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Enforcing the Contract: Grievances, Discipline, and Workplace Rights

Enforcing the Contract: Grievances, Discipline, and Workplace Rights

Start

September 30, 2026 9:00 am

End

October 2, 2026 11:30 am

Location

The Horseshoe
Las Vegas, Nevada

Register
Download the seminar brochure.

LRIS is recognized by SHRM to offer professional development credits (PDCs) for SHRM-CP® or SHRM-SCP® recertification activities.

Agenda

Speakers

Hotel

FAQs

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Wednesday, September 30, 2026

9:00 AM – Recent Developments in Public Safety Labor Law

A fast-paced tour of the legal, political, and economic developments shaping labor relations in police, fire, EMS, and corrections agencies. Topics typically include:

  • Recent trends in public safety wages, benefits, and contract settlements
  • The recruitment and retention crisis and its impact on bargaining
  • Legislative developments affecting police, fire, and corrections agencies
  • AI in the workplace — surveillance, discipline, and policy enforcement
  • Changes in federal EEO enforcement and discrimination law
  • Free speech and social media issues for public safety employees
  • Searches of personal cell phones and other privacy issues
  • Rapidly changing legal standards around marijuana and public safety agencies

Richard Poulson, Partner, Willig, Williams & Davidson, Pennsylvania and Executive Director, LRIS.

12:00 PM – Lunch (Included in Registration)

1:00 PM – Winning Grievances and Proving Past Practice

Effective contract enforcement begins with the grievance process. This session examines how grievances are developed, investigated, and presented. Topics include:

  • What makes a strong grievance
  • Drafting the grievance — how specific should it be?
  • Identifying contract violations and framing the issue
  • Investigating the facts and developing the record
  • Documents, witnesses, and timelines
  • When does a past practice become enforceable?
  • Past practice versus management rights clauses
  • Preparing the case with arbitration in mind
  • Common mistakes that weaken grievance cases

Rick Poulson and Jennifer Krikorian, Attorney, Aleshire & Wynder LLP, California.

4:00 PM – Adjournment

4:15 PM – Hosted Hospitality Reception

Join us for drinks and hors d’oeuvres. A chance to connect with fellow labor representatives, attorneys, and public safety professionals.

Thursday, October 1, 2026

 9:00 AM – Defending and Prosecuting Discipline Cases

Discipline disputes are among the most contested issues in public safety labor relations. In this session, union and management attorneys examine how discipline cases are investigated, challenged, and defended. Topics include:

  • The just cause standard
  • Conducting and challenging internal investigations
  • Weingarten rights and investigatory interviews
  • Garrity and Miranda issues in compelled statements
  • Notice, due process, and access to evidence
  • Progressive discipline principles
  • Disparate treatment and comparator cases
  • Arbitrating discipline grievances
  • Practical strategies from both sides of the table

Ben Albrecht, Partner, Fishel Downey Albrecht & Riepenhoff LLP, Ohio  and Tom Gribbin, Attorney, Willig, Williams & Davidson, Pennsylvania.

12:00 PM – Lunch (Included in Registration)

1:00 PM – How Arbitrators Decide Cases

What separates winning arbitration cases from losing ones? An experienced labor arbitrator discusses how arbitration decisions are made and what advocates should know when presenting contract and discipline cases.

Topics include:

  • How arbitrators analyze contract language
  • Evaluating past practice claims
  • Applying the just cause standard in discipline cases
  • Evidence that matters — and evidence that doesn’t
  • Witness credibility and investigative records
  • Common advocacy mistakes in arbitration hearings
  • Lessons from recent public safety arbitration decisions

Michael Loconto, Arbitrator, Massachusetts.

4:00 PM – Adjourn

Friday, October 2, 2026

8:30 AM – Overtime Disputes in Public Safety: Grievance or Lawsuit?

Overtime disputes are among the most common conflicts in public safety agencies. This session examines how wage and hour disputes arise under collective bargaining agreements and when those disputes should be addressed through grievances, arbitration, or federal litigation.

Topics include:

  • How the FLSA applies to public safety employees
  • Overtime calculations and common compliance problems
  • Comp time rules and work period issues
  • Off-the-clock work and reporting time
  • When overtime disputes can be resolved through the grievance process
  • When arbitration may not be enough
  • When litigation becomes necessary
  • Strategic considerations for unions and employers

Ryan Hancock, Attorney, Willig, Williams & Davidson, Pennsylvania and Rick Poulson.

11:30 AM – Adjourn

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Ben Albrecht

Ben Albrecht

Mr. Albrecht is a partner with the Columbus, Ohio firm of Fishel Downey Albrecht & Riepenhoff LLP. He received his law degree from the Ohio State University Moritz College of Law. Ben advises cities, townships, counties, and public officials throughout Ohio on all labor and employment law issues. He represents clients in contract negotiations, mediation, conflict resolution, arbitrations and before various administrative agencies. He has conducted numerous seminars on the topics of unlawful discrimination and harassment, social media, collective bargaining, performance evaluations and discipline.

Tom Gribbin

Thomas Gribbin

Mr. Gribbin focuses his practice on the representation of private and public sector labor unions and individual employees. Included among his clients are police, firefighters, and correctional officers. He regularly advocates for clients in grievance and interest arbitrations, mediation, administrative proceedings and before state and federal courts. Tom has a long history of representing clients before the Philadelphia Civil Service Commission (CSC) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB). He also appears before the Public Employment Relations Commission (PERC) in New Jersey and the Public Employment Relations Board (PERB) in Delaware. He received his Doctor of Jurisprudence from Duquesne University School of Law.

Ryan Hancock

Ryan Hancock

Mr. Hancock is a fierce advocate for the rights of individuals in employment law matters. He has successfully litigated a broad range of discrimination matters including claims involving sexual orientation, religious accommodation, disability, race, sex and denial of employment based on a criminal record. He also represents clients in wage and hour and whistleblower matters and in contract disputes and formation and internal investigations. Ryan has served as co-lead counsel in several class action lawsuits and has appeared before a variety of federal district and appellate courts on behalf of plaintiffs. Ryan is a graduate of Rutgers School of Law and the University of the Arts in Philadelphia.

Jennifer Krikorian

Ms. Krikorian is a senior associate at Aleshire & Wynder, and serves as the Chair of A&W’s Labor & Employment Practice Group. She has extensive trial and litigation experience, including jury trials, pre-trial hearings, arbitrations hearings, and settlement negotiations. Jennifer began her career as a criminal prosecutor in San Bernardino County and has also represented first responders in labor relations and administrative investigations. Jennifer’s significant experience with disciplinary actions, administrative investigations, grievances, and arbitrations for public sector employees stems from both defense and prosecution of the administrative claims. She also possesses a Doctor of Philosophy in Social and Behavioral Sciences, specializing in advanced studies in human behavior. Jennifer intends to use her research specialization to further understand and help people throughout her advocacy.

Michael Loconto

Mr. Loconto is a Boston-based arbitrator and mediator providing neutral, independent dispute resolution services in the workplace and in business and consumer matters, nationwide. Arbitrator Loconto has more than two decades of experience in the fields of labor relations and employment law and in commercial matters, previously serving as an in-house counsel to a small college and a labor and employment relations leader for a large university and a major metropolitan city. He has has led or presented on a number of labor-management issues before LERA and the National Centers for the Study of Collective Bargaining in Higher Education Professions. Arbitrator Loconto has taught legal writing and research to first-year law students at his alma mater, Northeastern University School of Law, and has lectured on school law and arbitration in athletics for college students and legislative drafting for Massachusetts Continuing Legal Education.

Richard Poulson

Richard Poulson

Mr. Poulson is one of the top public safety union lawyers in the country and a senior partner with the Philadelphia law firm of Willig, Williams & Davidson. The son of a Philadelphia firefighter, Rick has spent his career advocating for police officers, firefighters, paramedics, corrections officers and other public-safety professionals throughout the United States. He earned his B.A. from La Salle University (1992) and his J.D. from the Catholic University of America, Columbus School of Law (1997). Rick also serves as Executive Director of Labor Relations Information System, which provides education and training services for public safety labor relations professionals across the country.

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The Horseshoe Hotel

3645 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109

The room rate Tuesday through Friday night is $89 per night, plus taxes and fees. There are a limited number of rooms available Friday and Saturday nights for $179 per night plus taxes and fees.

Use this link to make reservations or call the hotel directly and request the group rate for this seminar. There is a $15 fee for making reservations by phone. We recommend making reservations online. Reservations must be made by August 29, 2026. Reservations received after this date will be on a space-available basis only and at the prevailing rate.

The Paris Las Vegas

The Paris Hotel

3655 Las Vegas Blvd S
Las Vegas, NV 89109

Rooms are also available at the Paris Hotel, which is connected to the Horseshoe. The room rate Tuesday through Friday night is $189 per night, plus taxes and fees. There are a limited number of rooms available Friday and Saturday nights for $229 per night plus taxes and fees.

Use this link to make reservations or call the hotel directly and request the group rate for this seminar. There is a $15 fee for making reservations by phone. We recommend making reservations online. Reservations must be made by August 29, 2026. Reservations received after this date will be on a space-available basis only and at the prevailing rate.

Registration fees are $995 per person; $825 per person if three or more attend from the same organization. 

Reservations may be canceled up to ten days prior to the seminar with a full refund. Cancellations made within ten days are subject to a $150 fee. Substitutions may be made at any time.

Registration fees include attendance, lunch on the first two days of the seminar, all seminar materials, and a hospitality reception on the first evening.

Each attendee will receive a copy of The Rights Of Law Enforcement Officers (8th Edition) by Will Aitchison.

Seminar handouts will be available for download one week prior to the seminar. If you supplied an email address at the time of registering for the seminar, you will receive an email with reminders and a link to the handouts. If you did not supply an email address, contact LRIS at kayla@LRIS.com to add your email to your registration information.

Peace Officer Standards and Training (P.O.S.T.) credits may be available on a state-by-state basis. Let us know if we can provide you with any materials to assist in your application. Please contact us at info@LRIS.com at least 30 days prior to the start date.

If you are an attorney and require MCLE certification from any state, please contact us at (503) 282-5440 or info@LRIS.com 30 days prior to the seminar.

We do not have a dress code, but suggest attendees wear business casual clothing.

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Topics Covered:
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