Into the HR Woods: Navigating 2026 Federal & Oregon Employment Law Devts

Navigating the shifting landscape of employment law can feel like walking through a forest full of unexpected twists and turns. Navigating the shifting landscape of employment law can feel like walking through a forest full of unexpected twists and turns. Between sweeping federal overhauls on immigration enforcement and rapidly expanding employee protections at the state level, employers are facing ever unprecedented compliance challenges. This session is designed to pull back the curtain on the most pressing legislative changes impacting Oregon employers in 2026. Speaker Bios: Christine Thelen Bio A former human resources consultant, Christine Thelen has a unique understanding of the multifaceted challenges facing employers and HR professionals, from resolving workplace disputes and managing employee relations to carrying out disciplinary actions and terminations and crafting compliant policies and effective employment agreements. Christine excels at providing board members, executives, managers, and HR professionals across various industries and organizational sizes with practical advice and real-world solutions tailored to their specific workplace culture and goals. She is a natural problem solver skilled at helping her clients navigate an array of compliance, employee performance, and workplace issues. Brenna McLaughlin Bio Brenna McLaughlin helps private businesses, public entities, and nonprofit organizations maintain positive work environments and find pragmatic solutions to a wide range of personnel challenges and legal questions. Brenna’s practice focuses on approaching workplace disputes with practicality to help in-house counsel, HR professionals, and business executives find effective paths forward that reflect organizational cultural values and reduce the risk of time-consuming litigation. When litigation does happen, Brenna regularly defends employers of all sizes before federal and state courts and administrative agencies