Linda Li (she/her/hers) has served the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s San Francisco District Office as Outreach & Education Coordinator since 1998. Her duties include managing outreach, training and public affairs for the EEOC throughout Northern California, Northern Nevada and the Pacific Northwest. Her chief goal is to tell the human stories behind EEOC’s cases and to make the law accessible to all stakeholders – including small business owners, union representatives, farmworkers, people with disabilities, veterans, trade apprentices and high school students. Prior to the EEOC, Li conducted community outreach for the National Asian American Telecommunications Association (since renamed the Center for Asian American Media) and the Asian Law Caucus. She holds a M.A. from Stanford University and a B.A. from Brown University.
Erika Frank
Vice President and Legal Counsel
California Hospital Association
Erika Frank is Vice President and Legal Counsel for the California Hospital Association where she specializes in labor and employment, workers’ compensation, workplace safety, workforce, community benefits and seismic compliance.
Leveraging more than two decades of legal, regulatory, and legislative experience, providing counsel to California employers on labor and employment laws at the California Chamber of Commerce, and the Shaw Law Group. Prior to joining CHA, Erika served as Associated Executive Director and General Counsel at the California Lawyers Association.
Erika offers a practical and insightful approach to helping employers, regulators and government leaders understand the impact workplace polices and mandates have on employers and employees alike.
At Shaw Law Group, Erika provided advice and counsel, conducted workplace investigations and developed and facilitated compliance training. Prior to joining Shaw, Erika served as the General Counsel and Executive Vice President of Legal Affairs at the California Chamber of Commerce. With a focus on employment law compliance, Erika oversaw CalChamber’s Labor Law Helpline and assisted countless members with their labor and employment law questions. She also played an integral role in the launch and success of CalChamber’s “The Workplace” podcast.
إريكا متحدثة مطلوبة. لقد أنتجت وأدارت العديد من الندوات والندوات عبر الإنترنت حول موضوعات تشمل الإجازات، والامتثال للأجور وساعات العمل، ومنع التحرش والتمييز والانتقام. وهي معروفة بطاقتها الدؤوبة وقدرتها على تحويل المفاهيم القانونية إلى قصص بسيطة وسيناريوهات واقعية.
Erika attended Stanford Graduate School of Business, Finance and Accounting for the
Non-Financial Executive Program, University of the Pacific, McGeorge School of Law, and holds a B.A. from University of California, Santa Barbara.
Jane Kow
Founder/Employment Lawyer
HR Law Consultants
Jane Kow has practiced employment law and provided human resources consulting services on behalf of employers for 30 years. Following graduation from NYU School of Law in 1993, she practiced at prominent law firms, where she represented employers of all sizes and across industries in employment disputes. She also served as Senior Counsel and the sole employment lawyer at a Silicon Valley based company with 75 locations worldwide, before founding HR Law Consultants in 2002. Her practice focuses on advising, training, auditing and investigating workplaces to ensure compliance with federal, state and local workplace laws. Jane Kow has testified before the Commissioners at the EEOC headquarters in Washington, DC on employer best practices on preventing and investigating workplace harassment and how to conduct effective workplace investigations. She was named a Super Lawyer in 2025 and 2026, a milestone achieved by the top 5% of all lawyers in Northern California each year.
Rima Hopkins, SHRM-CP
HR Knowledge Advisor
SHRM
Rima Hopkins is a SHRM-CP–certified human resources professional with over 20 years of experience as a strategic HR partner in high-growth environments. She specializes in talent management, organizational development, and change management, guiding organizations through transformation and expansion. Rima holds SHRM specialty credentials in People Manager Qualification (PMQ), California HR Law, and Workplace Investigations, combining strategic insight with strong compliance and risk management expertise.
She has a proven track record of driving talent development, enhancing employee engagement, and aligning HR strategies with business objectives for measurable impact. Known for her collaborative and analytical approach, Rima leverages data-driven insights to create effective people solutions that improve performance at individual, team, and organizational levels. Her work is anchored in building trusted partnerships and fostering sustainable success through thoughtful, human-centered HR strategies.
Outside of work, Rima volunteers with local organizations, enjoys spending time with friends, and explores new hiking trails.