Gain key ways to resolve Natural Resource Disaster Damage Liabilities and how to avoid common pitfalls in the resolution process. Many potentially responsible parties and Trustees struggle with coming to resolution of a NRD claim. This topic helps both the PRP and the Trustee outline the steps and key decision points in resolving NRD claims. The material also offers some insights into avoiding common pitfalls in the resolution process. By succ...

Understand the ins and outs of California's open meetings and open public records and how they can affect you. Are you a reporter, a public information and records manager, city manager, special district, county or municipal official, law enforcement official, attorney or school administrator? Are you uncertain about how the Ralph M. Brown Act and the California Public Records Act laws apply to you? Nearly 60 years ago, when enacting the open...

Keep your organization in compliance with the EEOC's regulations and avoid being part of the ADA litigation epidemic. The sweeping changes to the ADA in the ADA Amendments Act (ADAAA) and the EEOC's final regulations under that act have drastically changed the ADA challenges faced by employers. ADA claims are now over 30% of all EEOC charges and at their highest level ever. 2015 EEOC ADA enforcement netted almost $130 million. The focus has sh...

Make sure your policies and procedures are in compliance with all of the recent changes to Federal employment law. A number of significant changes to Federal employment law have taken place in recent years. These changes affected employer's obligations in areas such as hiring, wages, discrimination, and termination. During this session, we will: (1) review the significant changes to employment law, legal and administrative changes from 2016; (...

Storm water and flooding comprise major and growing risks to cities, transportation systems, people, and the environment. Flooding has long been the major cause of property damage, and recent catastrophes such as hurricanes Matthew, Sandy and Katrina have exacerbated the total losses and created chain effects in the economy. While storm water control was considered a drainage issue in the past, it has expanded to include regulation under the C...

Learn everything you need to know about the Americans with Disabilities Act and how it affects each stage of employment, from recruiting and hiring through termination. Complaints about violations of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) are at an all-time high. Verdict and settlement amounts are on the rise. Without expert guidance about how to navigate the tricky waters of disability law, employers face enormous liability risks. This top...

Learn types of records that must be maintained, time frames for retention, and best practices for implementing an effective records retention policy. Obtaining a government contract or grant can be a lucrative and beneficial endeavor. However, deals between private industry and governments are intensely regulated and as such create a myriad of issues that are unique to public contract law. One of the many compliance issues faced by contractors...

Understand Federal mitigation regulations and the process for addressing mitigation as part of the permitting of development projects. Most impacts to wetlands, streams and other waters (i.e., aquatic resources) occurring from development activities, like a road crossing or construction of a utility corridor, require permits from the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE) with the oversight of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (USEPA). Ty...

Understand how to utilize social media to connect with your community and increase responsiveness and community involvement. It's more important than ever for government agencies to have a robust social media presence that can create and strengthen real connections with their communities. However, these connections - and the benefits that result from them - don't just happen without careful planning and execution. Does your government agency h...

Understand how to navigate the minefields of procurement code and public contracting in Florida with ease. If you perform public work in Florida you know that almost all public work in Florida is competitively bid. But did you know that different state and local public entities in Florida have unique procurement codes and requirements, different methods for competitive bidding, and strict time frames for protesting a bid or solicitation? This...