February 2020 

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


2020 WI SHRM Day on The Hill

Calculating an Employee’s Regular Rate for Purposes of Paying Overtime

Professional Development


What is a PDS?

Retaining Top Talent:  Our March 10, 2020 PDS Focus  
 

Workforce Readiness


Come Volunteer at the Dane County Regional Job Fair on March 25th

Getting Involved Part 2 – Short Survey to Complete

Meet the Workforce Readiness Committee
 

GMA SHRM Media Relations


Newsletter Updates


GMA SHRM News & Upcoming Events


February 6 - Meet, Eat and Greet

February 28 - HR on Ice!

HR Advice Network Roundtables


GMA SHRM Member News


Welcome New Members!

Members on the Move

In Transition

 


 

 

President's Message

GMA SHRM
2020 Corporate Partners

Platinum Level

Boardman & Clark Law Firm
Hausmann-Johnson Insurance Group
The Payroll Company
The QTI Group
UW Credit Union
UW Center for Professional &
  Executive Development

Paylocity

Gold Level

Career Momentum
Group Health Cooperative of
  South Central Wisconsin

The Alliance

Silver Level

Cottingham Butler
Littler
Reynolds Transfer

Bronze Level

Connect Search LLC
Edgewood College
Madison Capitols Hockey
Madison Metro
M3 Insurance
Quartz
Restaino & Associates Relocation
Workforce Solutions

Thank you!

 

Greetings GMA SHRM Members –


I cannot believe how quickly January came and went. I suppose that happens when there is so much going on! We had our first Professional Development Summit of the year that was very well attended. Our next Summit in March will focus on retaining top talent. I’m also excited to share our keynote speaker for the May 19th conference will be Mike Sarrielle, CEO of Echelon Front Overwatch, retired US Navy SEAL officer, and recipient of the Silver Star, six Bronze Stars, two Defense Meritorious Metals, and a Purple Heart. He will speak about Extreme Ownership – Combat Leadership for Business and Life and The Dichotomy of Leadership – The Mindsets for Victory and Balancing Dichotomies. As in past years, we strive to provide new and timely topics for our annual conference.

 
As a result of our GMA SHRM Strategic Planning Session that took place in January, we have renewed focus areas for 2020 and beyond. I want to thank our Board of Directors and volunteers that contributed to this discussion and plan for the future!
 
Our major areas of focus are:

  1. GMA SHRM Member & Corporate Partner recruitment, retention and diversity
  2. Diversity of programming & networking opportunities
  3. Enhancing our brand awareness, marketing and communications

If at any point you would like more detail about our chapter initiatives, our updated strategic plan will be on the website once available. Please feel free to reach out to me at any time with questions about our strategy or if you would like to get involved with the great work we are doing to support our members. The best way to reach me is at twacek@neugenhealth.com.  
 
I would like to recognize and thank all of our amazing Corporate Partners in 2020! They are listed to the right of this article. We could not provide the valuable and educational programming we do at such a low membership rate without them. As you consider vendors for your organization, I encourage you to look to our Corporate Partners first because they value and support our chapter.
 
Our next family friendly networking event is coming up this month. Please join us at the Madison Capitols on February 28th, 2020 from 5-7 pm and bring your family! You are able to register on our website: http://www.gmashrm.org/events


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

2020 WI SHRM Day on The Hill!

Submitted by Jeff Palkowski, MHRM, SHRM-CP, PHR Director of Governmental Affairs – Wisconsin SHRM State Council and GMA SHRM Government Affairs Committee Member

February 13, 2020 is the date for the 6th Annual WISHRM Day on the Hill event.  This annual event is held in Madison and provides an opportunity for human resource professionals from across the state to receive employment law and legislative updates, network with HR colleagues, and participate in meetings at the Wisconsin State Capitol with their elected officials.
 
Modeled after the National SHRM Capitol Hill Advocacy Days in Washington, DC, the WISHRM Day on the Hill is one of the premier state legislative events in the country.  As recently as November 2019 at the SHRM Volunteer Leaders’ Business Meeting, SHRM Government Affairs recognized our Day on the Hill event in Wisconsin as one that other states should be looking at to model their legislative hill days after.
 
For those that have previously attended, you will notice that we have decided to restructure the event to allow for more networking and follow up after the legislative visits by moving the meetings with legislators to the morning. This will allow attendees to share their experiences during lunch and throughout the afternoon. In addition, an option to participate in a guided Capitol Tour will be offered to attendees who choose not to meet with legislators.  For many, this may be the first-time that they have had the opportunity to tour one of the grandest state capitols in the country.
 
Along with the time spent at the Wisconsin State Capitol, the day will also feature several speakers who will provide updates on several topics. Bob Carragher, Vice President of State Affairs from SHRM will provide an update on many initiatives that National SHRM is advocating for in Washington, DC. In addition, Bob will provide information about how SHRM is positioning their SHRM Advocacy “A-Team” to be a leader in HR advocacy.
 
Attendees will also hear from the always informative and entertaining, Bob Gregg, with Boardman and Clark. As always, Bob will provide legal and employment law updates, information from recent court cases, trends in the workplace, and of course some of the more interesting and often outrageous workplace issues that have recently occurred.
 
The day will wrap up with a presentation by Terri Dougherty of J.J. Keller & Associates, Inc. who will discuss the impacts of marijuana and other drugs in the workplace. This has been one of the more challenging and quickly-evolving issues as employers deal with changing laws, particularly with marijuana, and the effects on workplace policies.
 
Prior to the Day on the Hill event, there will also be an evening reception on February 12, 2020 at the Park Premier Hotel. Refreshments and hors d'oeuvres will be available and this is a great opportunity to network with speakers and attendees prior to the following day’s event.
 
Registration for WISHRM Day on the Hill is now open, and we encourage registration prior to January 31, 2020 to ensure the ability to schedule legislative visits. The cost is $75 for SHRM Members, $85 for Non-SHRM Members, and $40 for Students. The cost includes both the evening reception and the Day on the Hill event. Those that wish to attend the evening networking event only can do so for $25.
 
SHRM Certification Credits will be applied for attendees.
 
A room block is available at the Premier Park Hotel. Please make your reservations by no later than January 13, 2020.
 
To register for the 2020 WISHRM Day on the Hill, please visit: https://wishrm.org/2020-Day-on-the-Hill

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Calculating an Employee’s Regular Rate for Purposes of Paying Overtime

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

The Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) requires employers to pay all non-exempt employees an overtime rate of at least 1.5 times their “regular rate” for all hours worked in excess of 40 hours in a workweek. An employee’s regular rate is not necessarily the same as the employee’s normal hourly rate. Under the FLSA, an employee’s regular rate includes “all remuneration for employment paid to, or on behalf of, the employee.” Generally speaking, an employee’s hourly wage and the monetary value of other forms of compensation—such as nondiscretionary bonuses, shift differentials, and commissions—count as “remuneration” that an employer must include in the employee’s regular rate. The U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) published a rule that took effect on January 15th that provided some clarification on what is includable or excludable from an employee’s regular rate.
 
For example, as distinct from nondiscretionary bonuses, employers do not need to include discretionary bonuses in an employee’s regular rate. Discretionary bonuses are those that are not paid pursuant to any prior agreement, but rather are those bonuses where the fact of and the amount of the bonus is solely determined by the employer at or near the end of the period to which the bonus corresponds. Additionally, employers can exclude the monetary value of the following perks from an employee’s regular rate: sign-on bonuses, payments for unused paid leave, benefit plan contributions, bona fide meal breaks, and certain reimbursements.
 
A recent DOL FLSA Opinion Letter (FLSA2020-1) provided some guidance on how to include nondiscretionary bonuses in an employee’s regular rate. When nondiscretionary bonus earnings cannot be attributed for particular workweeks, employers can allocate the bonus equally to each week of the bonus period. For example, an employer offered a $3,000 bonus to employees if they successfully completed ten weeks of training. The DOL opined that it was appropriate for the employer to allocate $300 of the bonus to each of the ten workweeks. If the employee worked more than 40 hours during any of those ten workweeks, the employer had to include the $300 bonus when calculating the employee’s regular rate for purposes of calculating the employee’s overtime pay.

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Professional Development

What is a PDS?  

PDS=Professional Development Summits

Each PDS will offer two sessions and will be held five times a year. This is equal to ten educational programs offered in five days. The sessions start at 8am and run one right after the other with a short break in between. You can attend either one (first or second) or attend both! You will be receiving just as much education and only be out of the office five mornings of the year instead of eight.  We will continue to offer quality programming and recertification credits (both HRCI and SHRM) for all of these events. 

Typical program schedule:
  • Program 1 - 8:00am to 10:00am
  • Program 2 - 10:15am to 12:15pm
Watch for updated session information here.

Typical Registration Fee:  Included in membership dues!

Here are a few recap photos from January’s PDS:

 
 

Retaining Top Talent:  Our March 10, 2020 PDS Focus  

 

Session 1:  Culture of Engagement- The Why and How to Build Passionate, Engaged Teams

Presented By:  Joshua Evans, Enthusiastic You, LLC

Participants will learn:

  • How to build engagement focused working environments
  • How to increase coworker engagement
  • How to effectively communicate to build positive organizational momentum


Session 2:  Using Motivational Conversations to Boost Employee Engagement  

Presented by:  Peter Korynski, Peer Learning Institute

As a result of this workshop, HR professionals will be able to:

  • Assess an individual’s motivation and confidence for change to become more engaged in the workplace
  • Conduct effective coaching conversations using a motivational interview approach
  • Resolve personnel issues through coaching

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Workforce Readiness

Come Volunteer at the Dane County Regional Job Fair on March 25th

The Dane County Regional Job Fair is fast approaching!  The Workforce Readiness Committee is a partner in this event.  As in the past we are looking for volunteers to join us for an hour to assist job seekers before the event.
 
As HR professionals this is a fun and engaging way to demonstrate your skills in resumes and interviewing for those less experienced.  How rewarding to have an opportunity to affect a resume for a jobseeker before it is submitted or review some basic interview questions!
 
We are looking for volunteers from 10am to 11am, prior to the start of the job fair on Wednesday, March 25, 2020 at the Alliant Energy Center. At the August 2019 event I received a lot of positive feedback from the volunteers who joined us that day.
 
If you have time and are willing to spend an hour helping out, please reach out via email to jennifer.brikowski@dwd.wisconsin.gov

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Getting Involved Part 2 – Short Survey to Complete

The mission of the Workforce Readiness committee is to develop and maintain relationships with our greater community so that we can assist the workforce with becoming more employable.  In order to accomplish our mission, we need your help.  Our committee created a short survey we are asking everyone to complete.  It should only take about 5 minutes but the information you provide to us will be invaluable.  Thank you in advance for helping the Workforce Readiness Committee help others. 
 
GMA SHRM Volunteer Engagement Survey - Google Forms

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Meet the Workforce Readiness Committee

The mission of the Workforce Readiness committee is to develop and maintain relationships with our greater community so that we can assist the workforce with becoming more employable. The work our committee is tasked with is to build relationships with organizations in the community and identify volunteer opportunities that we can then share with all GMA SHRM members. We will share these volunteer opportunities through the newsletter or Facebook and will ask our members to participate by volunteering their time and talent in service to our community. 
 
Here are the members of the Workforce Readiness Committee:
 

Jennifer Brikowski, Workforce Readiness Director. I currently work for The State of Wisconsin, DWD.  My title is Employment & Training Specialist - Lead.  I have been a member of GMA SHRM for 3 years and the director for a year and a half.   I love being a part of GMA SHRM because I can provide opportunities for our members to volunteer in our community to assist job seekers in becoming job ready.  When not working I enjoy walking my dogs, traveling, reading and just hanging out with friends and family.
 
Raj Vaidyanathan, MBA, SPHR - I work at Latitude Corp. a Verona, WI based manufacturing company, as the HR Manager. I have been an HR professional for the past 17 years and have been recently associated with GMA SHRM since 2019. Being involved with the Workforce Readiness Committee at GMA SHRM provides me with an opportunity to partner and support outreach organizations and thus promote diversity in the workplace. Outside of wok, I am passionate about music and am a vocalist for a local Indian music band.
 
Kari Knox Kreger, I work for Fristam Pumps as Human Resources Manager.  I have been a member of GMA SHRM for several years and enjoy getting to know others in HR along with developing new relationships.  I am a new member of the Workforce Readiness Committee and am looking forward to assisting those members in our community become work ready.  When not working, I am the Assistant Head Coach for the Columbus Archery Team, and I like to spend time with my dog and teenager.
 
Mary Moua, Employee Engagement and Social Media Specialist at Fairway Independent Mortgage Corp. I’ve been here for a little over 2 years and love it! I have been a GMA SHRM member for about 2 years, involved in both the Workforce Readiness and the Social Media Relations Committees. As of July 2019, I took on the role of Newsletter Coordinator for our monthly HR InTouch Newsletters. It’s been going well so far! I like being involved in GMA SHRM primarily for the networking, learning opportunities, and community involvement in a subject I’m so passionate about – Human Resources. When I’m not working, I enjoy traveling, staying at home chilling with my sig other and our new cat “Abby” and going to local shows (comedy, plays, various performances, etc.)
 
Natalie Lonergan, HR Manager at Palmer Johnson Power Systems. I have been a member of GMA SHRM for 6 years and I am involved in both the Workforce Readiness Committee and the Membership Committee. Also, I used to be on the board as Secretary/Treasurer. I love being a part of GMA SHRM because I get to volunteer in the community, meet HR professionals, and keep up to date on HR trends.  When I am not at work, I enjoy volunteering with the Boys and Girls Club of Dane County, exploring Madison, house projects, and seeing family and friends.
 
Sarah Hart, HR & Office Manager at Infosec. I have been a member of GMA SHRM since I got back into HR 2 years ago. My membership with GMA SHRM has given me access to lots of great networking and education opportunities. I especially enjoy the monthly roundtables. In my personal life, I enjoy reading, camping, and spending time with family and friends. I’m also the President of the Deerfield Elementary PTO and enjoy being able to support the faculty and students.
 
  Trish Kienitz, SHRM-CP, PHR, VP Human Resources, Bank of Sun Prairie. I’ve been a national SHRM member since 1992 and a part of different SHRM chapters depending upon my workplace location since then as well. I’m once again working in Dane County and a member of GMA SHRM. I enjoy being on the Workforce Readiness Committee because of my interactions with job seekers before attending a career fair. Some are nervous and need help selling themselves, some need assistance with resumes and others just want to talk through strategy about which booths to visit and how to make a positive impression in two minutes or less. It’s rewarding to assist job seekers in preparing for their next position. They are so appreciative! When not working, I enjoy scrapbooking, reading and spending time with family.
 
  Lori Sheets, Talent Acquisition Specialist with Quartz Health Solutions. I have been a member of GMA SHRM for the past 14 years and a member of the Workforce Readiness committee for the past 12 years. I was part of the initial group that helped develop this committee. I have enjoyed meeting other HR professionals and seeing the committee evolve over the years. I joined this committee to give back to the community and provide opportunities for others to gain knowledge to allow them to re-enter the workforce. When not working or volunteering with GMA SHRM, I am watching my son at his sporting events, attending book club, trying to get a run in on the weekends, and enjoying time outside with friends and family during the summer.
 


 

GMA SHRM Media Relations

 

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.







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GMA SHRM News & Upcoming Events

 

February 6 - Meet, Eat and Greet

Meet, Greet & Eat with your fellow GMA SHRM Members!

Share stories, interests and have some laughs while enjoying breakfast or lunch (TBD).

Program Information
 


 

HR on Ice!   Social Event with the Madison Capitols

Friday, February 28, 2020

Location: Capitol Ice Arena
2616 N Pleasant View Rd.
Middleton, WI

5:00 - 7:00   Beer Garden - Complimentary appetizers and drinks
7:00              Game Optional (tickets purchased separately)

Join your friends and bring your family to a fun evening with the Madison Capitols!

Complimentary appetizers and drinks will be provided in the Beer Garden sponsored by GMA SHRM Bronze Corporate Partner the Madison Capitols from 5:00-6:30.

Individual game tickets will be available for purchase for the game starting at 6:30.  Friends and family welcome!


More information!



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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
Findorf
300 South Bedford

 
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
    8:30am-10:00am        
  • RSVP to  Dawn Koopman – dmkoopman@hotmail.com
  • Max number of attendees: 25
*Enter the main door, walk past the unstaffed reception desk, and continue straight back until you see on your left an open cafeteria area.  Enter the cafeteria and walk straight ahead to the first conference room on your left, marked University Room.

Program Details...

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GMA SHRM Member News

Welcome New Members!

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

Nicole Anderson   Certco, Inc.
Kelly Carr   Wegner CPAs
Dan Henderson   Total Administrative Services Corp
Amy Kesling   Step Up: Equity Matters
Holly Lor    
Chelsey Mielke SHRM-CP, PHR Total Water Treatment Systems
Mackenzie Mulligan   Festival Foods
Tami Sailing   TeamSoft
Dawn Stencil   Medical Engineering Innovations, Inc.



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Members on the Move


Jennifer Lindberg, SPHR, SHRM-CP joins Lake Effect HR & Law, LLC
Lake Effect HR & Law, LLC, is pleased to announce that Jennifer Lindberg has joined our team, furthering our mission to maximize each client’s workplace potential with a commitment to kindness, true partnership and exceptional service.
 
Prior to joining Lake Effect, Jenn worked in-house as Human Resource Manager at Forward Service Corporation and ABR Employment Services and, before that, served as a strategic HR advisor at a statewide HR company.  Throughout her career, Jenn has assisted employers in a variety of settings, including professional services, staffing, tech and biotech companies, as well as non-profit and religious organizations. 


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!  

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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.

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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