28th Annual Employment Law Seminar

Join us for this year's virtual 2021 Employment Law Seminar, presented by Torkildson, Katz, Hetherington, Harris, Knorek Attorneys At Law, to learn up-to-the-minute information on recent significant employment law developments on the most pressing legal issues that impact employers, including what the "new normal" will look like, and staying in compliance under the Biden administration. 

This year's full-day virtual seminar will be packed with helpful information and sessions. The virtual seminar will include virtual networking lounges, engaging presentations by the Torkildson team, and more on an engaging new platform: Social Hour. 

Virtual registration fees include:

• One-day Conference
• Print and online version of the 2021 Employment Law Desk Manual
  • *Please note that free pick up will be available for the print version at the Chamber of Commerce office, or mail delivery to your preferred location will be an additional $10.
  • Online version will be emailed prior to the event.
• Continuing education credits

Agenda At-A-Glance:

• 7:30 AM – 4:45 PM - Networking lounges open all day
• 8:30 AM – 8:45 AM - Welcome and Legislative Update
• 8:45 AM – 10:05 AM - Return to Work - What Will the New Normal Look Like? (Jeffrey S. Harris, Austin F. McCullough, Rachel K. Hoke Miyashiro)
• 10:05 AM – 10:20 AM - Break, visit exhibitor booths and speed networking
• 10:20 AM – 11:40 AM - Did COVID-19 End Harassment in the Workplace? (Kendra K. Kawai, Jennifer L. Gitter, Rachel K. Hoke Miyashiro)
• 11:40 AM – 1:00 PM - Lunch, keynote speaker, visit with exhibitor booths and speed networking​
• 1:00 PM - 2:00 PM - Staying in Compliance Under the Biden Administration (Robert S. Katz, John L. Knorek, Weiwei He)
• 2:00 PM - 3:00 PM - There's a New Sheriff in Town: Immigration Updates for a New Administration and a New Pandemic (Newton J. Chu, Vaughn G.T. Cook)
• 3:00 PM – 3:15 PM - Break
• 3:15 PM – 4:15 PM – The Next Wave of Workplace Lawsuits Over COVID-Related Issues (Joseph A. Ernst, Jennifer L. Gitter, Weiwei He)

Please note that times and order of panels are tentative and subject to change.

Mahalo to our Sponsors!

Lunchtime Keynote Speaker:

John De Fries
President and CEO
Hawai‘i Tourism Authority
 


John De Fries was appointed as president and chief executive officer of the Hawai‘i Tourism Authority (HTA) on September 16, 2020. HTA is the State of Hawai‘i agency responsible for strategically managing its support of the tourism industry. Its mission is to manage Hawai‘i tourism in a sustainable manner consistent with economic goals, cultural values, preservation of natural resources, community desires and visitor industry needs.

Born and raised in Waikīkī, De Fries was raised by family elders steeped in Hawaiian culture. He has more than 40 years of professional experience in the tourism and resort development industries. His recent visitor industry experience includes serving as executive director of the Native Hawaiian Hospitality Association. He is also president and principal advisor for Native Sun Business Group, a business consulting and project management firm focused on Hawai‘i’s hospitality and real estate development industries.

De Fries previously led the Department of Research and Development for the County of Hawai‘i, a division responsible for stimulating economic growth in sectors including tourism, agriculture and renewable energy. Prior to that, he served as president and CEO of Hōkūli‘a, a luxury residential community on Hawai‘i Island.
De Fries serves as an advisor and board member to many community organizations, including the Julie Ann Wrigley Global Institute of Sustainability at Arizona State University, the Astronaut Ellison Onizuka Memorial Committee, Bishop Museum, Hawaiʻi Green Growth, Friends of the Future, the Keāhole Center for Sustainability, and Kualoa Ranch.

In recent years, De Fries has been a part of rare gatherings in Hawaiʻi that highlight opportunities for leadership in sustainable living, human rights, and embracing native intelligence. He has engaged with His Holiness the Dalai Lama; members of the Rapid Evaluation Team from Google X; Gro Harlem Brundtland, the first female prime minister of Norway; Hina Jilani, a renowned lawyer, pro-democracy campaigner, and a leading activist in Pakistan’s women’s movement; Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu of Cape Town, South Africa; and New Zealand’s Sir Sidney Moko Mead, Ph.D., who created the country’s first department of Māori Studies at Victoria University of Wellington.
 

The Chamber of Commerce Hawaii is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®.
 
This program is valid for 5 PDCs for the SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP®. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit www.shrmcertification.org.