Event Details

OUR PROGRAM:

2026 EMPLOYMENT LAW UPDATE

Get prepared for the year ahead. Join SHRM Northstate virtually on December 10, 2025 from 9am to 11am for our 2026 Employment Law Update, where our legal experts, Kim Lucia and Kennady Peek of Boutin Jones, will break down the most important California and federal changes impacting your workplace. Walk away with clear guidance, practical next steps, and the confidence to stay compliant in 2026.

Some of the highlights include –

• California minimum wage increase
• Pay transparency equal pay expansion
• Expanded leave and accommodation protections
• Increased wage-and-hour claim penalties

Walk away with some actionable insights and confidence heading into the new year. Protect your organization. Empower your teams. Stay compliant.

OUR SPEAKERS:

Kimberly Lucia is a member of Boutin Jones Inc.’s Board of Directors and a Shareholder in the Employment Practice Group. Kimberly’s 11 years’ experience working in the financial industry enables her to provide employers with business-minded solutions that also comply with the law. She represents employers in both public and private settings, including those with a unionized workforce. Her clients include those in a variety of industries including the financial industry, banking, agriculture, construction, staffing, healthcare, food processing and manufacturing, logistics and warehousing, and chemical. Kimberly takes seriously her role as a counselor and legal adviser and is passionate about helping her clients avoid litigation and successfully navigate it when it arises.

Kimberly counsels clients in all areas of employment law, including drafting employee handbooks and policies, negotiating severance agreements, drafting executive employment agreements, sales and incentive compensation plans, and conducting employment investigations. She routinely provides advice and counseling to public and private employers on wage and hour issues, discipline and termination, disability accommodations, and Family and Medical Leave Act/California Family Rights Act leaves of absences. Kimberly also counsels clients on pre-litigation strategies and represents employers in employee grievance proceedings. She has represented employers before the California Department of Labor Standards Enforcement (DLSE) in wage and hour hearings, and defending clients against audits from the DLSE and federal Department of Labor.

Kimberly also represents clients in federal and state court in wrongful termination in violation of public policy, wage and hour, discrimination and harassment lawsuits. She has mediated several cases to successful resolution, achieved summary judgment on numerous cases, and has represented clients in arbitrations as well as in appellate court. Kimberly provides strategic litigation defense for her clients in both single plaintiff and wage and hour class and PAGA actions.

Kennady Peek is a skilled employment lawyer who provides strategic advice and counsel to established businesses and emerging entrepreneurs navigating the complexities of California employment law. She regularly advises clients on disability discrimination, wage and hour compliance, employee leave rights, and employee handbooks.

Taking a proactive approach, Kennady helps businesses avoid costly litigation by developing workplace policies and procedures that align with California’s evolving employment laws. She earned both her JD and MBA from UC Davis, through the School of Law and the Graduate School of Management. By combining her business education with her legal expertise, Kennady delivers practical guidance that advances business objectives while minimizing risk.

Boutin Jones Inc.

OUR SPONSOR:

O2 EMPLOYMENT SERVICES

Helping Employers & Job Seekers Navigate Work Together

We help businesses grow and job seekers thrive. With staffing, HR, payroll, workers’ comp and benefits all in one place, we make employment simple and stress-free.

Your Business. Your Passion. Your Element.

At O2 Employment Services, we believe your passion fuels your business, that strong employees make strong businesses, and strong businesses build thriving communities. Since 2001, we’ve helped companies streamline HR, payroll, and staffing, while supporting our community through outreach, education, volunteering, and employment assistance. Let us handle the details so you can focus on growth.