Overview:
This session breaks down what employers need to know about worker classification in 2026, especially as the DOL’s new proposed rule reshapes how organizations decide between W‑2 and 1099 status. You’ll learn how the updated economic‑reality test works, how it differs from the 2024 rule, and how IRS and state standards fit into the picture. The goal is to make the shifting rules feel understandable and manageable, even for teams juggling multi‑state workforces or contractor‑heavy operations.
We’ll also look at how the IRS, DOL, and NLRB each approach worker status, why their tests don’t always align, and what that means for everyday decisions about control, independence, and documentation. Through clear examples and practical guidance, this session helps HR and business leaders make confident, defensible classification decisions and reduce misclassification risk across federal and state systems.
Areas Covered During Training:
· Understand how the DOL’s proposed 2026 rule updates the economic‑reality test and what it means for determining employee versus independent contractor status.
· Learn how the IRS, DOL, and NLRB each evaluate worker status and why their tests do not always align.
· Identify the key factors that increase misclassification risk across federal and state systems, including the growing influence of ABC‑style standards.
· Apply practical steps for documenting worker relationships, assessing control and independence, and making defensible classification decisions.
· Strengthen your organization’s compliance posture by recognizing common pitfalls and preparing for increased federal and state scrutiny in 2026.
Why Should You Attend:
By attending this session, you will gain the clarity and confidence to navigate one of the most confusing areas of HR and payroll in 2026. With federal agencies tightening their focus on worker classification—and each using its own test—organizations can no longer rely on old assumptions or one‑size‑fits‑all rules.
This webinar session breaks everything down in a practical, easy‑to‑apply way so you can make informed W‑2 vs. 1099 decisions, avoid costly missteps, and strengthen your compliance posture across multiple jurisdictions. Whether you manage a multi‑state workforce, rely on contractors, or simply want to stay ahead of federal enforcement trends, this session equips you with the insight and tools to protect your organization and support sound, defensible decision‑making.
Who Should Attend:
· HR Directors, Managers, and Business Partners
· Payroll Directors and Managers
· Talent Acquisition Leaders
· Operations Directors
· Business Owners and Executive Leaders
Melveen Stevenson
Melveen Stevenson is a nationally recognized HR consultant, compliance strategist, and expert speaker who helps organizations navigate the increasingly complex intersection of HR, payroll, and multi‑state employment law. With dual certifications from SHRM (SHRM‑SCP) and HRCI (SPHR), and a professional foundation in accounting and finance, she brings a uniquely strategic and operational lens to workforce management.
Over the past two decades, Melveen has led HR operations, compliance, and talent functions across global organizations in food manufacturing, medical devices, and consumer products. Her early career in California—one of the most complex employment law environments in the country—shaped her deep expertise in worker classification, wage and hour compliance, and multi‑layered regulatory interpretation. Today, she leverages that background to help HR and business leaders across the U.S. understand and apply evolving federal and state rules with clarity and confidence.
Melveen is known for translating dense regulatory updates into plain‑language, practical guidance that organizations can implement immediately. She delivers high‑impact webinars and workshops on topics including federal enforcement trends, worker classification, pay transparency, leadership presence, and workforce optimization. Her teaching style blends research‑backed insight with real‑world examples, making complex topics accessible, engaging, and actionable.
As a faculty member at California State University, she brings a passion for education, mentorship, and professional development to every audience she serves. Whether guiding a company through a compliance overhaul or energizing a room full of HR professionals, Melveen’s mission is to help organizations build strong, people‑first foundations that support long‑term success.
SHRM -
Standeagle is recognized by SHRM to offer Professional Development Credits (PDCs) for the SHRM-CPSM or SHRM-SCPSM. This program is valid for 1.0 PDCs for the SHRM-CPSM or SHRM-SCPSM. For more information about certification or recertification, please visit - portal.shrm.org.
HRCI -
This webinar has been approved for 1.0 HR (General) re-certification credit hours toward California, GPHR, HRBP, HRMP, PHR, and SPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute.
The use of this seal is not an endorsement by the HR Certification Institute of the quality of the activity. It means that this activity has met the HR Certification Institute’s criteria to be pre-approved for re-certification credit.
ACCREDITATIONS
