Welcome to the Weintraub Resources section. Here, you can find our Blogs, Videos, and Podcasts, in which Weintraub attorneys regularly provide insights and updates on legal developments. You can also find upcoming Weintraub Events, as well as firm and client News.


Upcoming Webinar: FSMA Made Simple: Strategic & Tactical Approaches In Preparing For New Regulations

Attorneys Lee Smith and Alden Parker will present at an upcoming webinar: “FSMA Made Simple: Strategic and Tactical Approaches In Preparing for New Regulations” at 2 p.m. August 14.

After participating in this webinar, attendees will have knowledge of how to realistically analyze the effects of FSMA regulations on their operations and build an action plan of next steps for their company.

The Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) presents a daunting collection of both newly enforced and proposed regulations impacting food processors. While some of the regulations, are in effect now and must be carefully managed, other FSMA components like the Preventive Controls regulation are still in the proposal phase. Talking heads are advising us to go full-steam forward with implementing these regulations in processing operations, and there are FSMA products and services already being offered. Given this current situation, what is a practical and realistic strategy to minimize risk and regulatory action against your company, while controlling costs and running efficient operations?

During this webinar, we will address this dilemma by looking at strategic and tactical responses that can help us “wrap our arms” around the new FSMA regulations. We will briefly review the details of new requirements, and then jump into how to manage compliance at both a corporate and plant level. An important tool for analyzing the impact of these regulations and developing an action plan is gap assessment. Examples of how to conduct gap assessments for the whistle blower protection, records requirements, and preventive controls rules will be presented.

Webinar Agenda:

  • Overview of the Food Safety Modernization Act (FSMA) Regulations
    • Who does it apply to?
    • Why was it created?
    • What is now in effect that will impact my company and what is pending?
  • Currently Implemented FSMA FDA rules
    • Registration, Re-registration, Suspension of Registration
    • Inspection Frequencies and Record Access
    • Administrative Detention
    • Recall Authority
    • Fees: Recalls, Re-inspection
    • Whistleblower Provision
    • Imports
  • Proposed Regulations For Food Processors: Preventive Controls
  • Strategic Planning for FSMA Compliance
    • Executive and Management Team Roles
    • Controlling Risk for the Company
    • Developing a Road Map for Implementation
    • Gauging FSMA Impact on Company through Gap Assessment
    • Example GAP Assessments: Whistleblower Provision, Record Requirements, and Preventive Controls
  • Tactical Response to FSMA
    • Corporate Programs
    • Factory Systems
  • Best Practices and Pointers to Control Costs
    • What products and services are essential and legitimate for FSMA?
    • What really requires immediate implementation?
  • Building a FSMA Action Plan to Guide Our Next Steps
  • Questions and Answers Session

Who will benefit from this webinar:

  • Executive management team
  • Regulatory compliance managers
  • Executive Quality and Food Safety managers
  • Legal counsel
  • Plant manager
  • Quality Assurance Manager
  • Company owners
  • Food safety and HACCP Manager
  • Consultants

Presenter–Jeff Kronenberg
Jeff Kronenberg, M.S., is Extension Food Processing Specialist with the University of Idaho, School of Food Science. Over the past 30 years he has held positions in operations and corporate quality, productivity, food safety, HACCP, and health & safety with Frito-Lay, the J.R. Simplot Company, PowerBar, AIB International, and University of Idaho. Jeff has worked with numerous company and supplier processing operations in developing, training, and implementing quality, food safety and HACCP systems. Through his industry affiliations, Jeff has worked with, and audited, food manufacturing and distribution companies across the United States in the areas of product quality, food safety, and HACCP. Over the past 12 years, he has spearheaded the introduction of Lean Manufacturing to the food industry in Idaho. Jeff holds a Master’s Degree in Food Science and Microbiology from Cornell University. He holds HACCP certifications through the Association of Food and Drug Officials (Seafood HACCP Trainer), the American Society for Quality (HACCP Auditor), International HACCP Alliance, and Safe Quality Food Institute (SQF Consultant). Jeff also holds a Lean Knowledge Certificate from the Society of Manufacturing Engineers.
Presenter–Lee N. Smith, attorney
Lee is a shareholder of Weintraub Tobin in Sacramento and Fresno. His practice includes Prop 65 and Food Safety issues, land use regulation and development, environmental compliance, water law and litigation. Lee will address the FSMA record-keeping requirements.

Presenter–Alden J. Parker, attorney

Alden is a shareholder in the Labor and Employment Law and Litigation Sections at Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin. His employment practice includes defending employers in all areas of employment law. He has extensive experience defending against sexual harassment, discrimination, retaliation, and wage & hour class action litigation in both federal and state courts. Alden will address employment issues relating to FSMA including important whitsleblower regulations.

To register, visit the Food Seminar International Website.

Upcoming Webinar: Independent Contractor v. Employee?

Summary of Program

If it Walks Like a Duck, Quacks Like a Duck, It’s a Duck!

The risks involved in misclassifying a worker as an independent contractor rather than an employee have always been serious. A number of federal and state agencies regulate the proper classification of workers and have the authority to impose significant monetary and non-monetary sanctions against employers who get the classification wrong. However, due to a number of new laws and regulatory enforcement procedures that have gone into effect in the last year, it is now more important than ever that employers get the classification right.

This informative webinar will cover the legal landscape of independent contractor status. Topics will include:

  • A summary of the various tests applied by federal and state agencies to determine independent contractor status;
  • A summary of the enforcement authority of various federal and state agencies and the sanctions they may impose on employers;
  • The due diligence employers must engage in before classifying a worker as an independent contractor;
  • The federal Department of Labor’s new $25 million “Misclassification Initiative” designed to work closely with state agencies to investigate misclassifications and take enforcement action; and
  • California’s new law imposing monetary and non-monetary sanctions against employers (and certain individuals) who willfully misclassify workers as independent contractors.

If you or your company is currently using independent contractors, this is a webinar you cannot afford to miss.

Wednesday, July 18, 2012
9:30 a.m. – 11:00 a.m. – WEBINAR

This informative session will take place via webinar only. Login details will provided approximately one week prior to the webinar.

There is no charge for this webinar.

RSVP TO:

Ramona Carrillo
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (916) 558.6046

Upcoming Webinar: Managing Products in CA; Prop 65, Green Chemistry & Rigid Plastic Packaging Act

Summary of Program

This webinar will provide an in-depth understanding of California specific laws, affecting food and other product manufacturers and marketers, such as the Prop 65, the Green Chemistry Initiative, and the Rigid Plastic Packaging Act. We will discuss these laws, how to comply with them and avoid litigation.

About the Instructor

Instructor, Lee N. Smith is experienced in federal and state water quality, air quality and hazardous materials compliance issues, Prop 65 and Food Safety issues. He has handled cases before the Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board, the San Joaquin Unified Air Pollution Control District, and local environmental agencies. He has also been involved in state court litigation concerning pesticide contamination, the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), and Prop. 65 litigation, as well as federal litigation involving the Clean Air Act and the Comprehensive Environmental Response Compensation and Liability Act (CERCLA).

Date: Wednesday, February 26, 2014

Time: 10:00 pm EST

Areas Covered:

  • History of the Law
  • Explanation of the Statute and Regulation
  • Case Studies
  • Litigation
  • Compliance
    • Products
    • Food Products
  • What to do if you get a sixty-day notice

For more information about the webinar, click here.

Upcoming Webinar: OSHA Compliance – a Healthy and Save Work Environment

Download: OSHA Webinar – email-print.pdf

Summary of Program

Federal and state OSHA laws protect California workers from unsafe working conditions. However, the federal and state statutes and regulations are complex and can be difficult to understand. Employers often fall short of complying with provisions of Cal/OSHA simply because they are unaware that the law applies to them, or they fail to understand some nuance or technicality contained in the regulations. This short seminar is designed to remove some of the mystery from federal and state OSHA requirements and assist you in managing your business’ compliance with these laws.

Some of the topics to be discussed include:

  • Implement a compliant and effective Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP).
  • Gain an understanding of Cal/OSHA’s latest general industry changes and know how to comply.
  • Avoid enormous Cal/OSHA fines and hassles by regularly assessing your organization’s IIPP, training your employees, and shoring up weaknesses in your safety practices.
  • Better understand what OSHA regulations apply to your industry so you won’t be caught off guard when accidents do occur.
  • Use effective preventive measures to keep you employees and customers safe from threats of workplace violence.
  • Recognize the warning signs that indicate an employee is capable of violence and know how to respond.

Wednesday, June 20, 2012

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m. – WEBINAR

This informative session will take place via webinar only. Login details will be provided approximately one week prior to the webinar. Please RSVP.

There is no charge for this webinar

RSVP TO:

Ramona Carrillo
Email: [email protected]
Telephone: (916) 558-6046

WEBINAR: Tips When Hiring and Firing Employees

Download: Flyer – WEBINAR. Tips When Hiring and Firing Employees.PDF

Summary of Program

The Labor and Employment Group at Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin is pleased to offer this informative webinar that will discuss recent cases to help business owners, human resource professionals, and managers avoid liability and effectively hire employees as well as carry out disciplines and terminations.

Program Highlights

  • Effective hiring practices.
  • What can you ask during an interview?
  • An employer’s right to discipline employees; is it limited?
  • Effective policies, training and documentation to reduce liability.
  • Beware of “Progressive Discipline”
  • Did the employee quit or was [s]he “constructively terminated?” (What does that mean?)
  • What type of conduct can constitute “retaliation” and under what law?
  • Who is a “whistleblower” and under what law?
  • Can an “at-will” employee be wrongfully terminated?
  • What constitutes “wrongful termination?”

Lunchtime Program

12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.
HRCI credits available upons successful completion and verification of attendance for duration of webinar.

There is no charge for this webinar

RSVP

Ramona Carrillo
400 Capitol Mall, 11th Fl.
Sacramento, CA 95814
916.558.6046
[email protected]

WEBINAR: Tips When Hiring and Firing – Get It right Before The Fight

Download: Tips when Hiring and Firing.pdf

Summary of Program

The Labor and Employment Group at Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin is pleased to offer this very informative training session that will discuss recent cases to help business owners, human resource professionals, and managers avoid liability and effectively hire employees as well as carry out disciplines and terminations.

Some of the topics to be discussed include:

  • Effective hiring practices.
  • What can you ask during an interview?
  • An employer’s right to discipline employees; is it limited?
  • Effective policies, training and documentation to reduce liability.
  • Beware of “Progressive Discipline” policies.
  • Did the employee quit or was [s]he “constructively terminated?” (What does that mean?)
  • What type of conduct can constitute “retaliation” and under what law?
  • Who is a “whistleblower” and under what law?
  • Can an “at-will” employee be wrongfully terminated?
  • What constitutes “wrongful termination?”

 

Lunchtime Webinar:

This program is available only via webinar.
Wednesday, December 12, 2012
12:00 p.m. – 1:00 p.m.

HRCI credits available upon successful completion and verification of attendance for duration of webinar.

There is no charge for this webinar.

RSVP

Ramona Carrillo
400 Capitol Mall, 11th Fl.
Sacramento, CA 95814
916.558.6046
[email protected]

Information on registering and logging in to this webinar will be provided after you have RSVP’ed and approximately one week prior to the session.

We Invite You To Attend: Employment Law Update

Join Weintraub Tobin’s Labor and Employment Group as they discuss important legal developments from 2013 and review the complexities of a number of new laws facing employers in 2014. Seminar(s) held in both Sacramento and San Francisco. See dates below.

Employment Law Update:

2013 – A Year In Review

2014 – An Interesting Year Ahead

*Approved for 3 hours MCLE credit; HRCI credits available upon request

*There is no charge for this seminar

*Parking validation provided in the Wells Fargo parking garage (Sacramento)

*This seminar is also available via Webinar. Please indicate in your RSVP if you will be attending this way

When:

January 16, 2014 (Sacramento)

January 23, 2014 (San Francisco)

Time:

8:30 a.m. – Registration and breakfast

9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m. – Seminar

Where:

400 Capitol Mall, 11th Floor

Sacramento, CA 95814

475 Sansome Street, Suite 1800

San Francisco, CA 94111

RSVP:

Ramona Carrillo

916.558.6046

[email protected]

Mandatory AB 1825 Sexual Harassment Prevention Training

Summary of Program

The regulations regarding California’s Mandatory Sexual Harassment Prevention Training for supervisors require that certain employers provide training to their supervisors every two years.

Program Highlights

The Labor and Employment Group at Weintraub Tobin Chediak Coleman Grodin is offering a two hour in-person training session that will comply with all the requirements outlined in the regulation, including things like:

  • an overview of sexual harassment laws;
  • AB 2054 – requires training on the prevention of abusive conduct in the workplace;
  • examples of conduct that constitute sexual harassment;
  • lawful supervisory responses to complaints of harassment in the workplace;
  • strategies to prevent harassment in the workplace; and
  • practical and inter-active hypotheticals to help illustrate what sexual harassment, discrimination, and retaliation can look like.

If you are an employer with 50 or more employees, and have supervisors who have not yet been trained, this training is a must. We look forward to hearing from you and helping you comply with your continuing sexual harassment training obligations.

Seminar Program

9:00 am Registration and Breakfast

9:30 am – 11:30 am Seminar

Charge: $75.00 per supervisor

RSVP

Ramona Carrillo
400 Capitol Mall, 11th Fl.
Sacramento, CA 95814
916.558.6046 | [email protected]

View flyer here.

Postponed: Don’t Let Your IP Float Away in the Cloud!

Summary of Program

Join attorneys from Weintraub Tobin’s Intellectual Property Group (Jo Dale Carothers and Audrey Millemann) for this 1 hour MCLE program.

Program Highlights

  • Overview of Cloud Computing and Cloud Storage
  • Who owns the information in the Cloud?
  • How are Patents, Copyrights, Trademarks and Trade Secrets affected by the Cloud?
  • How private is your information in the Cloud?
  • Spot troubling clauses in Cloud Service Agreements
  • Dos and don’ts to protect your IP and privacy

Date and Time

TBD

Seminar Program

TBD

Location

TBD

RSVP

Katy Walton
400 Capitol Mall, 11th Fl.
Sacramento, CA 95814
916.558.6085 | [email protected]

There is no charge for this seminar.

Accommodating Employees: It’s Even More Complicated!

Most employers know that employees may need to be accommodated from time to time for various reasons. Often this is because of an employee’s disability or medical condition. It is important for employers to understand and comply with how the courts and various federal and state regulatory agencies define accommodations, as well as learn what their rights and obligations are regarding: (1) engaging in the interactive process; and (2) providing reasonable accommodations.

Program Highlights

This interactive seminar will provide an overview of the many accommodations employers and HR professionals may be forced to consider, who should be accommodated, and how to engage in an interactive process to determine an appropriate accommodation. We will follow the life of an accommodation request, using a case study built from the various cases we have seen over the years. Topics will include:

• How to Determine Who is Entitled to an Accommodation
• How to Engage in the Interactive Process and How to Know When to Initiate the Initial discussion
• The Various Protected Classes and/or Activities Entitling an Employee to Accommodations (including things like disability, religion, and illiteracy, to name a few)
• Service Animals in the Workplace
• How to Effectively Document the Accommodation
• Recent Developments in Accommodation Law

Webinar: This seminar is also available via webinar. Please indicate in your RSVP if you will be attending via webinar.

Approved for three (3) hours MCLE. This program will be submitted to the HR Certification Insitute for review. Certificates will be provided upon verification of attendance for the entirety of the webcast.

Date
Thursday, July 18, 2019

Training Program
8:30 a.m. – 9:00 a.m. – Registration & Breakfast
9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m.

Location
Weintraub Tobin Office
400 Capitol Mall, 11th Floor | Sacramento, CA 95814

Parking
Parking Validation provided. Please park in the Wells Fargo parking garage, entrances on 4th and 5th Street. Please bring your ticket with you to the 11th floor for validation.

Cost
There is no charge for this seminar.

Additional Questions
Ramona Carrillo | [email protected] or 916-558-6046

To Register
Please RSVP by Monday, July 15, 2019