Employers in middle Georgia will soon have the opportunity to learn how to better understand and conquer compliance challenges in the workplace.  

The Middle Georgia Employer Committee and the Georgia Department of Labor are co-sponsoring an employer business summit and networking event entitled Employers In The Know. It will be held Thursday, Sept. 17, from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. in Building 1 at Central Georgia Technical College located at 3300 Macon Tech Drive in Macon.
Employers are encouraged to pre-register by Thursday, Sept. 10, but may register at the event.

State Labor Commissioner Mark Butler says the idea for holding a series of annual summits throughout the state came directly from Georgia employers. “We got this idea a few years ago when we heard from the business community that they had issues trying to keep up with new and changing business regulations,” Butler said. “We provide this service to give them updates, so they’ll know what’s going on.”

Employers In The Know will feature presentations by Commissioner Butler and Georgia Secretary of State Brian Kemp. Additional experts will discuss a range of employment and legal issues of importance to employers.
Commissioner Butler will discuss current GDOL initiatives and programs designed to encourage job growth and economic development throughout the state. The GDOL provides labor market data necessary for economic developers and businesses to make sound decisions about starting or expanding businesses. The GDOL helps match employers with qualified job seekers, as well as helping job seekers be successful in securing jobs and developing their careers.

Secretary Kemp will discuss issues regulated by his office. The Georgia Secretary of State’s Office has the responsibility to register corporations, oversee and regulate securities, administer professional licenses, and conduct secure, accessible and fair elections.

Nancy Castor Sprattlin, an attorney with the Castor, Sprattlin Law Group, LLC in Atlanta, will discuss practical tips on how to avoid U.S. Department of Labor investigations and costly wage and hour litigation, as well as current “hot labor law” topics.

And, the luncheon speaker, Felicia Smith of the Georgia Department of Revenue, will conduct a small business workshop about steps that businesses may take to ensure compliance with that department. The revenue department is the state’s primary tax law and revenue-collecting agency.

Recertification credits (3.75) are approved through the Human Resources Certification Institute.  
If pre-registered, the cost to attend is $35 per person. If more than one person from an organization attends, the cost is $30 each. The cost at the door is $40 per person. Registration includes lunch.

For more information about the summit, or to request registration forms, contact the GDOL’s Latrenda Leaks at (404) 273-5244 or [email protected].