2008/2009 Training Seminar Schedule

In these popular hour-long sessions, Harris & Company lawyers will discuss topical legal issues facing employers in the current economic environment.

This year, each session will be offered in two formats: a Breakfast Learning Seminar at our office in Vancouver, and a subsequent on-line Webinar that registrants can attend virtually without having to travel or leave their offices.

The Breakfast Learning Seminars will have a limited maximum registration of participants, in order to provide an intimate and interactive learning environment. These BLS sessions will be held at Harris & Company's Vancouver office, and continental breakfast will be served. As attendance is limited, we strongly encourage you to register early to avoid disappointment.

On the following day, we will present the same information on-line, in a Webinar format. Registrants for the Webinars will be able to listen to the speakers, view the PowerPoint slides, and then take part in an interactive question and answer period at the end of the presentation. Attending a Harris & Company Webinar is easy! Once you have registered for one of our sessions, you will be sent a link to the virtual meeting room via email. By following this link just before the scheduled time of the Webinar, you will be ready to take part. All you need to participate are an active email address, a working telephone with optional conference features, and an internet browser.

The topics for our 2008-2009 Training Seminar sessions were chosen from suggestions made by Harris & Company clients at our Annual Client Seminar this past June.

All of the BLS and Webinar sessions will commence at 8:00 a.m. (Pacific Time), and will be approximately one hour in duration.

2008 Training Seminars

October 22nd and 23rd: How to Draft Effective Contracts for Employees and Independent Contractors

November 5th and 6th : Structuring Severance Packages

November 26th and 27th: Business Immigration: Making the Rules Work for Your Organization

2009 Training Seminars

January 13th and 14th : How to Conduct a Workplace Investigation

February 11th and 12th: Calling In Sick: An Employer's Right to Employee Medical Information

March 4th and 5th : Employment Policies at Work

March 25th and 26th: Descrimination and Harassment in the Workplace

April 29th and 30th: Occupational Health and Safety: How to Meet your Obligations and Avoid Risk

May 13th and 14th: Email and Internet Abuse: Practical Strategies for Managing Cyberspace Misconduct

June 17th and 18th: "Hello, We are the Union...": An Employers Guide to Union Organizing Activity

A list of our upcoming Webinars, together with registration information, is available in the next seminar section of the Harris & Company LLP website.

If you have questions or would like further information, please contact Kristina Miller, our Marketing Administrator, at kmiller@harrisco.com or 604 684 6633 ext. 284.

Annual Client Conference

Every year, Harris & Company LLP hosts an all day conference as a perk for its current clients. Our lawyers present papers that keep our clients up to date on current trends in decisions from labour arbitrators, labour relations boards, human rights tribunals and the courts. Other papers provide in depth examination of various issues in work force management. These papers are valuable sources of guidance to employers in dealing with common problems and adapting to the changing requirements of arbitrators and other adjudicators.

Books of the papers are provided to attendees at the conference. They also are available to clients in the publications area of our site.

As the conference date approaches, an announcement will be placed in next seminar section. Further details on the program to be presented will also be placed there when it becomes available. Registration information for Harris & Company LLP clients will be placed in the registration section permitting registration by email or fax.

First Nations Employment Law Conferences

First Nations organizations are increasingly assuming responsibility for programs and swervices previously delivered by the federal and provincial governments. At the same time, First Nations-owned businesses are becoming important economic forces in their communities. With this growth, First Nations organizations have become employers of a significant numbers of employees. In addition to our legal services, we provide seminars covering a wide range of employment issues faced by First Nation employers on a regular basis. These seminars are provided in a number of different regions in British Columbia and the Yukon.

Workplace Litigation Avoidance Seminars

Harris & Company LLP has recently developed a specialized training and audit program to help employers prevent workplace issues from becoming litigation headaches. This one-day seminar format, either hosted, or held on-site, will focus on training managers and owners to recognize and resolve potentially difficult legal issues before employees escalate them beyond the workplace. To schedule a Litigation Avoidance seminar in your area, or for further details, please contact Kristina Miller at 604 684 6633 ext 284.