Sponsored by:  The Pinnacle Group

https://www.raymondjames.com/thepinnaclegroup

Join us for a panel discussion on reasonable accommodations in the workplace! For employers who execute accommodations well, there can be tremendous benefits for their workplaces. For example, in a multiyear survey conducted by the Job Accommodation Network between 2019 and 2023, employers reported that providing employees with accommodations:

• 85% of employers reported that it resulted in them retaining a valued employee
• 53% of employers reported that it resulted in them increasing the employee’s productivity
• 48% of employers reported that it resulted in them increasing the employee's attendance
• 47% of employers reported that it resulted in them eliminating costs associated with training a new employee
• 33% of employers reported that it resulted in them increasing diversity of the company
• 29% of employers reported that it resulted in them increasing safety
• 29% of employers reported that it resulted in them increasing overall company morale
• 22% of employers reported that it resulted in them increasing interactions with customers
• 20% of employers reported that it resulted in them increasing overall company productivity
• 18% of employers reported that it resulted in them increasing overall company attendance

At the same time, failing to properly accommodate employees can have serious ramifications, including legal ramifications from employees filing of charges of discrimination with a federal or state administrative agency and lawsuits in federal and state courts. For example, for Fiscal Year 2022, the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission received:

• 13,508 charges of discrimination for failure to provide a reasonable accommodation on the basis of disability
• 9,992 charges of discrimination for failure to provide a reasonable accommodation on the basis of religion
• 841 charges of discrimination for failure to provide a reasonable accommodation on the basis of sex
• 332 charges of discrimination for failure to provide a reasonable accommodation on the basis of age
• 179 charges of discrimination for failure to provide a reasonable accommodation on the basis of color
• 152 charges of discrimination for failure to provide a reasonable accommodation on the basis of national origin

Whether an employer benefits from an accommodation or faces legal liability all depends on whether they ACT, when they ACT, and how well they ACT. During the panel discussion, we will go over the interactive process as well as provide employers with tools and resources to make the process and accommodations offered more effective.

Panelists

William M. Palmer, Esq.
Associate at Kaufman & Canoles

Will is an Associate in the firm’s Norfolk office and a member of the Labor & Employment practice group and the Sports & Entertainment Industry Team. His practice focuses on employment litigation and employer counseling on how best to avoid employment litigation. Will regularly counsels his clients on a wide variety of workplace matters, including personnel policies, unemployment benefits, severance agreements, wage payment issues, discrimination avoidance and non-competition agreements.

Lorien Picou, SHRM-CP
Human Resources Director at the Language Group

Lorien Picou, SHRM-CP, has been in human resources for over 15 years, most recently as Human Resources Director for The Language Group in Virginia Beach.  For 12 years, Lorien lived and worked in the US Virgin Islands for a large healthcare network, supporting over 2,500 employees in the areas of onboarding, compensation and benefits, and organizational development.  During that time, she was also a guest lecturer for the University of the Virgin Islands Continuing Education Division where she taught courses in SHRM certification preparation and leadership fundamentals for supervisors.  Lorien holds a Bachelor of Science in Human Resource Management from Capella University and has been SHRM certified since 2013.  She has served as a mentor for the Hampton Roads SHRM chapter since 2022, the same year she was recognized as an “HR Department of One” through the Chapter’s HR’s Got Talent awards.  Outside of work, Lorien provides HR consultation and guidance to Virginia Stage Co. and enjoys spending time with her 13-year-old daughter.

DL Mears
Human Resources Manager II, Employee Relations Division at the City of Virginia Beach

DL Mears, SPHR, IPMA-SCP, has been in working in human resources for over 30 years, the last five years with the City of Virginia Beach and serves as their Human Resources Manager-Employee Relations.  Prior to that role, she was the HR Director for the City of Chesapeake, the CHRO for Loudoun County, and the Human Resources Manager for the City of Hampton.  DL began the first ten years of her career with a Fortune 500 company which culminated in her serving as their HR Director.  She holds a Master of Science in Human Resources Management from Troy State University, and a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration from the University of Mary Washington.  DL has been certified since 2000.   Outside of work, DL serves as a mentor for human resources professionals and her primary focus is family time.