2025 Massachusetts Employment Law Update
Date: November 5 Time: 8:00 am - 12:30 pm
Cost: $175
Woburn, MA 01801 United States
McLane Middleton’s annual Massachusetts Employment Law Update will be held on November 5, 2025 at the Crowne Plaza Boston-Woburn. Join our employment attorneys as we discuss the latest trends in employment law that you don’t want to miss.
This year’s program will explore scenarios where diverse cultures intersect in the workplace and will highlight how these intersections can impact communication, management, and integration.
Agenda
8:00 a.m. – Registration/Welcome
8:30 a.m. – News You Can Use
Presenter: Peg O’Brien and Sean LaPorta
An update on federal and state laws, recent case law and agency guidance impacting Massachusetts private employers.
9:15 a.m. – Navigating the Collision Between Religious Rights and Pronouns in the Workplace
Presenters: Adam Hamel
As workplaces strive to foster inclusive environments, a growing legal and cultural tension has emerged between employees’ religious beliefs and the expectation to use colleagues’ pronouns. This session will discuss the current legal landscape governing religious accommodations and gender identity protections, practical strategies for employers and HR professionals to balance competing rights and obligations, and approaches to conflict resolution and respectful dialogue in diverse workplaces.
9:45 a.m. – Immigration Concerns at Work
Presenters: Shiva Karimi & Andrea Hellrigel
Work authorization remains a critical compliance issue for employers, with evolving rules on documents expirations, automatic EAD extensions, and reverification requirements. This session will examine the legal and practical implications of these developments, as well as the employment authorization options available to support workforce stability and compliance.
10:15 a.m. – Break
10:30 a.m. – Employment Decisions Based on Employee Use of Social Media, In and Out of the Workplace
Presenter: Amanda Brahm
From political opinions to personal videos, employee social media activity—whether on or off the clock—can raise challenging questions for employers. This session examines how social media use intersects with employment decisions, employee rights, and workplace policies. Gain a clearer framework for evaluating social media issues fairly and lawfully, balancing brand reputation, employee rights, and workplace harmony.
11:00 a.m. – AI for HR: What Is Coming and How Can You Use It?
Presenter: Cameron Shilling
Artificial intelligence is rapidly reshaping how organizations attract, manage, and support their workforce. But with so much change, how can HR professionals stay ahead of the curve—and use AI tools responsibly and effectively? This session will discuss emerging AI trends in HR, from talent acquisition to performance management, legal and ethical considerations, including bias, transparency, and data privacy, how to evaluate and implement AI tools that align with your HR goals, and what’s next.
11:45 a.m. – Addressing Reasonable Accommodation Requests in the Workplace
Presenters: Brian Garrett and Sean LaPorta
Navigating employee accommodation requests under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and related laws can be complex for employers and HR professionals. This session will provide practical guidance on how to respond to and manage reasonable accommodation requests while balancing legal compliance, business operations, and employee needs. Topics will include understanding the interactive process, evaluating different types of requests, handling documentation and confidentiality, and avoiding common pitfalls that can lead to liability.
12:30 p.m. – END
Cost – $175.00 (After September 4, 2025)
Registration includes continental breakfast, electronic copies of materials, and credits.
Presenters
Peg O’Brien assists employers with legal compliance and risk management in all phases of the employment relationship, as well as defense of employers in matters pending before government agencies and courts. In addition, Peg conducts workplace investigations as an internal or outside independent investigator, and recently completed the Massachusetts Commission Against Discrimination’s Certified Course on Conducting Discrimination Complaint Investigations.
Adam concentrates his practice in the areas of business, employment and probate litigation. Adam regularly assists clients on a variety of commercial and employment litigation matters, including claims of wrongful termination, discrimination, and violations of restrictive covenants. Adam also has extensive experience working on will contests, fiduciary litigation and guardianships.
Brian focuses his practice on understanding and serving the needs of independent day and boarding schools, colleges and universities, and early child care programs. Brian partners with many of the country’s leading independent schools to provide comprehensive advice on all aspects of school operations, including establishing new schools, student and parent issues, employment matters, school governance and leadership, and general risk management. He works closely with board chairs, heads of schools, financial officers, and other senior leadership members in tackling complex matters affecting school communities.
Shiva develops creative strategies for navigating the complex U.S. immigration system. She advises businesses on hiring key personnel, structuring global entities to facilitate talent mobility, and addressing immigration compliance issues. She creates immigration solutions for immigrant investors and entrepreneurs, as well as other specialized foreign nationals such as athletes and entertainers, religious workers, and expats. She represents clients across a range of industries including staffing, technology, healthcare, independent schools, and start-ups. She has developed immigration solutions for immigrant investors and entrepreneurs, doctors and healthcare workers, athletes and entertainers, religious workers, and other specialized foreign nationals. She advises businesses on hiring key personnel and structuring global entities to facilitate talent mobility.
Cameron is a director in our Litigation Department, and chair of our Cybersecurity and Privacy Group. In his 20 plus years as a lawyer, Cameron has managed, litigated and resolved numerous commercial matters involving data security, technology, business, and employment issues in New Hampshire, Massachusetts, New England, and around the country. His education and depth of legal experience, as well as his professional interests and passions, are strengths that Cameron leverages to provide the highest quality counseling and litigation services to clients.
Amanda Brahm represents employers and educational institutions in legal matters related to students, employees, and school and workplace policies. Amanda’s work encompasses federal and state court litigation of employment discrimination claims, breach of contract issues, and claims arising under Title IX, the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the federal and Connecticut Family and Medical Leave Acts. She has also successfully defended charges before administrative agencies, including the Connecticut Commission on Human Rights and Opportunities, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.
Andrea is a member of both the Immigration Law Practice Group and the Employment Law Practice Group. She provides clients with strategic advice on a wide array of business and personal immigration matters.
Sean has focused his practice on serving the needs of both students and educational institutions as they navigate legal and practical issues. He has extensive experience working closely with small to large educational institutions, where he provides advice and analysis on a wide variety of issues, including employment and board of trustee policies. Sean provides services regarding employment contracts, waivers, severance agreements, compliance, risk analysis, and navigating state and federal laws.