Lakewood Country Club

Legal Forum: Leave Update, Wage and Hour Update, and More to Come!

Lunch will be provided!

Register today and take the first step towards not just keeping up, but leading the charge in workforce transformation!

Presenting Sponsor:

Agenda

12:00 PM - 3:45 PM

Lunch: 12:00 PM - 12:30 PM

Session 1: Time Away, The Right Way; Navigating Employee Leave with Confidence 

Presented by Emily Tichenor, Esq. and Holly Barrass, Esq.  

Navigating employee leave in Colorado requires a clear understanding of both state-specific requirements and overlapping federal laws. This session is designed for HR professionals seeking practical, up-to-date guidance on Colorado leave laws — including FAMLI, HFWA, and other state mandates — alongside key federal frameworks such as FMLA and ADA.

We’ll cover what to watch for, common compliance pitfalls, and how to administer leave in a way that protects your organization while supporting employees effectively. Attendees will leave with actionable insights, risk-mitigation strategies, and a clearer roadmap for delivering leave benefits correctly, consistently, and confidently. 

Session 2: Wage and Hour Compliance Considerations for Colorado Employers

Presented by Randall Peterson, Esq. 

Complying with federal and state wage laws is an ongoing challenge for employers. Laws change as do business conditions, and employee expectations. In this session, Attorney Randall Peterson will review essential concepts to ensure the audience has the awareness and knowledge needed to navigate compliance requirements and to avoid pitfalls in compensation practices. 

Session 3: Recruiting Without Regrets: Legal Guardrails for HR

Presented by Susanne Mombelli 

Hiring practices are no stranger to the barrage of changes we are seeing in employment laws and regulations. From what you can put in a post and require on an application to how, when, and why you can revoke a job offer, the rules are changing. Similarly, the claims brought by job applicants for failure to hire continue to introduce new legal challenges. Join us to discuss some of the top issues facing employers seeking new recruits and how you can help your organization avoid common pitfalls. 

Session 4: Ask the Experts — Closing Panel Discussion

Presented by Emily Tichenor, Esq., Holly Barrass, Esq.,Randall Peterson, Esq., and Susanne Mombelli

Wrap up the forum with a candid, practical Q&A with our speakers. We’ll connect the dots across leave administration (FAMLI, HFWA, FMLA, ADA), wage and hour compliance (classification, overtime, pay practices), and recruiting/legal hiring guardrails (job postings, applicant screening, conditional offers). Bring your real-world scenarios and get clear, workable guidance on what to do next, how to prioritize risks, and where Colorado-specific rules change the playbook. Expect rapid-fire insights, common pitfalls to avoid, and concrete takeaways you can apply the moment you’re back at work.

Presenters:

Emily Tichenor, Esq. 

Emily Tichenor helps employers of all sizes and in a variety of industries stay compliant with ever-changing federal and state employment laws, including those regarding wage and hour, equal employment opportunity, leaves and restrictive covenants. Emily partners with employers to develop policies and procedures and provide day-to-day guidance tailored to the unique needs of each employer, its workforce and workplace culture. Emily also drafts agreements, including employment agreements, bonus agreements, and separation agreements, to help protect employers and reduce the risk of a dispute with an employee. She further supports employers during transactions by conducting due diligence to help spot potential pitfalls and take steps to ensure a smooth employment transition post-closing.

Emily strives to help employers avoid litigation and other disputes, but if disputes arise, Emily represents employers through the dispute process. She has successfully represented organizations of all sizes before state and federal courts and administrative agencies and has assisted employers in obtaining favorable decisions before the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission and the Occupational Safety and Health Administration.

Emily understands the challenges of keeping up to date with employment laws, and she regularly presents and writes on employment topics to help employers stay abreast of changes.

Holly Barrass, Esq.

Holly Barrass supports Polsinelli attorneys on a variety of workplace investigations and employment counseling matters. She assists clients in navigating complex labor and employment issues and contributes to efforts that promote compliance and mitigate risk. She helps deliver practical, timely guidance in an evolving regulatory and workplace landscape. 

Randall Peterson, Esq. 

Randall provides legal consultation to employers who are members of Employers Council. His public sector experience most recently includes providing legal counsel to employee relations matters in a large urban public school district. Randall enjoys public speaking, where he leverages his extensive experience and legal knowledge to support employers in making informed management decisions.

Susanne Mombelli

Susanne Mombelli is an accomplished labor and employment attorney with over 20 years of experience spanning both in-house and law firm practice. She is known for delivering strategic, practical counsel that aligns legal solutions with business goals. Susanne is skilled in managing individual and class action employment litigation, navigating traditional labor matters, and providing impactful, dynamic counsel at all levels of an organization. She combines a client’s perspective and a proactive, partnership-driven approach to help employers mitigate risk and navigate both legal and operational priorities.  Susanne represents clients in numerous forums, including agency actions, arbitrations, and state and federal court.  She has obtained numerous summary judgment orders and defense verdicts in a variety of employment claims and manages an array of proactive employment compliance measures such as audits, policy and contract drafting and review, employee relations advice and risk mitigation.  In addition to her practice with Ogletree Deakins, Susanne is proud to be a member of the Board of Directors of Girls Inc. of Metro Denver.

APPROVED FOR 4 SHRM & 4 HRCI GENERAL CREDITS

Members: $50; Non-Members: $75