Greetings,
 
The GMA SHRM Board of Directors is excited to announce two changes for our chapter starting in 2016. We have listened to feedback from our members and have made these changes to make it easier for members to take full advantage of what GMA SHRM has to offer.
 
All- Inclusive Membership
Beginning January 2016, we will be offering an all-inclusive membership. The reason for this change is to provide a smoother process for our members when registering for events. Members will only have to ask their employer once for the membership fee AND the programming events. Dues will increase slightly to $75 for those of you who also have a National SHRM membership and $100 for those of you who only have a local GMA SHRM. If you have been with GMA SHRM for a while, you know that our fees have not increased in many years. The Human Capital Conference will be your only additional cost for the year. All other programming events will be included in your annual membership fee.
 
New Programming Structure  
Beginning January 2016, our new educational programs will be called Professional Development Summits (PDS) and will be taking the place of our current summits and toolboxes. These PDS will be free to members and included in the new all-inclusive membership fee. Four times a year we will be offering two educational sessions (PDS) each day. This equals to eight educational programs that will be offered in four days. They will start at 8am and the sessions will 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 four morning 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.
 
We will also be offering monthly networking opportunities through a HR Resource Group that will be taking the place of our roundtables and previous solo HR practitioner Resource Group. These are also free events that are included in the new all-inclusive membership fee. This will be offered as a resource for GMA SHRM HR professionals to get together and share information, seek advice, discuss best practices, and provide support to one another. This is an informal group that has meetings one a month and is open to all members.  We have found that most HR professionals are looking for that connection with other HR professionals to talk about work situations and deepen their networking connections.  We expect these events to become very successful.
 
In addition to the Four PDS events and monthly HR Resource Group meeting, we will continue to offer:

• September Summit
• Human Capital Conference in May at the discounted Member Rate (there is a registration fee for this event)
• Two Networking events a year
• Two GMA SHRM Revealed events a year 
• Monthly HR Resource Network Group meetings

CLICK HERE for more information on these changes and to answer any additional questions you may have.
 
The GMA SHRM Board is very excited about these changes and we know you will be as well! As always, please reach out to myself or anyone on the BOD if you have any additional questions, thoughts or concerns. 

 
Best Wishes,

 
Dawn Koopman, SHRM-SCP, SPHR
President
GMA SHRM

DOL Seeks Input On Electronic Use – Wages And OT  
&
EBSA’s National Priorities and Projects for 2016 

Join us on October 22, 2015 for an educational session about classifying a worker as an independent contractor. Jim Chiolino from the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) will provide an overview of the various laws enforced by the DWD. This session will provide you with the tools and knowledge to conduct careful analysis of each proposed contractor position.
 
In addition, we also have a speaker from the U.S. Department of Labor attending the event to share the national priorities and projects for 2016 for the Employee Benefits Security Administration. This session will also include a discussion of enforcement processes and activities.
 
To register for this free event for GMA SHRM members, visit our website at http://gmashrm.org/2015-OctoberToolbox


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Employee Enagement

Mock Interviewers Needed for High School Students 

By Heather Kennedy, Director, Workforce Development & Diversity
 
With the school year in full swing, so are our volunteer opportunities! We are looking for volunteers for mock interviews with high school students at Madison West and Madison East through Common Wealth Development. I volunteered last year and was quite impressed with the students. Feel good moment alert - I also received a hand written thank you card from the students that I interviewed :)
 
Interviews are from 3:30 - 5:00. Madison West High school (30 Ash Street) is on Tuesday, October 6. Madison East High school (222 East Washington Ave) is on Tuesday, October 13. 
 
To learn more about these and other opportunities and to register to help, follow this link to VolunteerSpot. Your email address is never shared or used by VolunteerSpot for any purpose, other than to sign up for volunteering and to keep you informed about new opportunities as they become available. 


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Student Scholarship Application & Awards

There will be two $750 non-renewable scholarships awarded to students at one of the following universities provided they met the eligibility requirements.
 
Eligibility
Applicants for the GMA SHRM Student Scholarship Program must meet the following criteria:

• Enrolled in a full-time, business related undergraduate program, such as human resources or related course of study at UW-Madison, UW-Platteville, UW-Whitewater, Globe University, Edgewood College, Herzing University, Cardinal Stritch, Lakeland, Upper Iowa University, or Madison College
• Current member of a SHRM student chapter or member of a related business organization;
• An Overall GPA of 3.0 or higher; 

To be considered for a scholarship, applicants must provide the following information:

• A purpose statement one page in length describing why the applicant is pursuing a degree in human resources or related course of study;
• Current resume;
• List all school activities, including SHRM and relevant organizations, in which you have participated during your college experience. List all community activities in which you have participated without pay.  Note all special awards, honors, and offices held. If you have participated in a research project, please include that experience as well;
• Transcript (official or unofficial). 

All scholarship applications must be postmarked by December 4th, 2015 to be considered. Application materials should be sent as 1 pdf file to chapteradmin@gmashrm.org.

 
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GMA SHRM Member Spotlight

Name: Betsy Larsen
 
Where do you currently work?  
I’m the HR Manager for Fish & Associates, Inc., located in Middleton.
 
What is the focus of your position? 
I’m a generalist - my position includes benefits administration, recruitment and hiring, policy development, employee handbooks, strategic planning, corporate insurance, safety and compliance, etc.  I love the variety.
 
How long have you been in the Human Resource field?
23 glorious years!
 
Which of your career accomplishments makes you proudest? 
Counseling employees to overcome obstacles to attain professional growth and job happiness.
 
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? 
How to put a positive spin on things.  A former boss taught me this concept, and it’s stayed with me ever since.
 
Why did you decide to join GMA SHRM?
The connections I’ve made with other HR professionals and the professional camaraderie I’ve enjoyed is very important. I can’t imagine not being a member. 


Name:  Kari Seay, SHRM-CP     
 
Where do you currently work? I work for The Employer Group (TEG), located in Verona. TEG is a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) that partners with businesses to provide employee benefits, payroll, tax reporting, regulatory compliance, and human resource consulting. We brand ourselves as The Human Resource Resource^TM.
 
What is the focus of your position? As an HR Generalist, I get to work with a diverse clientele base. Part of the reason I enjoy my job is because I get to handle a broad spectrum of HR duties that include employee relations, benefits administration, recruiting, and consulting. I like the challenge that every day is something different, because it keeps me on my toes.
 
How long have you been in the Human Resource field? 3 years
 
Which of your career accomplishments makes you proudest?  Recently passing the SHRM-CP exam. I was motivated, but very nervous to take the exam. Given the newness of the certification exam with SHRM, I wasn’t sure what to expect, but I’m happy to say that all of my hard work paid off!  
 
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?  There is no elevator to success. You have to take the stairs. – Author Unknown

 

GMA SHRM Volunteer Spotlight

Name: Christine Wittleder
 
How long have you been volunteering with GMA SHRM? Seven years   
 
What committee are you volunteering with? Currently I volunteer on the Government Affairs committee but had previously also been involved with the Marketing & Communications committee.
 
What do you enjoy about volunteering? I love being involved in what is going on in our profession and the community, along with meeting people and networking.
 
What would you say to others who are considering volunteering with GMA SHRM?  Do it! It’s a great way to support the organization and be involved on the front lines as we are everyday with our jobs.
 
What have you gotten back from volunteering with GMA SHRM? I am always learning new things that can make me a more well-rounded HR professional. 


If you’d like to be published in an issue of HR InTouch, please complete this profile and submit (along with a photo) to Melissa Versnik @ melissav@payrollcompany.biz

 

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Welcome New Members!

GMA SHRM welcomes the following members who joined our chapter in August 2015!
 

Movin' Up

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In Transition

Outgoing, WOO (Winning Over Others) applicant looking for a change of career opportunity in Recruiting, Talent Acquisition, or Trainer.  I am a highly motivated, team-oriented individual with previous sales, office management and education experience.  I am extremely outgoing and have unique problem-solving skills.  I am looking for a change in career to a more people-oriented field.  I would be interested in an entry level opportunity focused on recruiting for a company or group of companies, working as a part of a talent acquisition team, or a trainer for a company or facility that needs to administer training to new personnel or new software and duties to existing personnel.
 
Lance Martin


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 .