2025 has seen more changes in the laws surrounding employment than any year in recent memory. Most of the upheaval comes out of federal agencies and changing enforcement priorities. Firms need to understand what aspects of their operations are likely to receive increased scrutiny resulting in potential fines and penalties such as completing I-9’s for new hires. But the changes have not been limited to agencies. The Supreme Court has also issued decisions in areas such as religious discrimination that change how an employer responds to such requests. And employment litigation is on the rise around the country. This session will cover what employers need to be on the watch for in their operations and steps to stay out of court.
Professional service firms have an advantage over many employers in analyzing employee performance, numbers. Determining if a billing employee is meeting goals is a simple task. But numbers do not always tell the whole story. And many professional service firm employees are not billers. To build a successful organization of highly performing employees takes more than goals and targets. This session will address performance management approaches from proactive strategies designed to grow employees to addressing poor performance and misconduct.
This session will address recent developments in payroll taxes including the overtime and tipped income exclusions. It will also address recent issues in employee benefit plans and auditing compliance.
Ed Harold, ESQ
Ed Harold, regional managing partner in the firm’s New Orleans office, has been practicing labor and employment law for over thirty years. Ed focuses his practice on partnering with employers to avoid litigation by identifying his clients’ priorities and ensuring his advice on today’s issue fits the bigger picture. Ed also serves as chair of the firm's Retail Industry Team, partnering with retailers to improve employee productivity in many ways and helping employers streamline employment processes, from hiring through discharge, in a manner that makes defending employment related claims easier.
When litigation results, Ed handles cases across multiple industries in state and federal courts in Louisiana, Mississippi, and Alabama. He has challenged issues that employers face under Title VII, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), and ERISA.
Ed also has substantial experience in various practice areas, including:
- Corporate Investigations
- Employee Benefits Litigation
- Employment Policies and Procedures
- Labor and Employment Litigation
- Unfair Competition and Trade Secrets Litigation
- Wage and Hour Law
Outside of work, Ed is active in the New Orleans community where he has been a life-long resident. He currently serves on the Board of Junior Achievement New Orleans focusing on economic literacy and entrepreneurial development in the children of New Orleans. He has previously served on the Boards of City Park New Orleans, The University of the South, The New Orleans Museum of Art, and St. Martin’s Episcopal School.
Jenny Kiesewetter, ESQ
Jenny Kiesewetter has more than 24 years of experience advising businesses in ERISA, employee benefits, compensation, fiduciary responsibility, and compliance matters.
As a member of the firm’s Employee Benefits and Tax Practice in Nashville, she advises clients on all aspects of employee benefits and executive compensation, including qualified and nonqualified retirement plans, health and welfare benefit plans, cafeteria plans, severance plans, and equity-based compensation plans.
Over the course of her career, Jenny has advised companies, governmental entities, plan sponsors, plan administrators, human resources professionals, and fiduciaries regarding employee benefit plan compliance (both ERISA and non-ERISA). She also has served as a retirement plan compliance consultant at a national brokerage, supporting both external clients and internal retirement plan advisors and consultants, helping to complement organizations’ benefits, compensation, and overall people programs.
Jenny has also worked with businesses and investors during mergers and acquisitions, focusing on due diligence and compliance related to employee benefit plans, including retirement, health and welfare, and executive compensation plans. She has worked on many post-acquisition employee benefit matters, specifically related to plan compliance and correction.
She also has more than 10 years of experience defending federal ERISA litigation claims for employers or insurers, while serving as an adjunct professor at the Cecil C. Humphreys School of Law, University of Memphis, where she has taught Employee Benefits for over 14 years.
Jenny earned her law degree from the University of Tennessee College of Law, Knoxville, as well as a master’s degree in communications. She earned her undergraduate degree from the University of Florida. She has been consistently recognized by U.S. News – Best Lawyers for ERISA Litigation and Employee Benefits (ERISA) Law.
Jenny is a frequent speaker and author on topics including ERISA, employee benefits, retirement plans, health plans, and statutory and regulatory compliance.
