Employers' Legal Lounge

Hosted by Michael Sullivan & Associates

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Aug 2026

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About the show

Welcome to the Employers' Legal Lounge podcast – a valuable resource for employers, risk managers, human resources professionals, employment attorneys, and colleagues to stay informed about the ever-evolving landscape of California employment compliance laws. Tune in as Michael Sullivan & Associates attorney, Eric De Wames, and a rotating roster of guest experts discuss the most recent developments, emerging trends, and effective strategies within California's dynamic employment law environment. Each month, we dive deep into a specific topic to provide you with valuable insights and guidance for navigating the complex world of employment regulations in the Golden State. If you have any questions, topic suggestions, or would like to be a guest on our show, please reach out to podcast host Eric De Wames at https://msa.news/contacteric Podcast webpage: https://msa.news/podcast

Listen to episodes

17 recent

August 25, 202645 min

Episode 17: August 2026

Special Guest: John Bernatovicz (Founder - Willory | Author & Speaker) Topics covered in this month’s podcast: ✅ Legislative Updates (SB 7, SB 947, SB 951, AB 1941, AB 1803, SB 1149, AB 2495 & more) ✅ Getting Legal Help with Employment Issues ✅ Lessons From “HR Like a Boss” ✅ Services Offered by Willory ✅ HR Technology Platforms ✅ HR Like a Boss Podcast - Season 7 Links: 🔗 SHRM NorCal 2026 Conference: https://conference.shrm.org/norcal-conference 🔗 Kern County SHRM 29th Annual Conference: https://kcshrm.org/events/ 🔗 PIHRA CELU 2026 - 2027 Conferences: https://pihra.org/celu26-fall/ 🔗 Willory: https://willory.com/ 🔗 HR Like a Boss (Podcast): https://willory.com/podcast/ 🔗 HR Like a Boss (Book): https://msa.news/4qoVU5e

April 21, 202650 min

Episode 16: April 2026

Special Guests: Joshua Stewart (Attorney - MS&A), Andy Covell (State Director - CalSHRM | Founder - Lion Tech Solutions), Cherrity Ricks (President - Kern County SHRM | Certification Director - CalSHRM | Compensation Manager - Western Management Group), and Nina Woodard (Board Secretary - SHRM Colorado | State Council Professional Development Director - CalSHRM | Board Member - Rise Up | Chair of the Board of Directors - Safe Place for Pets | President & Chief "N" Sights Officer - Nina E. Woodard & Associates) Topics covered in this month’s podcast: ✅ CalSHRM 2026 California Legislative & HR Leadership Summit ✅ Proposed Legislation: SB 947, SB 1898, SB 951 ✅ Caregiver Benefits ✅ Current Litigation Trends ✅ AI Use by Latest Generation of HR Professionals ✅ Balancing Empathy and Business Objectives ✅ The Role of Artificial Intelligence in HR Links: 🔗 PIHRA's 2026 CAHR Conference: https://cahrconference.org/ 🔗 SHRM California (CalSHRM): https://www.calshrm.org/ 🔗 Professionals In Human Resources Assoc. (PIHRA): https://pihra.org/

March 10, 202638 min

Episode 15: March 2026

Special Guests: Paul Falcone (Bestselling Author & Global Keynote Speaker | Principal - Paul Falcone Workplace Leadership Consulting, LLC) and Patti Cuthill (VP of People & Culture - Verve Cloud | Southern California District Director - CalSHRM) Topics covered in this month’s podcast: ✅ Legislative Updates (SB 806 / AB 5, Bereavement Leaves, AI, Remote Work) ✅ Giving Professional Feedback ✅ Performance Reviews ✅ Disciplinary Actions Links: 🔗 CalSHRM Legislative & HR Leadership Summit: https://msa.news/calshrm-4-15-26 🔗 CAHR Conference 2026: https://cahrconference.org/ 🔗 Professionals in Human Resources Assoc. (PIHRA): https://pihra.org 🔗 Workplace Leadership Consulting, LLC: https://www.paulfalconehr.com 🔗 Books by Paul Falcone: https://www.paulfalconehr.com/books

December 10, 20251 hr 3 min

Episode 14: December 2025

Special Guests: Tara Fournier (Founder & Chief Executive Consultant, T4 HR | Deputy Director, SHRM CA | Past President, PIHRA) and Andy Covell (Founder, Lion Tech Solutions | State Director Elect, SHRM CA) Topics covered in this month’s podcast: ✅ Upcoming PIHRA & SHRM Events ✅ Legislative Updates (SB 294, SB 513 & AB 692) ✅ Workplace Surveillance ✅ Employee Training ✅ I-9 Audits ✅ Employees vs. Independent Contractors ✅ Accommodations Links: 🔗 California Employment Law Update - San Diego & Riverside: https://pihra.org/employment-law-update/ 🔗 2026 California Legislative & HR Leadership Summit: https://msa.news/shrm-ca26 🔗 PIHRA HR Cruise: https://hrcruise.org/ 🔗 T4 HR: https://www.t4-hr.com/ 🔗 Lion Tech Solutions: https://lionstechsolutions.com/

October 9, 202536 min

Episode 13: October 2025

Special Guests: Christine Rodman (CEO - Lynx Employer Resources LLC) and Monique Akanbi (Membership Initiatives Director - SHRM) Topics covered in this month’s podcast: ✅ Legislative Updates ✅ Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) ✅ Artificial Intelligence (AI) ✅ Workplace Surveillance ✅ Return to Work ✅ HR Industry Trends Links: 🔗 California Employment Law Update (CELU) Conferences - https://pihra.org/employment-law-update 🔗 PAGA 2025 Legal Updates Webinar Recording - https://msa.news/9-23-25-paga (Passcode: DFgVK@F8) 🔗 2026 SHRM CA Legislative & HR Leadership Summit - https://msa.news/shrm-ca26 🔗 2026 HR Cruise by PIHRA - https://hrcruise.org 🔗 Lynx Employer Resources - https://lynx-er.com

February 20, 202546 min

Episode 12: February 2025

Special Guest: Nathan Craig - President of Employee Benefits, Culture Insurance Group Topics covered in this month’s podcast: ✅ 2025 legislative updates ✅ Trends in the benefit plan ecosystem ✅ Recent executive orders ✅ Artificial Intelligence (AI) ✅ Consumer privacy news ✅ Arbitration updates ✅ Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA) Links: 🔗 CalSHRM 2025 California Legislative & HR Leadership Summit: https://www.calshrm.org/about-1-2 🔗 CalSHRM 2025 Case Competition: Anything is Possible: https://msa.news/4hNsoky 🔗 CalSHRM Wildfire Resources: https://www.calshrm.org/about-1-3 🔗 SHRM Background Check Survey on LinkedIn: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/RJY9GRZ 🔗 2025 California HR (CAHR) Conference: https://cahrconference.org/

January 23, 202546 min

Episode 11: January 2025

Special Guests: Rafael Rivera: CEO, Professionals In Human Resources Association (PIHRA) and Dana Mayhew: Founder, TDC Consults | Adjunct Faculty, Claremont Graduate University | Faculty, El Camino Group LLC | Instructor, UCLA Extension Topics covered in this month’s podcast: ✅ Wildfire relief resources ✅ PIHRA’s CELU Riverside conference ✅ PIHRA resources & upcoming events ✅ PIHRA College Relations Committee news ✅ Legislative advocacy updates ✅ Overview of 2025 employment laws Links: 🔗 Ready LA County: https://msa.news/4h6Ob6p 🔗 DisasterAssistance.gov: https://www.disasterassistance.gov 🔗 Shelters Available for Communities Impacted by the Wildfires in Southern CA: https://msa.news/4ayUmxz 🔗 CA Dept. of Insurance - Mandatory One Year Moratorium on Non-Renewals: https://msa.news/3WznC1v 🔗 Wildfire Assistance for Small Businesses Available Through the Federal Small Business Administration (SBA): https://msa.news/4gbZB7G 🔗 Monitor Ongoing Fires: https://www.fire.ca.gov 🔗 Find Wildfire-Related Volunteer Opportunities: https://msa.news/4h7hNR3 🔗 List of Safe Ways to Donate: https://msa.news/3WxV2NX 🔗 SHRM Article - LA Wildfires Have Cost Some Workers Everything, Endanger Others: https://msa.news/40Nad8L 🔗 PIHRA’s Employer Tips for L.A. Wildfires webinar: https://msa.news/4hrz6fC 🔗 CalSHRM 2025 California Legislative & HR Leadership Summit: https://www.calshrm.org/about-1-2

October 25, 202441 min

Episode 10: October 2024

Special Guests: Tara Fournier: President, PIHRA | Deputy State Director, CalSHRM | Interim Chief People & Culture Officer, Lucas Museum of Narrative Art and Susan Bowman: Sr. Human Resources Manager, Rite Aid | President-elect, PIHRA Topics covered in this month’s podcast: ✅ Employment Law Update: New Laws Passed for 2024-2025 ✅ Compliance Updates for 2025 Handbooks ✅ PAGA Reform ✅ Artificial Intelligence (AI) Links: 🔗 Civil Rights Dept. Council: https://msa.news/3NE9mjf 🔗 Oct. 2024 CalSHRM Legislative Report: https://msa.news/3BVnjqp 🔗 2024 SD SHRM Annual Conference: https://msa.news/4dZ3A6E 🔗 2024 - 2025 California Employment Law Update (CELU) Conferences: https://msa.news/4hmKTwn 🔗 2025 CalSHRM California Legislative & HR Leadership Summit: https://www.calshrm.org 🔗 2025 California HR (CAHR) Conference: https://cahrconference.org 🔗 2025 SHRM Annual Conference: https://annual.shrm.org

August 30, 202449 min

Episode 9: August 2024

Special Guest: Carrie Rostron, Workers’ Compensation and Risk Control Director at CMR Risk & Insurance Services. Topics covered in this month’s podcast: ✅ PAGA Reform ✅ SB 399 ✅ Workers’ Comp Trends ✅ Workers’ Comp & HR Crossover Links: 🔗 CAJPA (South Lake Tahoe – Sept.): https://msa.news/cajpa24 🔗 NorCal SHRM (S.F. – Sept.): https://msa.news/norcal-shrm24 🔗 PIHRA CELU (L.A. – Oct.): https://www.pihra.org/celu/ 🔗 PIHRA CELU (O.C. – Nov.): https://www.pihra.org/celu/ 🔗 CalSHRM (S.D. – Nov.): https://msa.news/calshrm-sd24 🔗 Eric & Carrie’s PAGA Webinar: https://msa.news/20240731paga (Passcode: Fa9by%9w) 🔗 CMR Risk & Insurance Services: https://cmrris.com/ 🔗 Carrie Rostron’s LinkedIn Profile: https://msa.news/c-rostron

July 2, 202434 min

Episode 8: July 2024

Special Guests: Andy Covell - Treasurer, SHRM San Diego | State Director Elect, CalSHRM | Co-founder, Lion Tech Solutions and Tara Fournier - President, Professionals in Human Resources Association | Deputy State Director, CalSHRM | Founder, T4 HR Tune in as Michael Sullivan & Associates attorney, Eric De Wames, and a rotating roster of guest experts discuss the most recent developments, emerging trends, and effective strategies within California's dynamic employment law environment. Topics covered in this month’s podcast: ✅ California PAGA Update ✅ AI Policies for Employers ✅ SHRM24 Annual Conference Highlights