2025 HR Conference Resources

11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Registration and Check-in 

12:30 – 12:45 p.m. | Welcome and Opening Remarks 
Erika Frank, Vice President Policy and Legal Counsel, California Hospital Association 

12:45 – 1:45 p.m. | General Session | Recruitment and Retention: Strategies for Getting and Keeping the Good Ones 
Shalena Desmond, PHR, SHRM-CP, Owner and Chief Advisor, Essential HR Advising; Kelly Kristy, Senior Vice President People Strategy & Organization Effectiveness, CommonSpirit 
Identifying and retaining top talent in the health care industry is a long-term challenge that became amplified by the COVID-19 pandemic. It’s a shortage of qualified talent compounded by high turnover rates, employee leaves of absence due to burnout and other medical reasons, and a general feeling that a balanced work-life experience is unattainable in the health care industry. 

Learn strategies you can implement to not only attract top talent but also retain the talent upon hire. Empower yourself with the ability to “think out of the box” and adopt initiatives your employees and leadership teams will embrace. 

1:45 – 2:45 p.m. | General Session | Tips to Effectively Manage Reasonable Accommodations 
Baily Bifoss, J.D., Employment Litigation Partner, Seyfarth Shaw; Karla Torris, Supervisor, Leave Management and Alia Porinsh, Manager Employee Relations & Reasonable Accommodations, Santa Barbara Cottage Hospital 
Responding to reasonable accommodation requests involve an understanding of state and federal legal requirements, state staffing ratio requirements, coordination with effected units and departments as well as employee engagement. Managing this area of human resources often feels like a juggling act with fire torches – drop one and you may get burned.   

Refresh yourself on the legal requirements and recent court decisions concerning reasonable accommodation requests as well as strategies and best practices you can adopt to make the juggling act feel less daunting. 

2:45 – 3:15 p.m. | Break and Sponsor Visit 

3:14 – 4:15 p.m. | General Session – State of the Unions: Labor Wants What?  
John Henderson, HR Consultant, People Results; Eric Ostrem, J.D., Assistant General Counsel, Sutter Health 
Unions continue to gain momentum not only at the state level but also nationally. Presenters will discuss efforts to organize employees with demands for higher wages, comprehensive health and wellness benefits and additional fringe benefits pose a challenge to hospital executives and human resource professionals.  

4:15 – 5:00 p.m. | Legislative Update – Past, Present and Future 
Erika Frank, Vice President Policy and Legal Counsel, California Hospital Association 
What happened in 2024 and what should you to expect in 2025? You’ve come to the right place. Gain an understanding of the latest legislative update covering new laws that went into effect this year followed by proposed legislation that may impact you the next.   

5:00 – 6:00 p.m. | Reception 

7:30 – 8:30 a.m. | Continental Breakfast 

8:30 – 8:45 a.m. | Welcome Back 
Erika Frank, Vice President Policy and Legal Counsel, California Hospital Association 

8:45 – 10:15 a.m. | General Session | It’s Not About Lunch! Wage & Hour Requirements  
Muira Mishra, J.D., Founder and Principle, MKM Law Group; Richard Simmons, Esq. Partner, SheppardMullin 
State and federal wage and hour laws are complicated, and with each passing year they seem harder to follow. Hospital staffing needs create an additional layer of complexity as units and supervisors struggle to maintain staff ratios while at the same time ensuring proper breaks and schedules are maintained.   

Hear from the experts as they discuss recent wage and hour cases (war stories), meal and rest break requirements and best practices, when and what to pay on-call employees and much, much more.   

10:15 – 10:45 a.m. | Break and Sponsor Visit 

10:45 – 11:45 a.m. | General Session | Chat What? Implications of AI in the Workplace  
Lindsay Szymanski, J.D., Associate and Christopher Spiers, J.D., Associate, Jones Day 
Everyone is talking about artificial intelligence (AI) – it’s the “Gucci” of the workplace. We all want it, but can we operationally and legally afford it? 

AI is increasingly being used in the health care arena. Let’s break things down and gain a working knowledge of AI, why it’s trending in the health care industry, and how to embrace this emerging technology without fear. 

11:45 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. | Hosted Lunch  

12:30 – 1:30 p.m. | General Session | How To’s of Workplace Investigations 
TBD 
Over the last several years, particularly in the wake of a pandemic, what were traditional employee relationship issues are now turning into claims of harassment and discrimination. This phenomenon is creating a conundrum for human resources. Do you investigate claims internally, or turn them over to counsel? Discover how employee complaints are becoming increasingly challenging for human resource departments and how they impact your obligation to investigate – whether that means through your internal process or externally.  

1:30 – 2:45 p.m. | Closing Session | Hot Topics and What’s Trending?   
Is there something you forgot to ask or something we didn’t cover? Don’t worry. This is your opportunity to ask pressing questions you may not have thought about before. Enjoy an engaging and highly interactive roundtable where you drive the discussion topics. Additionally, experts will address questions about service and support animals, employees bringing kids to work, pros and cons of workplace potlucks, romances and more. 

2:45 – 3:00 p.m. | Closing Comments  
Erika Frank, Vice President Policy and Legal Counsel, California Hospital Association 

We would like to thank our corporate sponsors for their support of the
2025 HR Conference

Platinum Sponsors:

Gold Sponsor:

Silver Sponsors:

Bronze Sponsor:

For additional assistance contact CHA’s Education Department at education@calhospital.org.