November 2019 

HR InTouch

The Monthly Newsletter of the Greater Madison Area SHRM

In This Edition

President's Message

By Tammy Wacek, SHRM-CP, PHR
 

Government Affairs & Legal Updates


Gossip Can Lead to Hostile Work Environment Based on Sex

Professional Development


November 12th PDS Topics:   

Compensation and Benefits


GMA SHRM Compensation Survey Now Available!

 

College Relations


GMA SHRM Student Night Out November 13, 2019

 

GMA SHRM Media Relations


Spreading the Word! About all things GMA SHRM

Newsletter Updates


GMA SHRM News & Upcoming Events


2020 GMA SHRM Partner Sign Up Window Now Open!

November 12th Professional Development Summit -
Legal and Government Affairs Update


GMA SHRM Student Night Out November 13, 2019 

HR Advice Network Roundtables


GMA SHRM Member News

Welcome New Members!

Movin' Up

In Transition

 


 

 

President's Message

GMA SHRM
2019 Corporate Partners

Platinum Level

Boardman & Clark Law Firm
Hausmann-Johnson Insurance Group
The Payroll Company
The QTI Group
UW Credit Union
UW School of Business - CPED

Gold Level

Career Momentum
Godfrey & Kahn
Group Health Cooperative of
South Central Wisconsin


Silver Level

Cottingham Butler
M3 Insurance
Reynolds Transfer
Summit Credit Union

Bronze Level

The Alliance
Edgewood College
Littler Mendelson
Madison Capitols Hockey
MRA
Restaino & Associates Relocation

Thank you!


 

Greetings GMA SHRM Members –

As we move into November, it seems like a good time to reflect on what we are thankful for. I have so many things to be thankful for. I work with an amazing group of people at WPS Health Solutions every day and I am lucky to have leaders who support my volunteer efforts and my career. I have the honor of serving on our GMA SHRM Board of Directors and with it, the opportunity to shape the future of our Chapter. It is no small feat to run a Chapter this size and we are only successful because of the leadership from our Board of Directors and the many volunteers that generously give their time and passion. I am thankful for our many sponsors that see the value of being involved with our Chapter and help us to provide better programming and networking opportunities. We are lucky to have the support of our members and your continued membership and attendance at our events. Last but not least, I appreciate the effort and support of our chapter administrator, Morgan Data Solutions. Thanks to all of you for your time and dedication!   
 
I am excited for our legal update and Civilian Response to Active Shooter Training on November 12th and hope to see many of you there! Please make sure to register prior to the event because it is sure to be a full house.  

We are seeking students pursuing a career in Human Resources to attend our Annual Student Night Out on Wednesday, November 13th beginning at 5:45pm. Students will have the opportunity to hear from a panel of HR leaders and learn more about our scholarship and mentorship program. Find all the details here.

Do you want to learn more about how to attract, hire and retain Military Veterans? If the answer is yes, I want to make you aware of the Veterans At Work Certificate Program. Through this program, you will earn 10 professional development credits toward your SHRM-CP and SHRM-SCP recertification. It is also free and you do not need to be a SHRM member to take advantage. It’s a win-win!
 
If you need to renew your national SHRM membership, now is a good time. Membership dues will go up to $219 effective January 1, 2020. If you renew by the end of the year, you will beat the dues increase and will be able to use the code STATE20 to save $30. 

 
Please reach out if you have any questions or concerns.


Take Care,

Tammy Wacek, SHRM-CP, PHR
President
GMA SHRM
 

Click here to view the full GMA SHRM Board of Directors



 

Government Affairs & Legal Updates

Gossip Can Lead to Hostile Work Environment Based on Sex

Submitted by Brian Goodman at Boardman & Clark LLP and GMA SHRM VP of Programming

A federal court in Washington recently held that a male employee who faced workplace gossip sufficiently alleged that he endured a hostile work environment based on sex, and his employer retaliated against him by terminating his employment. The male employee’s complaint alleged that he had reported a female coworker’s (non-harassment) misconduct to supervisors and in response, the female coworker told HR that the male employee “objectified women” and started a rumor that he was having an affair with another female employee. After the male employee reported the female coworker’s harassing behavior to the general manager (“GM”), the GM discharged the female coworker, but did not investigate the male employee’s harassment complaint.
 
A few months later, the GM prohibited the male employee from driving to a work-related program with the female employee that he was rumored to be having an affair with. The male employee complained about the GM’s conduct to HR, but his complaint was again left uninvestigated. Shortly thereafter, the GM and supervisor told the male employee that the rumors of his affair were reflecting poorly on him, and therefore, he should avoid speaking with the female employee that was the subject of the rumors. The male employee filed a second complaint with HR claiming that he was being subjected to a hostile work environment and sexual harassment. Less than 90 days later, he was terminated for “poor work performance.”
 
The federal court concluded that the male employee alleged sufficient facts to state a claim for hostile work environment based on sex because his employer allegedly did not investigate or take steps to eliminate any hostile work environment because he was male, whereas the employee would not have been singled out and caused to suffer the harassment if he had been female.  Further, because the male employee’s complaints to HR opposed behavior that was arguably a violation of law, the court held that his retaliation claim could proceed. The male employee still has to provide sufficient admissible evidence in support of his allegations in order to ultimately prevail on his claims.
 
Despite the current sexual harassment climate, this case illustrates the importance of remaining neutral when investigating employee complaints. Male employees can face a hostile work environment based on sex just as female employees can. When HR receives such complaints, it is important to distinguish harassment based on protected class from general misconduct and investigate accordingly. Sex-based rumors can create a hostile environment based on sex.  Employers should not determine that a complaint lacks merit until a proper investigation is conducted. It might even be necessary to convert a general misconduct investigation into a harassment investigation as the facts develop during the course of an investigation.

Return to Top



Professional Development

November PDS Topics:  Legal and Government Affairs
 

Session 1:  Working Through Recent Legal Developments: Workplace Law in Action

Presented By:  Brian Goodman, Attorney, BoardmanClark LLP

The law is complicated.  It is one thing for a lawyer to read you what the law says and quite a different thing for you to practice spotting legal issues and working through them.  At my PDS on November 12, 2019, I hope to engage you in evaluating situations, prioritizing issues, and working with legal counsel when appropriate. 
 
The first part of my session will cover workplace violence and safety issues, which unfortunately is a continuing concern for many businesses, and based on recent incidents, has become a particular concern for HR departments.  This first part will also tie into the day’s second PDS session, which will be active shooter training by the Madison Police Department. The second part of my session will provide an update on other particularly important and relevant legal developments, emphasizing what these developments will mean to businesses. 
 
Even though some of the subject matter is quite serious, I strive to find moments of levity.  Throughout the morning, you will have the opportunity to play HR specialist, lawyer, judge, and jury for what I hope to be a dynamic and engaging session. 
 
I look forward to seeing you all there.


Session 2:  Civilian Response to Active Shooter (CRASE) Training  
Presented by:  Officer Carrie Hemming, Madison Police Department

It is unfortunate that sudden violence perpetrated by an individual bent on killing innocent people is a reality in modern American communities. The good news is the likelihood of finding yourself under fire by an active shooter is roughly equivalent to being struck by lightning. However, as you can lessen your chances of being struck by lightning, there are simple things you can do to respond effectively if you ever find yourself in this unthinkable situation. The Civilian Response to Active Shooter Events (CRASE) class is a statistically based training program for all members of the Madison community interested in demystifying these frightening events. The training will include: A statistical breakdown of active shooter events, historical case studies & behavioral tools to maximize your chances of survival, table-top scenario discussions & Q&A session w/MPD active shooter experts.


Return to Top


Compensation and Benefits

GMA SHRM Compensation Survey Now Available!

About the 2019 GMA SHRM Compensation Survey
  • 55 participating organizations in the GMA SHRM membership area.  Click here to view the survey information page and view the participant list.
     
  • 218 exempt and non-exempt jobs included.  Click here to view the survey information page and view the list of jobs from the survey.  We do have a report out of 70% of these benchmarks.
     
  • The GMA SHRM Compensation survey includes local data on the following executive jobs: Chief Executive Officer, Chief Operating Officer, Chief Financial Officer, and Chief Information Officer.
     
  • Within the reporting site, data can be stratified by: All Participants, Type of Industry, Number of FTEs and Type of Ownership (where available).
Click here for more information including how to order!


Return to Top

College Relations

GMA SHRM Student Night Out November 13, 2019 

Submitted by Tyler Wood, Talent Acquisition & Recruitment Manager at UW Credit Union and GMA SHRM Director of College Relations

Join us for GMA SHRM’s Annual Student Night Out – a premier event for students that are pursuing a career in Human Resources! Here, students will learn from the best in the human resources profession. A live panel of HR leaders, a keynote speaker, networking, scholarship and mentorship information, and more will give a perspective that students will not get anywhere else!
 
Past student attendees came from UW-Madison, Madison College, UW-Whitewater, Edgewood, and more. We encourage all students and teachers interested in this event to attend! You don’t want to miss this.
 
GMA SHRM Members: Interested in volunteering at this event or serving as a mentor? Contact us to learn how! 
 
Details and registration may be found here.
 
Last year’s Student Night Out at Dream Bank (2018):  

Return to Top


 

GMA SHRM Media Relations

Spreading the Word! About all things GMA SHRM

Submitted by Amanda Tetzlaff, Talent Acquisition Specialist at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation and Director of GMA SHRM Media Relations Committee.
 
“Find your sweet spot: the intersection between what you know and what your customers need to know.” – Joe Pulizzi

For the GMA SHRM Media Relations Committee, that sweet spot is social media and the monthly newsletter. We’re a little different than all the other GMA SHRM committees because we’re not creating or planning events and news, instead we give a voice to all the wonderful events and news that the rest of the committees and overall chapter creates. We are a conduit to communicate between the chapter and our many current members and sponsors, as well as potential members and sponsors. For HR professionals and industries that support HR, our mission is to put you in touch with news and events that help you do your jobs better, that help you network, and that help you meet your professional and personal goals.
 
Did you know that 58% of people access social media every day or most days? And over a third check social media over five times a day.1 That’s a lot of screen time! And that’s exactly why our committee exists, to reach everyone where they’re at.
 
The Media Relations Committee currently has four key areas we focus on:

  1. Posting to Facebook
  2. Posting to LinkedIn
  3. Creating the monthly HR InTouch Newsletter
  4. NEW! Committee Liaisons

The newest area, Committee Liaisons, is an exciting opportunity for our committee volunteers to not only get to know better what all the other committees are up to, their events and their news. But it’s also a great way to let the other committees know how we can help spread the word far and wide about all the great things they have going on. In the HR world, we’d equate Committee Liaisons to HR Partners, who partner with committees to help them further their goals. Funny how even within our HR volunteer group we find ways to find HR analogies. Lol!
 
Our committee is always looking for more volunteers to help spread the word about GMA SHRM far and wide. Don’t know much about posting to social media? That’s ok! We’ll teach you! Maybe you just want to be a Liaison or “partner”? Great! We have others who can take the information you provide and post it to social media.
 
Want to learn more? Feel free to reach out to me at: amanda.tetzlaff@fairwaymc.com. Or better yet, come to the November 7th GMA SHRM Revealed Event where you can meet with members of all of our GMA SHRM committees and learn more about this amazing chapter!
 
1 - https://www.lyfemarketing.com/blog/marketing-through-social-media/



Return to Top


Newsletter Updates

Newsletter Coordinator: Mary Moua, Employee Engagement & Social Media Specialist at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation
 
We welcome any feedback regarding topics of interests, suggestions or general comments of what you'd like to see in future newsletters.  After all, this is meant for YOU!
 
Please send your suggestions to our Newsletter Coordinator here.







Return to Top

GMA SHRM News & Upcoming Events
 

2020 GMA SHRM Partnership Opportunities

Submitted by Laura Bermudo, Director of Client Relations at The QTI Group and GMA SHRM Director of Corporate Partnerships & Sponsorships
 
We are beyond grateful for those who supported our chapter in 2019.  GMA SHRM’s top-notch programming, speakers and resources are made possible by these generous partners and sponsors – we could not do it without you! 
 
We are looking forward to reconnecting with our existing 2019 partners and new partners alike to set us all up for more great things to come in 2020!   For more information on the outstanding benefits of becoming a partner please visit us at: http://www.gmashrm.org/GMASHRMCorporatePartnership or contact us to be connected with one of our amazing committee members. 
 
We have an amazing group of committee members who are all eager to help our chapter thrive and provide value to all of you.   If you are interested in learning more about how to join in the fun, as a Corporate Partner or Corporate Relations Committee member, please contact me
 
Deadline: 2020 Partnership Application Deadline: December 11th, 2019

 

 


November PDS Topics:  Legal and Government Affairs

Session 1:  Working Through Recent Legal Developments: Workplace Law in Action
Presented By:  Brian Goodman, Attorney, BoardmanClark LLP

Session 2:  Civilian Response to Active Shooter (CRASE) Training  
Presented by:  Officer Carrie Hemming, Madison Police Department
 

 Return to Top
 


GMA SHRM Student Night Out November 13, 2019 

Wednesday, November 13, 2019

Location: 
Dream Bank
821 E Washington Ave 
Madison, WI 53703

Join us for GMA SHRM’s Annual Student Night Out – a premier event for students that are pursuing a career in Human Resources. Here, students will learn from the best in the human resources profession. A live panel of HR leaders, a keynote speaker, networking, scholarship and mentorship information, and more will give a perspective that students will not get anywhere else!

Past student attendees came from UW-Madison, Madison College, UW-Whitewater, Edgewood, and more. We encourage all students and teachers interested in this event to attend! You don’t want to miss this.

More information

Return to Top

HR Advice Network Roundtables 

We have three roundtables held monthly at three different locations throughout the Madison area. The current meeting schedule is below.
 
*Please note, there is a location change for South Central to NeuGen, 45 Nob Hill Road , Madison, beginning in August.   

East
Herzing University  
5218 East Terrace Drive
South Central
Effective August, new location:
NeuGen, 45 Nob Hill Road
 
Previous location: The Alliance
5510 Nobel Drive, 2nd floor
 
West
Accuray
1 Erdman Place
  • Third Tuesday of every month excluding December.
    8:30am-10:00am
  • Due to date conflicts with PDS programs, September’s date will be moved to: September 24
  • RSVP to Melissa Chadwick - melissa.chadwick@bakertilly.com
  • Max number of attendees: 25
  • First Thursday of every month excluding December
    8:30am-10:00am  There will be no meeting on July 4th     
  • RSVP to Tracy Niesen Breunig – tniesenbreunig@overture.org
  • Max number of attendees: 25
  • Last Wednesday of every month, excluding December
    November program date is 11/20.
  • 8:30am-10:00am        
  • RSVP to  Dawn Koopman – dmkoopman@hotmail.com
  • Max number of attendees: 25

Program Details...

Return to Top





GMA SHRM Member News

Welcome New Members!

GMA SHRM welcomes the following members who joined our chapter in September 2019!
 

Kristine Cummings   Bed Bath & Beyond
Courtney Erdal   ETC
Heather Ferguson   UW-Madison SBDC
Jeffrey Joutras   Step Forward Into Growth Leadership
Erin Lavery   Exact Sciences
Anna Plaunt   SSM Health
Sherri Riach SPHR Taliesin Preservation
Jason Starke   Manpower
Karen Thompson   Milwaukee Valve


Return to Top


 

Movin' Up

Welcome Matthew Inglese to the Erdman Team!! He will Erdman’s new HR Coordinator.

Have you started with a new company? Has your organization recently promoted you to a new position? Or do you want to recognize a new person or promotion within your department? If so, we want to hear about it. Send us an e-mail, and we’ll publish your good news in the next HR InTouch!  

Return to Top


In Transition

If you are a member who is in between jobs, or who is currently employed but seeking new positions or career paths, write us a brief description of your skill set, areas of expertise, what you’re looking for, etc. Send us an e-mail. We’ll publish your information in the next HR InTouch.

Return to Top 


 


HR InTouch Guidelines

Article Writing:

Do you have an interest in writing for the HR InTouch? We have an interest in learning more about your area of expertise!

Why should you volunteer? Top three reasons: 1) to share your knowledge and experiences to educate others; 2) to become more connected in the HR and Dane County communities; and 3) to contribute towards the advancement of GMA SHRM and the HR profession.

The first step is for you to choose a submission option: you can pre-submit an article to GMA SHRM at any time for us to use in any of the upcoming newsletters, you can sign up to write for a particular month, or we can put you on a list of people to contact in future months whenever we need articles.

Article length:

Because the HR InTouch is now in an online format, the size is flexible. The article should be engaging and hold readers’ attention. Include the core information in your article, and we will advise if it is too lengthy.

Solicitation:

GMA SHRM is conscious not to allow solicitation through the articles, in an effort to protect the interests of our partners and members. The nature of the article should be educational (i.e., what are the business advantages of having a product like yours) or informational. Otherwise, if you truly are interested in advertising through the HR InTouch, you can work with our Marketing Committee. As a rule of thumb for article writing, if the submission relates to a for-profit event, or specifically markets your company (vs. your industry), it is an advertisement, and should be purchased. If it is a not-for-profit event that your company is hosting, or an announcement (i.e., a SHRM member recently joined your company), it is an acceptable addition to the HR InTouch content. If you have any questions related to the appropriateness of your submission, please contact us.

If you have questions, or to submit an article, contact GMA SHRM at chapteradmin@gmashrm.org .

 

 Amended