Originally presented on June 10, 2009
10:30 a.m. to Noon (Pacific)

Order Option       Price   CD Recording Only       $219

Same-sex marriage is all over the news these days, and nowhere more than in California. The Prop 8 debate rages on, and recent challenges to the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) have muddied the waters even further. The result? Serious benefits-related confusion for California employers.

Join us on June 10 for an in-depth 90-minute audio conference—specifically for California employers—all about the best way to get a handle on how these ongoing legal developments affect your employer-sponsored health benefits and retirement plans. You'll learn:

• The current state of the law both in California and at the federal level, and what's required of you as an employer
• How California defines "domestic partner" and "spouse"
• The legal standing of same-sex marriages performed pre-Prop 8—and where the law appears to be heading next
• The effect current challenges to DOMA could have on your employee benefit plan administration
• The practical effect that state and local mandates have on your obligations to administer retirement plans in compliance with federal law
• How to provide health and welfare benefits to same-sex spouses and domestic partners
• Whether employees' same-sex spouses and domestic partners have COBRA and HIPAA rights
• How to determine the fair-market value of same-sex benefits for federal tax purposes

About Your Speakers:

Julie Burbank, Esq., is a director at Trucker Huss, APC in San Francisco. She practices in all areas of employee benefits and ERISA compliance, focusing on health and welfare benefit plans, Section 125 cafeteria plans, short-term and long-term disability plans (including California Voluntary Disability Plans), COBRA, HIPAA, USERRA, 401(k) plans, and qualified retirement plans. Burbank earned the distinction of being named one of "The Best Lawyers in America" in employee benefits law in 2008 and 2009 by Corporate Counsel Magazine.

David Levine, Esq., is an employee benefits attorney in the Washington, D.C., office of the Groom Law Group. He specializes in exempt organization tax issues, qualified plans, plan restructuring and integration, and deferred compensation plans, and he has authored many articles on employee benefits issues, including Same-Sex Domestic Partner Benefits—Current Legal and Plan Drafting Issues. Levine is listed as a leading employee benefits lawyer in Chambers U.S.A. and the Legal 500.

This program has been approved for 1.5 recertification credit hours toward PHR and SPHR recertification through the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI). This program is also a California-specific continuing education activity for PHR-CA and SPHR-CA recertification. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit the HRCI homepage at www.hrci.org. The use of this seal is not an endorsement by HRCI of the quality of the program. It means that this program has met HRCI's criteria to be pre-approved for recertification credit.

The Employer Resource Institute is an approved MCLE Multiple Activity Provider, and this program has been approved for 1.5 hours of MCLE credit by the State Bar of California. For more information, please contact our customer service department at (800) 695-7178.

Bonus Offer

As an additional benefit, you will receive a no-risk trial subscription to California Employer Advisor when you register for this Audio Conference (or purchase a CD recording). You will receive 3 evaluation issues. If you want to continue to receive the newsletter, simply pay the invoice you will receive in the mail. If you decide the newsletter isn't for you, just write cancel on the invoice and return it. You will owe nothing, and all issues you receive are yours to keep. As with all ERI products, your satisfaction is guaranteed 100%. (Offer good for new subscribers only.)

How Do Audio Conferences Work?

An Audio Conference is remarkably cost-effective and convenient. You participate from your office using a regular telephone. You have no travel costs and no out-of-office time.

Plus, for one low price you can get as many people in your office to participate as you can fit around a speakerphone.

Because the conference is live, you can ask the speakers questions' either on the phone or via e-mail.

With your registration, you also receive conference materials with additional practical information from Employer Resource Institute sent to you via e-mail shortly before the conference.

Why You Can Sign Up To Attend This Event with Confidence

As with all Employer Resource Institute products, you're completely protected. If for any reason you are unsatisfied with this Audio Conference, simply let us know and we will return your entire registration fee.