December
2022 

 

HR InTouch

The Monthly Newsletter of the Greater Madison Area SHRM

In This Edition

President's Message

By Dana Denny


Government Affairs & Legal Updates

Legal Update – One Visa Option to Hire Foreign Professionals Fast

Opportunity to provide feedback on the Wisconsin Worker’s Compensation Act
 


Professional Development and Events


Social Security Information for Human Resources Professionals

January 24th Professional Development Summit - VIRTUAL EVENT -
Focus on Strategy & Ethics and Remote Work


Workforce Readiness, Diversity & Inclusion


LAWDS?  Have You Heard of it?

Diversity Observances in December and January
 


GMA SHRM and Member News


Spotlight: Government Affairs Committee Volunteer: Wanda Manning


Welcome New Members!

 


 

 

 

President's Message

GMA SHRM
2022 Corporate Partners

Platinum Level

Boardman & Clark Law Firm
Delta Dental
Hausmann Group
The QTI Group
Wisconsin School of Business Center
for Professional & Executive Development

Paylocity

Gold Level

The Alliance
Group Health Cooperative of
  South Central Wisconsin


Silver Level

Cottingham Butler
Edvest - Wisconsin's College
  Investment Plan

Flow
Incredible Bank
KerberRose (formerly Career Momentum)
Littler

Bronze Level

Carex Consulting
Carlson Dettmann
M3 Insurance
Quartz
Restaino & Associates Relocation
Reynolds Transfer
Robert Half

Thank you!
 

 

Hello GMA SHRM Members!

Happy December GMA SHRM Members! Can you believe that it’s almost the end of 2022? Like most of the children in my neighborhood, I love seeing all the holiday lights and props that are placed in our neighborhood front yards in preparation of the season ahead, and delightfully anticipate that first, fantastic fluffy deep snowfall which, back in the day, we would designate as a “snow day.” Given the virtual world in which we now live, I’m not sure we have that excuse any longer!

Looking back on the calendar year, I can’t help but reflect on the camaraderie that exists within the human resources community and how we all provide such wonderful support, best practice advice and referrals when needed to one another. The past three years have upended human resources, no joke – employee engagement, recruiting, compensation, legal interpretations, benefit offerings – all have been affected to some degree by the pandemic. And all of you have been forced to pivot by amending, changing, and many times, developing policies based on what you see around you, what is happening in other organizations, and occurring in your professional network. I’m proud to count GMA SHRM as one of your resources. Our Board of Directors, volunteer committee members, and MDS, our administrative partner, diligently work to provide you with the excellent programming and network opportunities you’ve come to expect. Ultimately, our goal is to serve and push the needle ever forward on membership and service. I’m very proud of what we’ve been able to offer and accomplish, and I want to express my thanks to all of them.

Speaking of programming, we are continuing to prepare event dates for January and February 2023 and will be posting details in the near future, so please continue to check our website for details. The January Professional Development Summit sessions will focus on the topics of Ethics and Remote Work. Speakers and session summaries will be announced shortly. As these just-in-time topics continue to evolve, I am certain every organization will benefit from hearing about these perspectives and how they can be applied to your workspaces.

The deadline for becoming a 2023 GMA SHRM Corporate Partner is fast approaching. Becoming a Corporate Partner with GMA SHRM can be fantastic opportunity, offering your business a year-long opportunity to offer promotions to the wider Dane County business community, including promoting your products and services to approximately 500 human resource professionals representing more than 500 employers. You will find details on how to become a Corporate Partner on our 2023 Corporate Partnership webpage. 

In other news, our chapter begins our succession planning where we seek additional volunteers who have an interest in serving on committees or representing the chapter as one of our board leaders, starting in July of 2023. If you’d like additional information about how to become more involved in the chapter, please review our “Get Involved” webpage, or contact Laura Bermudo, our President-Elect. 

Lastly, from all of us on the GMA SHRM Board of Directors, we wish you the happiest and healthiest holiday season and New Year.  We are so grateful to all of you for making our chapter strong, healthy and happy. See you in 2023!



Dana Denny, IPMA-CP
GMA SHRM Chapter President

dana_denny@hotmail.com

Click here to view the full GMA SHRM Board of Directors
 


 

Government Affairs & Legal Updates

Legal Update – Another Visa Option to Hire Foreign Professionals Fast

Submitted from Mai Chao Chang & Brian P. Goodman, GMA SHRM Programming Committee Member, and Attorneys at Boardman & Clark LLP, a Platinum Partner
 


Mai Chao
 

Brian P. Goodman

As employers evaluate year-end goals and look forward to talent acquisition for 2023, one option for recruiting during a competitive labor market is to reach beyond borders to two neighboring countries, Canada and Mexico, for qualified professionals. Through the TN visa process, a qualified Canadian or Mexican professional can gain a TN visa and employment authorization relatively quickly if the available U.S. job falls within the designated TN professions.

The TN visa was authorized by the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA, now the US-Mexico-Canada Agreement or USMCA). NAFTA Appendix 1603.D.1 lists the wide range of qualifying TN professions, along with the education and/or experience requirements for each profession. TN work authorization can be granted for up to three years at a time, with no limit on the number of renewals. The employer’s only duty in the TN application process is providing a detailed employment offer letter, identifying the qualifying profession and providing specific details about the employment.

After adding personal documents to complete the TN application package, Canadian nationals may apply for TN status directly with U.S. Customs and Border Patrol (CBP) agents at the airport or U.S. border. Mexican nationals outside of the U.S. must first present their application to a U.S. Consular office abroad to obtain a TN visa stamp. Once the Canadian or Mexican employee is admitted by CBP into the U.S., employment can begin immediately.

Navigating the foreign hiring process can be daunting, but it does not have to be. Employers should consider reaching out to an immigration attorney for assistance. Boardman Clark continues to meet our client’s needs with the recent formation of our immigration practice group.

 

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Opportunity to provide feedback on the Wisconsin Worker’s Compensation Act


The Worker's Compensation Advisory Council will hold a public hearing to gather input on possible statute and rule changes to the Wisconsin Worker's Compensation Act.  The Council will host the hybrid public hearing from 3-6 p.m. on Thursday, Dec. 15, 2022, using WebEx web conferencing technology and in person at 201 E. Washington Ave, Room H103, Madison, Wisconsin, Room H103. In addition, written comments may be submitted through Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.

Details for the public hearing and comment submission period are posted on the Wisconsin Public Meeting website and are noted below for your reference:

Written Comments: Written comments may be submitted to Steve Peters, Chair, Worker's Compensation Advisory Council, 201 E Washington Avenue, Room C100, Madison, WI 53703, or via email to: WCAdvisoryCouncil@dwd.wisconsin.gov. The submission deadline for written comments is Monday, Jan. 16, 2023.
Public Hearing:

TIME: 3 p.m. to 6 p.m.
DATE: Dec. 15, 2022
LOCATION: 201 E. Washington Ave, Madison, Conference Room H103
ATTEND VIRTUALLY:  General access information is available on the Wisconsin Public Meeting website

 

Professional Development and Events


 

Social Security Information for Human Resources Professionals


This site provides information to Human Resource Professionals regarding the various Social Security programs and Medicare and is a valuable resource in helping your employees plan for retirement or other life events.
  • Retirement
  • Disability
  • Survivors
  • Medicare
https://www.ssa.gov/thirdparty/groups/hrm.html

 

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January 24th Professional Development Summit - Focus on Strategy & Ethics and Remote Work

Virtual Event


Session 1: Teams That Thrive

Session 2: Remote and Hybrid Work Environment Success


Our first Professional Development Summit of 2023 will be held virtually! 
Register today to learn strategies to engage in a dramatically changed workplace and how to rethink culture and harness the benefits hybrid and remote environments can bring. 

Program Details and Registration


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Workforce Readiness, Diversity & Inclusion

LAWDS?  Have you Heard of it?

Submitted Laura Berkan Mael, Director Recruiting| Pareto's Talent, GMA SHRM Director of Workforce Readiness

Libraries Activating Workforce Development Skills.
 
WISHRM, in collaboration with the WI Department of Public Instruction, is announcing a unique opportunity for human resource professionals to support their local library staff’s workforce development efforts.

This statewide volunteer effort was born out of the LAWDS initiative (Libraries Activating Workforce Development Skills). LAWDS is a collaboration between the Wisconsin Department of Public Instruction (DPI), the Department of Workforce Development (DWD), Job Centers of Wisconsin, and Workforce Development Boards (WDB) to provide librarians across the state with continuing education opportunities enabling them to support Wisconsin job seekers who may not be able to travel to a job center or who hope to continue job search efforts outside of a Job Center.

As the DPI expands its partnerships, WISHRM is now reaching out to HR professionals who are interested in volunteering at their local library to support the LAWDS initiative.  SHRM members are highly experienced in job seeking skills and tools and are a natural fit to support this initiative. While the need will vary across the state, this collaboration provides SHRM members an opportunity to have a direct impact in their own community. 
 
Reach out to Laura Mael for more details and check back here for more details on how to get involved through GMA SHRM next month!  More to come!



Diversity Observances in November and December

Submitted by Mary Vesely, Employee Engagement & Inclusion Manager at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corporation and GMA SHRM Director of Diversity 

December:
  • International Day of Persons with Disabilities: Dec 3
  • National Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day: Dec 7​
  • Human Rights Day: Dec 10
  • Hanukkah: Dec 18-26​
  • Christmas Day: Dec 25​​
  • Kwanzaa: Dec 26 - J​an 1
January:
  • Korean-American Day: Jan 13​​​​
  • Martin Luther King Jr. Day: Jan 16
  • International Holocaust Remembrance Day​: Jan 27
Use these observances for team engagement! Have fun, celebrate diversity, and take this opportunity to share stories and learn more about your teammates.

Interested in joining or sharing suggestions for our committee? Contact Mary Vesely, Director of the Diversity Committee.

 

 

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GMA SHRM and Member News

Spotlight – Government Affairs Committee Volunteer: Wanda Manning

 
How long have you been a member of GMA SHRM? 
3 years 

How long have you been a volunteer with GMA SHRM? 
2 years 

What committee(s) have you volunteered with? What’s been your role with the committee(s) or why did you choose that committee(s)? 
I started as a volunteer with the Government Affairs committee and then moved into the Director role when the position became vacant.  I got involved with the Government Affairs Committee because I enjoyed the Day on the Hill event. I also volunteer with the Human Capital Conference committee (HCC) because this Professional Development event was very impactful, and I liked the idea of helping to pick future speakers.   

Why do you volunteer with GMA SHRM?  
I originally volunteered for leadership roles with GMA SHRM because I felt stagnant in my employment position and was looking for growth and new opportunities. Very soon after connecting with GMA SHRM I found new employment in my current role at UW Madison with a great deal of new opportunities and professional growth. I continue to stay involved with GMA SHRM because the organization provides high quality professional development and the ability to connect with extraordinary HR people. The leaders and members of GMA SHRM are just simply great people. I learn a lot of other professionals and get to have too.  

What would you say to others who are unsure about volunteering with GMA SHRM?
It can be intimidating attending GMA SHRM’s large events if you don’t know anyone else.  So, to make the room seem smaller, start volunteering. Take it slow, start by volunteering for a specific event that seems interesting to you. You will meet a lot of people, have a lot of fun, and will be able to professionally grow through the formal training and by expanding your network and giving you access to people who share their knowledge with you.  There’s really nothing to lose, just give it a try.  

What’s been the biggest “surprise” to you since being a member of or volunteer with GMA SHRM? (Something you didn’t know about the chapter before, or something you think others may not know, or a fun-fact about GMA SHRM leadership, etc.) 
GMA SHRM consistently wins the National SHRM Excel Award for our work serving HR professionals, advancing the HR profession, and enhancing the local SHRM community.  

What’s been the biggest “reward” for you since volunteering with GMA SHRM?  
The biggest reward has been the people I have met through the organization. They are experienced, caring, dedicated, supportive, and fun HR people.  



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Welcome New Members!

GMA SHRM welcomes the following members who joined our chapter in October 2022!
 
Shanae Doerr University of Wisconsin Madison
Gretchen Erdmann-Hermans --
Bethany Smith MSA Professional Services
Tracy Travis Dale Carnegie

 

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 .



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Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/GMASHRM
LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/gma-shrm
 
 Amended
 
 
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