NHRA LA is pleased to present its annual Employment Law & Benefits Update for Employers, featuring Nicole Kamm and Hannah Sweiss, Partners at Fisher Phillips, along with Jason Lacey, Associate General Counsel at IMA Financial Group.
Nicole and Hannah will provide an overview of California’s new employment laws for 2027 and discuss significant legal developments from 2026, along with their anticipated impact on employers. Jason will share insights on emerging employee benefits trends, compliance considerations, and key developments affecting employer-sponsored health and welfare plans.
California continues to be one of the most complex states in which to operate as an employer. With new legislation, evolving regulatory requirements, and ongoing workplace challenges, staying informed is more important than ever. This session will provide attendees with valuable updates on employment law and employee benefits, helping organizations navigate compliance obligations, understand potential areas of risk, and identify proactive strategies to support their employees and business objectives.
Attendees will leave with practical takeaways and actionable guidance to help prepare for the year ahead.
Nicole Kamm
Partner – Fisher Phillps
Nicole Kamm is a Partner in Fisher Phillips’ Woodland Hills and Los Angeles offices. She represents small businesses to national companies, in a variety of industries, including healthcare, technology, manufacturing, retail, hospitality, construction, transportation and professional services. Nicole defends employers and provides dispute resolution counsel against individual and class claims of discrimination, harassment, retaliation, wrongful termination, and wage and hour violations before state and federal courts and administrative agencies.
Nicole also provides strategic counsel and management training on employment issues that arise in the workplace, guiding clients in developing compliant policies and procedures to avoid costly employment claims and litigation.
Hannah Sweiss
Partner – Fisher Phillps
Hannah Sweiss is a partner in Fisher Phillips’ Woodland Hills and Los Angeles offices and Co-Chair of the Firm’s California Class Action and PAGA Group and Healthcare Industry Group. Hannah represents and defends employers ranging from Fortune 100 companies to small businesses. She has been lead counsel on numerous complex wage and hour class action lawsuits as well as representative lawsuits brought under California’s Private Attorneys General Act (PAGA).
Hannah also handles single plaintiff to multi-plaintiff actions with claims including harassment, discrimination, retaliation and wrongful termination. She has successfully saved employers millions of dollars utilizing thoughtful litigation and defense strategies.
Jason Lacey
IMA Financial Group
Jason Lacey is Associate General Counsel with IMA Financial Group, Inc. Previously a partner with Foulston Siefkin LLP, Jason has over 20 years of experience with a broad range of legal matters, with particular emphasis on ERISA and employee benefits law.
He is a fellow in the American College of Employee Benefits Counsel and the American College of Tax Counsel and a contributor to leading resources on self-insured health plans, consumer-directed plans, and health care reform published by EBIA Checkpoint.
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With more than 500 attorneys in 36 offices across the United States, Fisher Phillips is a national labor and employment firm providing practical business solutions for employers’ workplace legal problems. Labor and employment law is all the firm does, offering deep and broad knowledge and experience in the area of law the attorneys know best. Fisher Phillips attorneys help clients avoid legal problems, are dedicated to providing exceptional client service, and are there when you need them.
What Sets Us Apart
IMA
Employees want benefits, and businesses need to save while delivering value to hard-working teams. What if you had experts in health insurance, wellness programs and other benefits at your fingertips?
IMA offers a comprehensive suite of value-added services. We work closely with Human Resources Professionals to analyze current plans and identify coverage needs, then leverage relationships with underwriters to design terms and coverage for disability, vision, dental and health insurance.
IMA’s clientele represents annual premiums of more than $500 million, and we serve many sectors, with education, nonprofits and social services being best represented.
In every relationship, we rely on these fundamentals:
✔ People-first: Our style is consultative, and clients think of us as an extension of their team
✔ Beyond Insurance: We offer expertise in loss-control, ergonomics and more
✔ National and Global Resources: IMA is licensed in all 50 states
✔ A Culture of Engagement: A happy staff translates to happy clients
Our internal approach to your business is collaborative and allows us to be proactive, to stay on track and anticipate the needs of your growing business. IMA is unique in its approach to fielding client inquiries before and after plan implementation.
We’re honored that the Insurance and Brokers of the West (IABA) named IMA a top five broker and Agency of the Year.
If I can help you review coverage and create a custom employee benefits plan, reach out to me.
Nicole Ramirez
Associate Broker, Employee Benefits
(626) 507-1029 direct
(626) 922-7465 mobile
Specialties:
✔Employee benefits and HR support
✔Compliance services
✔Property and casualty insurance
✔Personal risk management
✔Alternative funding solutions
✔Talent acquisition services
✔Wellness programs
✔Industry specialists
✔Risk management and loss control
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Nissin Foods
Creative, results-oriented Human Resources Leader with highly developed analytical and problem solving skills, proven strategic development abilities combined with the ability to collaborate with top organizational management to align organizations, culture and people to meet the needs of rapidly changing businesses, improve efficiency, productivity to achieve business objectives. Bilingual Spanish.
Specialties: Change agent, strategic partner, relationship builder, business alignment, shareholder focused, mentor, coach, leader, manager, and functional team-builder.
Employment Law Partner
As Partner at Fisher & Phillips, one of the largest US law firms representing management in labor and employment law, I have spent my career supporting business owners, companies, and employers in all aspects of employment law.
I help clients minimize regulatory and legal risk so they can focus on what really matters – their business. My experience includes working with small businesses to Fortune 500 companies with thousands of employees across a wide variety of industries from healthcare to manufacturing, construction, professional services, consumer goods, health care, food service, retail, non-profit and technology.
Employer Defense Partner
Hannah represents employers in all aspects of employment law, including advice and counsel.
Hannah’s focused areas include the defense of employers in class actions, PAGA claims and other wage and hour matters. Hannah also has experience in defending employers in employment discrimination, harassment, retaliation and wrongful termination litigation.
HRL Laboratories, LLC
Paula is an energetic Human Resources Leader with in-depth, broad-based Human Resources and organization development experience in start-up companies, turnarounds and market leaders in telecommunications, financial services, technology and energy research industries. A member of the various Human Resources teams. Proven analytical, and negotiation skills and reputation of leadership, professional coaching, management acumen and operational execution.
