For Owners, Managers and Staff Engaged in
Workforce and Compliance Issues
This is a one-day conference designed to provide staffing professionals and management with the latest information on legal, legislative, and operational issues.
SCHEDULE
9:30 a.m. - 10:00 a.m.
Registration
10:00 a.m. - 10:45 a.m.
"NJ Makes it Clear: Wage Transparency is the Wave of the Future"
Presented by Erik Derr, Esq. and Maria Matkou, Esq., Becker LLC
As part of a growing trend throughout the country, starting June 1, 2025, New Jersey employers will be required to disclose salary and compensation programs in job postings. This will pose a new challenge to employers, including staffing companies, statewide.
During this session, Erik Derr and Maria Matkou, members of the Becker Staffing Team, will discuss what this new statute means for staffing companies and provide practical examples of measures businesses can take to ensure compliance.
Erik Derr is Of Counsel in the firm’s Litigation Department practicing in corporate, commercial, and insurance coverage litigation. Prior to joining Becker LLC, Mr. Derr worked at a large international firm specializing in insurance coverage and insurance-based litigation. Mr. Derr is licensed in Pennsylvania, New Jersey, and New York and has experience practicing in state and federal courts nationwide. Mr. Derr graduated from William & Mary Law School, cum laude, in 2014 and competed as a member of both the William & Mary National Trial Team and the Alternative Dispute Resolution Team. Mr. Derr was also a member of the Business Law Review. After law school, Mr. Derr served as a law clerk for the Honorable Jennifer Harlacher Sibum in the Monroe County Pennsylvania, Court of Common Pleas. While clerking, Mr. Derr’s duties included disposing of preliminary objections, legal research and drafting issue memoranda and opinions.
Maria Matkou works in the firm’s Business Services Group, focusing on Mergers & Acquisitions and Corporate Governance. Prior to joining Becker LLC, Maria practiced law overseas with Latham & Watkins in Moscow, a global international law firm where she focused on large international financing transactions and debt restructurings.
Maria graduated summa cum laude from Moscow State University. After several years as a corporate paralegal, Maria obtained her LL.M. from New York University, where she received the George Colin Award for Distinction in Corporate Law.
10:45 a.m. - 11:30 p.m.
"Legal and Legislative Update: What to Expect from the 119th Congress and State Governments"
Presented by Toby Malara, American Staffing Association
With control of Congress and The White House, Republicans have high hopes and a long to-do list of what they would like to accomplish over the next two years. But slim majorities, and a less than unified Congress, will present more than a fair share of road blocks. And how will state governments, especially blue states, react to the plans of this Congress and administration?
Toby Malara is Vice President of Government Affairs for the American Staffing Association. In his role, Malara directs ASA’s government relations, lobbying, and political activities, including the operations of the associations’ political action committee, StaffingPAC. He also advises members on immigration/I-9, paid sick leave, sales tax, and per diem issues. Malara graduated from Georgetown University and earned a J.D. from the Columbus School of Law at Catholic University.
11:30 a.m. - 11:45 a.m.
Break
11:45 p.m. - 12:30 p.m.
"What Staffing Companies Can Expect from Trump 2.0"
Presented by David Sprong, Esq., Fox Rothschild, LLP
In this timely presentation, David Sprong of Fox Rothschild will tackle the changes that staffing companies should anticipate from the second Trump Administration. The new administration is likely to reshape the legal landscape, including by undoing the previous administration’s executive orders, reconstituting administrative departments, appointing many new judges, and sponsoring comprehensive legislative changes. Legal issues likely to be implicated include joint employer status, immigration, independent contractor classification, overtime pay, non-competes, DEI, taxes on tips and federal paid leave.
David Sprong is a Partner in the national law firm of Fox Rothschild and an active part of Fox Rothschild’s Staffing Law practice. Bringing together 1,000 attorneys nationwide, including 150 in New Jersey, Fox Rothschild offers the resources of a national law firm combined with the personal touch of a boutique firm. David is an experienced business attorney who has long provided counsel to clients in the staffing industry on various legal matters, including talent retention, best legal practices and policies, joint employer liability, independent contractor classification, real estate and litigation. He has a comprehensive understanding of the nuances of the industry and recognizes the concerns of entrepreneurs, management and general counsel engaged in the business of staffing. David speaks and writes on staffing industry topics, and is an active industry partner in the NJSA and has served on its Board of Directors. David utilizes his experience to collaborate with his staffing industry clients to provide forward-thinking counsel designed to drive results and keep his clients’ businesses moving forward -- to him, it's personal.
12:30 p.m. - 1:30 p.m.
Lunch
Patrick Stewart and Alexa Bailey from Public Strategies Impact will give a brief update on the legislative issue impacting the staffing industry.
1:30 p.m. - 2:15 p.m.
"The Current Legal Landscape of Restrictive Covenant Agreements"
Presented by Andrew Yacyshyn, Esq., Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP
There are various misconceptions regarding employee non-competition agreements and other restrictive covenants. While it is true that courts often scrutinize restrictive covenant agreements, particularly non-competes, between employee and employer, as a general matter, they are enforceable. However, these agreements must be carefully and reasonably crafted in order to ensure their enforceability if challenged.
During this session, Andrew P. Yacyshyn, will discuss, among other things, the various types of restrictive covenants (e.g., non-competition, non-solicitation, non-service, etc.), key drafting considerations, and how to utilize them properly and help ensure their enforceability with respect to internal and temporary employees of staffing firms.
Andrew P. Yacyshyn is a partner in the Employment and Staffing Law practice groups of Tannenbaum Helpern Syracuse & Hirschtritt LLP. Andrew is also the Associate General Counsel of the New York Staffing Association and serves on the Legislative Committee of the New Jersey Staffing Alliance. Andrew counsels employers, including many staffing firms, on various employment and human resource matters, including: wage and hour compliance; discrimination, harassment, and retaliation allegations; restrictive covenant enforceability; joint employer issues; worker classification; administration of employee handbooks and workplace policies; leaves of absence and reasonable accommodations; and employee onboarding and termination issues.
Andrew has been selected for inclusion in Super Lawyers® Rising Star, New York Metro Area, for 2019 – 2024, and has also been recognized in the 2023, 2024 and 2025 Editions of Best Lawyers® Ones to Watch.
2:15 p.m. - 3:00 p.m.
"The Use of Criminal History and Background Check Information in Employment"
Presented by Steven M. Friedland, Esq., Freedman & Friedland LLC
With the New York Clean Slate Act recently going into effect, this is a good opportunity to for staffing firms to revisit issues involving the use of criminal history and background check information in connection with the hiring and retention of employees under federal, New Jersey, and New York law.
Steven M. Friedland is a Member of Freedman & Friedland LLC. Steve has been with the Firm since 2004. He graduated from Tufts University in 1993 and from the Benjamin N. Cardozo School of Law in 1999. Steve previously worked in Washington, D.C. as a legislative aide for the late former New Jersey Congresswoman Marge Roukema, as well as a management-side labor and employment attorney with two nationally-recognized law firms.
His focus is as a commercial litigator, with an emphasis on employment and business matters, and he represents clients before various federal and state courts and agencies. He has significant experience representing firms in the staffing industry.
Steve is admitted to practice law in New Jersey and New York, as well as in the U.S. District Courts for New Jersey and the Southern District of New York.
He lives with his wife and two children in Allendale, New Jersey.
Earn CPC Credits
