Annual SHRM Western KS Seminar
Oct 22, 2026 09:00am - 04:00pm CDT
Conference In-personOrganizer
SHRM Western KS
Location
LB Event Center
121 E 11th St Hays, KS 67601
Pricing
Registration after October 12th:
$125 Members
$150 Non-Member
Back by Popular Demand for our Annual October Seminar is Fisher Phillips!
Schedule:
8:30 - 9:00 am: Registration
9:00 - 9:15 am: Welcome/introductions
9:15 - 10:30 am: Session 1 - Legal Update: The Good, the Bad and the Bureaucratic: Washington never stops reinventing the rules of the workplace - and the Courts never stop weighing in. We'll separate the meaningful developments from the political theater and focus on what employers actually need to know about the latest on federal agency priorities and court decisions.
10:30 - 10:45 am: Break
10:45 - 12:00 pm: Session 2 - Leave and ADA: The Tutorial You Actually Need: Yes, we're talking about leave laws and workplace accommodations again - but for good reason. The legal landscape continues to evolve and the most common mistakes remain the most expensive. Join us for a practical, fast-paced update on FMLA, the ADA, and related employer obligations.
12:00 - 1:00 pm: Lunch
1:00 - 2:00 pm: Session 3 - Performance Management: Getting the Most from the Best and Getting Rid of the Worst: From onboarding to termination, this presentation steps through the entire performance management process to provide you with tips for training your managers to get the most from their employees and ensuring that the inevitable termination is both necessary and justifiable.
2:00 - 2:15 pm: Break
2:15 - 3:45 pm: Session 4 - Under the Microscope: The Anatomy of a Workplace Predicament: A well-conducted investigation can resolve problems, strengthen defenses, and build employee trust. A poor one can create liability where none existed. This session uses an actual case study - reviewing the initial performance concerns, employee complaints, witness interviews, credibility assessments, and documentation along the way - to highlight the positives and missteps from a hindsight perspective.
3:45 - 4:00 pm: Questions and Wrap Up
Melody Rayl:
Melody Rayl is a Partner in the Fisher Phillips’ Kansas City office. Her practice focuses on all aspects of employment litigation and counseling. She has successfully defended and tried cases in both state and federal courts and in arbitration. Melody’s practice includes defense of a variety of legal claims as well as handling employee defection and traditional labor matters. She also frequently advises on mitigation of risk in employment matters, provides training to her business clients on a variety of employment related topics and regularly counsels businesses through difficult situations with an eye to preventing lawsuits before they occur.
Darian Doser:
Darian Doser is an Associate in the Fisher Phillips’ Kansas City office and represents and advises clients in labor and employment-related matters. Darian enjoys understanding the unique needs of various businesses and assisting them in navigating both compliance issues and the litigation process in a way that is most beneficial for overall business needs. Darian has successfully defended cases with the EEOC, in arbitration and at trial. She also frequently advises clients on restrictive covenant issues and strategies for mitigating the negative impact of employee defections.
Harper Palmer:
Harper Palmer is an Associate in Fisher Phillips’ Kansas City office, specializing in complex labor and employment law matters, including providing advice and counsel to avoid litigation as well as defending employers across diverse industries. Her expertise extends to collective bargaining negotiations, where she delivers strategic insights to management during negotiations. Harper is also experienced in navigating the intricacies of government audits, routinely guiding clients through investigations conducted by the U.S. Department of Labor’s Wage & Hour Division (WHD). In addition, Harper regularly addresses audiences of attorneys, business owners, and human resources professionals on a broad spectrum of workplace issues.