Ogletree Deakins Podcasts

Hosted by Ogletree Deakins

Business EducationInterviews guestsExplicit

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Episodes

100

Latest episode

Aug 2026

Language

EN-US

About the show

Welcome to the Ogletree Deakins podcast page. Here, you can expect to hear timely and conversational discussions on labor and employment law topics covering the latest developments and trending issues impacting employers. We encourage you to subscribe and also rate and review if you find the podcast useful. Contact us with topics you’d like to hear, questions, and feedback at client.services@ogletree.com or follow us on LinkedIn or Twitter (@OgletreeDeakins).

Listen to episodes

60 recent

August 20, 202620 min

Talent Risk Assessor, 2: Auditing Disposition Codes for Legal Risk

In episode two of this special series of Defensible Decisions discussing Ogletree’s Talent Risk Assessor, shareholders Scott Kelly (Birmingham/Washington) and Chris Near (Columbia), who are joined by Chrissy Blantz from the firm’s Data Analytics team, focus on dispositions and merit-based hiring documentation. The speakers explain how disposition codes work alongside dashboard analytics to show whether hiring decisions are consistently tied to job-related, posted criteria, and offers practical guidance on auditing job advertisements and disposition practices to reduce litigation risk. The episode closes by previewing episode three, which will apply these same documentation principles to separations and terminations.

August 20, 202626 min

Labor Law Solutions: How the NLRB’s New Employer-Friendly Majority Could Reshape Labor Law

In this second episode of our Labor Law Solutions podcast, shareholders Tom Davis (Nashville), Tom Stanek (Phoenix), and Brian Hayes (Washington), who co-chair the firm’s Traditional Labor Relations Practice Group, examine the confirmation of James Macy to the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). Brian, who is a former NLRB member, offers his insights on what a third management-minded member means for reversing several pro-union precedents, including the bargaining order standard, the captive audience rule, and McLaren Macomb . The speakers also discuss the Supreme Court’s decision in Trump v. Slaughter , its implications for the constitutionality of removal protections applicable to board members, administrative law judges, and regional directors, and how the ruling affects pending constitutional challenges to NLRB proceedings.

August 19, 202622 min

Cal/OSHA’s Agriculture Focus: Common Citations and How to Prevent Them

In this podcast, shareholders Kevin Bland (Orange County) and Karen Tynan (Sacramento) discuss the most common Cal/OSHA citations issued to California agriculture employers. Karen, who is chair of the firm’s Workplace Safety and Health Practice Group, and Kevin discuss including heat illness prevention, Injury and Illness Prevention Plan (IIPP) violations, field sanitation requirements, lockout/tagout compliance, and respiratory protection for hazards like valley fever and wildfire smoke. The speakers offer practical guidance on avoiding these citations, with an emphasis on documentation, training, and maintaining basic compliance measures such as providing potable water, shade, and proper sanitation facilities, to help keep your workers safe and your workplace compliant.

August 18, 202620 min

Talent Risk Assessor, 1: What Data Reveals About Selection and Hiring Processes

This special series of Defensible Decisions , discusses Ogletree’s Talent Risk Assessor dashboard that helps employers integrate data from the full employment lifecycle to give management a birds’ eye view of the legal risks associated with employment decisions. Episode one features shareholders Scott Kelly (Birmingham/Washington) and Chris Near (Columbia), who are are joined by Chrissy Blantz from the firm’s Data Analytics team, to examine how Ogletree’s Talent Risk Assessor evaluates selection and hiring processes for legal risk. Using a continuing hypothetical involving a multi-state employer, the group walks through stage-by-stage funnel analysis and explains why a statistical flag should prompt a legally informed inquiry rather than a conclusion about compliance. Scott, who is chair of the firm’s Workforce Analytics and Compliance Practice Group, also previews the data quality and documentation considerations that will be addressed in the next episode of the series.

August 17, 202614 min

The New Era of Privacy Class Actions in Canada

In this episode, Shir Fulga (Toronto) and Erin Schachter (Montréal) (Toronto) discuss recent Quebec and Ontario court decisions certifying consumer class actions in data breach cases—and what these rulings mean for employers handling employee data. The discussion covers how courts are lowering the threshold for claims, allowing actions based on moral damages even in the absence of proven financial harm, and applying multiple legal frameworks, including privacy statutes, consumer protection laws, and human rights legislation.

August 14, 202611 min

Cross-Border Catch-Up: Cultural and Legal Considerations in Global Investigations, Part 3

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Patty Shapiro and Kate Thompson conclude their three-part series on global workplace investigations by highlighting common pitfalls that employers should avoid and providing valuable takeaways. Kate and Patty address the challenge of balancing transparency with confidentiality requirements and data privacy laws, and emphasize the importance of understanding cultural differences. Additionally, they point out that maintaining thorough documentation throughout an investigation is crucial, including records of interviews, evidence collection, and the investigative steps taken.

August 13, 202619 min

The Top 5 USERRA Traps and How to Avoid Them

In this podcast, Ogletree’s Military Workforce Practice Group co-chairs Jay Patton (Birmingham) and Amy Glenos (Birmingham) examine the five most common pitfalls employers face military leave issues under the Uniformed Services Employment and Reemployment Rights Act of 1994 (USERRA). Amy and Jay cover a variety of topics from documentation missteps and paid leave disputes to reduction in force (RIF) decisions and reemployment position determinations. Drawing on real settlement figures and controlling case law, including the Supreme Court’s escalator principle from Fishgold v. Sullivan Drydock , the speakers walk through practical guidance for handling both voluntary and involuntary military leave. The episode closes with a pop quiz on USERRA’s statute of limitations, a detail that catches even experienced HR professionals off guard.

August 13, 202610 min

Cross-Border Catch-Up: Compliance Strategies in Global Workplace Investigations, Part 2

In part two of this three-part episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Patty Shapiro and Kate Thompson explore the components of an effective and compliant investigation, including the importance of timeliness and adherence to jurisdiction-specific deadlines. The discussion also covers essential steps in evidence collection, implications for data privacy, challenges in maintaining confidentiality, handling anonymous complaints, and managing investigations that involve senior executives.

August 12, 202610 min

Cross-Border Catch-Up: Conducting Effective Global Workplace Investigations, Part 1

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Patty Shapiro (shareholder, San Diego) and Kate Thompson (associate, New York/Boston) kick off an informative three-part series on global workplace investigations. In part one, they discuss how to prepare for an investigation, resolve conflicting legal frameworks, and understand cultural considerations. They also offer insights on assembling the right team, maintaining confidentiality, and complying with data privacy laws.

July 27, 202612 min

Cross-Border Catch-Up: Liberalization and Compliance—What’s Changing for Employers in the UAE

In this episode of our Cross-Border Catch-Up podcast series, Shirin Aboujawde (New York/London) and Samantha Duncan (Washington) break down the latest wave of social and employment reforms in the United Arab Emirates (UAE). These reforms include relaxed alcohol licensing, a new workweek from Monday to Friday, tighter Emiratisation quotas, and AI-driven compliance enforcement. The speakers explore whether these changes represent genuine modernization or if they represent a strategically crafted approach that selectively adopts elements from Western models while remaining grounded in local priorities.