Employment Law Training

Many law firms and consultants offer employment law training in Sacramento and across the country. Shaw Law Group’s is different and, if we must say so, better.

A woman-owned firm and approved small business by the California Department of General Services, we have trained tens of thousands of employees over the years. Employment law training is a primary practice area for us. Other firms model their programs on ones we have created. Accept no substitutes. Our firm has the experience, technique, and commitment to training that combine to make a positive and effective training program for your organization.

The trainer is the most important part of the training experience. Good employment lawyers do not necessarily make good trainers. The Firm’s founder, Jennifer Shaw, has developed a national reputation for providing innovative and entertaining employment law training in Sacramento to management and non-management employees. We send only experienced trainers who are also competent and experienced employment lawyers. See our trainers’ bios here.

We provide customized training, including one-on-one executive coaching, on all employment law subjects. See below for a more detailed description of our key training topics.

We use case studies, audience participation, and storytelling to bring employment law to life. Our training is practical, delivered in an entertaining and engaging way, and legally compliant, too. Employment Law Training does not have to be boring to be effective. In fact, the opposite is true.

We offer on-site sessions for individual employers, as well as “open” public sessions and “webinars.” Our state-of-the-art conference center seats 100 people, and includes big screen, high-definition monitors for easy viewing. We also conduct training on-site and at convenient public locations throughout California.

Recent attendees have evaluated our training work with accolades such as “awesome,” “inspirational,” and “dynamic.” We are proud of these and the other testimonials we regularly receive. Read some of the evaluations and reviews our clients have received about our programs here.

Shaw Law Group is an HR Certification Institute (HRCI) and Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) provider. HRCI and SHRM credits are available for all of our public seminars and webinars. MCLE credit also is available for in-house counsel and other attorneys.

Our education and training efforts include authoring regular articles on current workplace issues in “The Daily Recorder,” a legal newspaper, and other publications. We also blog regularly on employment law developments, and send our clients a monthly newsletter via email. Sign up for the newsletter at the bottom of this page.

To obtain additional information regarding Shaw Law Group’s training practice or request a training proposal, please contact our Director of Training at 916-640-2240. Also, you may review the schedule of upcoming public training sessions by clicking on the button below:

Our Key Topics for Employment Law Training in Sacramento

We offer employment law training in Sacramento on every workplace issue. You name it, we do it. From harassment prevention and diversity/inclusion to managing leaves of absence, and everything in between. Our passion for these subjects is evident in every session we facilitate. Click on the subject headings below for more information. If you need training in an area that is not listed, please call us.

California Mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for Supervisors and Staff

All California employers with five or more employees must provide EEO compliance training to all employees (staff and “supervisors”) by the end of 2019.

As one of the only California employment law firms that specializes in workplace training, Shaw Law Group offers engaging and innovative sessions designed to cover all of the requirements for supervisors and staff pursuant to Assembly Bill 1825 (AB 1825), Senate Bill 1343 (SB 1343), and related laws, including gender protections. Our training goes farther than merely complying with the statutes’ minimum standards. We use practical examples and interactive role playing exercises to engage the audience and reinforce substantive principles.

Staff (One-Hour Minimum Required)

This session includes a discussion of the all topics mandated by law, including how to identify, address, and prevent workplace harassment, discrimination, retaliation, bullying, and “bystander” responsibilities (being an “Upstander”). This interactive session, which we can deliver either in a live on-site presentation or via a video or audio webinar, is fully compliant with SB 1343.

Supervisors (Two-Hour Minimum Required)

This session covers all of the topics addressed in the employee training sessions, along with a discussion of supervisors’ responsibilities to prevent, respond, and monitor inappropriate workplace  conduct. Whether presented live or via video or audio webinar, participants come away with a greater understanding of California’s ever-changing laws, and the importance of creating and maintaining a respectful workplace and being an Upstander.

Train-the-Trainer/Mandatory EEO Training (AB 1825 and SB 1343 Compliance)

Are you responsible for teaching EEO compliance sessions, and need some help preparing the materials? Do you want some guidance about how to present the required information in an entertaining and engaging manner, while still meeting all of the legal requirements? Our train-the-trainer sessions provide hands-on tips on providing EEO training that covers the requirements for training both supervisory and non-supervisory employees. We discuss the mandatory training components, provide talking points for each topic area, and offer a number of interactive tools, such as true/false questions and scenarios. We also provide constructive feedback on your training approach and style. Participants receive a Facilitator Guide and a trademarked PowerPoint program that can be used as a foundation for personalized training materials.

Note: There is no “certification” offered for this session, although attendees will receive a certificate of completion. The law does not allow providers to “certify” trainers. Beware of any organization that claims to do so.

Diversity and Inclusion

Building diverse and inclusive workplaces is not only the right thing to do, it’s the smart thing to do. In this workshop which can be presented on site or in our state-of-the-art training facility centrally located in Sacramento, we begin by defining what diversity and inclusion mean in today’s workplace. Through interactive exercises, we explore why inclusivity is an important goal, but one that is difficult to achieve. We discuss barriers to inclusivity, including stereotypes and conscious and unconscious biases. We then focus on the business model for inclusivity The goal throughout is to create a comfortable setting where participants feel free to explore ideas of workplace differences and commonalities. This is a fun, thought-provoking training session that participants really love.

Leaves of Absences and Reasonable Accommodations

We hire employees to come to work, but what happens when they need protected time off or a reasonable accommodation? These areas of employment law are fraught with potential liability, with jury verdicts and settlements regularly in the millions of dollars.

In our annual two-day workshop, we discuss all of the relevant laws and regulations (including recent updates) and provide practical guidance on the challenging leave of absence and accommodation issues that arise in the workplace every day. We develop new hypotheticals every year, which challenge attendees to apply multiple laws at once and develop strategic and practical solutions to complex situations. Attendees also learn the appropriate protocols for addressing leave and accommodation issues, and how to minimize their organization’s risk of claims in these areas.

Ethics for Public Officials

Public officials are required to participate in ethics training every two years. We regularly conduct Assembly Bill 1234 (AB 1234) compliance training for public officials throughout California. Our training ensures attendees learn the basics, but also how to identify the gray areas that can result in unforeseen consequences, financially and otherwise. Our practical examples and interactive role playing exercises reinforce the substantive principles while providing an entertaining and engaging experience for attendees.

Ethics for Private Employers

Training employees on workplace ethics is a crucial part of any organization’s mission, even for small, privately-held companies. In a scandal-ridden world, smart businesses train employees and management teams on how to identify and resolve ethical dilemmas. Our training sessions use real-life scenarios and role-playing so participants can identify what is required to create and maintain an ethical workplace.

Workplace Violence Prevention

Unfortunately, we hear about new incidents every day. Someone is threatened or bullied at work, or an active shooter targets a workplace. In this sobering session, we help attendees identify the potential risks in their workplace and create a plan to address all forms of workplace violence. We also discuss steps employers can take to empower employees to take during active shooter incidents. Our trainers are experts in presenting this difficult topic in an engaging and absorbing manner.

Wage-Hour Compliance

California employers are subject to a growing web of wage-hour regulations that often confuse even the most experienced human resources professionals. How do you properly calculate the “regular rate of pay,” especially when there are multiple rates of pay? (Beware, it’s not as easy as it sounds!) What is “piece rate” compensation? What information must be listed on itemized wage statements? Our experts on wage-hour issues cover all these issues (and many, many more!) in this entertaining and insightful session.

Conducting Internal Investigations – The Basics

More frequently than ever, employers must investigate workplace issues. In this interactive and engaging seminar, attendees learn about:

• The legal requirements applicable to internal investigations in the public and private sectors
• Developing an effective workplan and investigation strategy
• The do’s and don’ts of conducting witness interviews
• Compiling and analyzing the evidence
• How to draft an investigative report that will stand up in court
• Working with internal resources to take action after the investigation
• Preventing retaliation and future misconduct.

Attendees receive our trademarked “Investigator’s Manual” with checklists, sample interview outlines, and a sample investigation report. This is a fun, unique opportunity to practice your investigative skills in a safe and supportive environment.

Conducting Internal Investigations – Advanced Techniques

This session is recommended for those individuals who already have a basic understanding of how to conduct effective internal investigations, but want to practice! We provide a full day of “hands-on” experience conducting an actual investigation. Attendees in this session work in small groups to:

• Master the development of investigative workplans, including those for complex and extra-sensitive investigations
• Practice the art of conducting interviews, including how to deal with difficult witnesses and representatives
• Evaluate and apply credibility factors, to help make sense of competing versions of events
• Learn how to reach appropriate and “defensible” factual conclusions
• Learn how to draft investigative reports and avoid the traps inherent in this process
• Receive constructive feedback from other attendees and the instructor

Because we create a new investigation scenario every year, many attendees join us annually for this enlightening and entertaining session.

Form I-9 Compliance and the Need to Audit

This comprehensive session provides an overview of employers’ Form I-9 obligations, including the purpose of the form, how to properly complete it, and there must be at least one person “in house” to drive the process.

We also address best practices in terms of whether to maintain I-9 related documentation, how to handle rehires, what to do if ICE comes knocking, and how to conduct an I-9 audit (and fix any errors you find!).

This interactive session is a must for all HR professionals involved in this complex area.

Handbook Changes for the New Year

In this annual interactive webinar, we address the changes employers should make to their employee handbooks to confirm to new laws and court decisions. This session is the easiest and most entertaining way to be sure your handbook is up to date!

Annual Employment Law Update

Every year, we do the research, monitor the court decisions, analyze the new laws, and provide employers with practical advice for compliance. As always, this update will address developments in these key areas:

• Wage-hour compliance
• EEO compliance, and harassment, discrimination and retaliation prevention
• Reasonable accommodations and the interactive process
• Managing leaves of absence
• Employer policies and procedures
• Other key workplace law issues

Come with your questions! Certificates are provided upon completion.