KINGSTON, R.I. — March 16, 2000 — The Charles T. Schmidt Jr. Labor Research Center at the University of Rhode Island will hold its 13th Annual Labor and Employment Law Conference, Friday, April 7. To be held at URI’s W. Alton Jones Campus in West Greenwich, the conference annually draws participants from labor, management, and government. It features presentations by both scholars and practitioners on a wide range of labor and employment law topics, including religious discrimination and reasonable accommodations, how to work with a difficult adversary, First Amendment and representation rights of employees, and wrongful discharge lawsuits by alleged harassers. The program also includes sessions designed to provide updates on various aspects of labor and employment law, including the National Labor Relations Act, Occupational Safety and Health law, the Employment Retirement and Income Security Act, employment arbitration, and various laws prohibiting discrimination in employment. Speakers include: Amy Tabor, assistant professor of Labor Relations and Human Resources at the Schmidt Labor Research Center; Cynthia M. Hiatt, legal counsel for the Rhode Island Commission for Human Rights; Rosemary Pye, regional director of the National Labor Relations Board; Frank McDermott, Jr., regional solicitor of the U.S. Department of Labor; and Richard Reilly, senior vice president of the American Arbitration Association. Mark M. Grossman, assistant professor of Labor Relations and Human Resources at the Schmidt Labor Research Center and organizer of the conference, indicated that, based on past experience, he expects the 13th annual conference to be a fully subscribed. “We are lucky to have so many talented and knowledgeable professionals in Rhode Island who participate in this conference. The Labor and Employment Law Conference has become increasingly popular over the years and we often have to turn away interested participants after we reach the full capacity of our facilities.” Information about the conference may be obtained by calling Mary Pinch at 401-874-2239. -xxx- For Further Information: Dave Lavallee 401-874-2116