CALIFORNIA'S PREMIER EMPLOYMENT & LABOR RELATIONS EVENT

2027 LIEBERT CASSIDY WHITMORE ANNUAL EMPLOYMENT LAW CONFERENCE

February 18-19, 2027

(Optional Pre-Conference Sessions February 17, 2027)

Hilton San Diego Bayfront | San Diego, CA

Agenda

*Optional Pre-Conference programs requiring separate registration take place Wednesday, February 17. The main conference begins Thursday, February 18, and continues through Friday, February 19.

For full session descriptions and additional details, please view our conference brochure.

Optional Pre-Conference Sessions

February 17 | 9:00 A.M. - 4:00 P.M.

  • Costing Labor Contracts
  • Internal Affairs: Building Bulletproof Public Safety Investigations that Survive Discipline and Appeal
  • Training Academy for Workplace Investigators 

Opening Insights

February 18 | 9:00 A.M. - 10:00 A.M.

  • 39 Years at LCW – A Wonderful Journey

Concurrent Session 1

February 18 | 10:15 A.M. - 11:30 A.M.

  • Public Safety Legal Update (Public Safety Track)
  • HR Bootcamp:  Progressive Discipline is Due Process
  • No Leave Left Unturned: An Overview of Employee Leave of Absence Laws
  • Special Compensation and Labor Agreements: Drafting for CalPERS Compliance

Concurrent Session 2

February 18 | 12:30 P.M. - 1:45 P.M.

  • When AI Writes the Report: Navigating the Legal Risks of AI-Assisted Public Safety Reports (Public Safety Track)
  • The Investigation Doesn’t Manage Itself -HR’s Essential Role in Overseeing Administrative Investigations and Their Outcomes 
  • The Dangers and Pitfalls of Cash in Lieu and Deferred Compensation 
  • AB 339 in Practice: Public Agency Contracting, Labor Relations Obligations, and Lessons Learned

Concurrent Session 3

February 18 | 2:00 P.M. - 3:15 P.M.

  • Discipline Done Right: A Practical Guide from Investigation to Final Decision (Public Safety Track)
  • Same Workplace, Different Perspectives: Navigating Neurodivergence at Work
  • People (Officials) Still Behaving Badly 
  • How To Conduct the Payroll Audits You Need: FLSA, CalPERS, Timely Payment 

Concurrent Session 4

February 18 | 3:35 P.M. - 4:50 P.M.

  • Every Dollar Counts: Mastering Police & Fire Payroll Compliance, Overtime, and Cost-Saving Strategies (Public Safety Track)
  • In the Hot Seat: A Mock Deposition of a Person Most Knowledgeable 
  • Think Like a Labor Relations Strategist: An Interactive Case Study Workshop 
  • Back to Work, But By the Rules: Retired Annuitant Compliance Essentials

Concurrent Session 5

February 19 | 9:00 A.M. - 10:15 A.M.

  • ADA Title II Essentials: Access, Accountability, and Risk Management
  • CalPERS Unpacked: Formal Changes, Administrative Guidance, and the Stuff They Just Made Up
  • Fox in the Hen House – How to Manage The Employee Suing The Agency (Or You). 
  • 2026 Legislative and Regulatory Developments:  What Public Employers Need to Know

Concurrent Session 6

February 19 | 10:30 A.M. - 11:45 A.M.

  • Performance Management for the Next Generation: Supervising Today's Workforce
  • Accommodation or Accountability? Best Practices for Managing Performance During Light Duty, Telework, Flexible Schedules, and other Accommodations
  • Think Before You Prompt: When AI Conversations Become Public Records
  • How Small FLSA Mistakes Become Big Collective Actions