October
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HR InTouchThe Monthly Newsletter of the Greater Madison Area SHRM |
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In This EditionPresident's Message Government Affairs Update DOL Onsite FMLA Investigations on the Rise Compensation and Benefits Hard Deadline to Notify Employees of Health Insurance Options or Another False Step for Obamacare? Community Events GMA SHRM Social Media Our Member Directory is Now Mobile Friendly! GMA SHRM Upcoming Events
October 17, 2013 — Member Welcome Orientation & Networking Event
October 24, 2013 —GMA SHRM Toolbox
November 6, 2013 – GMA SHRM Roundtable Click here to see the full 2013 GMA SHRM Event Calendar. GMA SHRM Announcements Requesting Speakers for Student SHRM Chapters September GMA SHRM Strategic Summit Recap 2014 GMA SHRM Corporate Partnership Program
GMA SHRM Member News
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Fall has arrived, and with that so has HR Professionals Day on October 10th, 2013. Happy HR Professionals Day to all of our GMA SHRM members! Human Resources Professionals are a “vitally important part of every organization,” as the ‘HR Professionals Day’ proclamation by the governor declares. Clearly we all know this is true, so I hope you enjoy the day.
I’d like to thank our many volunteers for the great programming events we’ve held during this busy late summer and early fall season. On Friday, September 6th, the GMA SHRM Workforce Readiness Committee once again partnered with the Urban League of Dane County to conduct the 2nd Annual Job Boot Camp. This year, there were 30 volunteers and 49 participants who took part in a variety of workshops including resumes, mock interviews, and a new offering this year, table talks with HR professionals on a variety of job search related topics. The day got started with our Keynote Speaker, Michael Johnson, CEO of the Boys and Girls Clubs of Dane County. Also present were eight members of SWACHE (Southern Wisconsin Association for Continuing Higher Education) who held an Education Fair during the event. Attendees of the event seemed very excited about the day and provided the WRC team a great deal of positive feedback at the end of the day. If you’re interested in getting involved in our next Job Boot Camp, please let me know.
In addition to the Job Boot Camp, on September 17th we were thrilled to have Halley Bock from Fierce, Inc. present at our Strategic Summit. We had 126 members and 12 local executives that attended with their GMA SHRM member. Thank you once again to the following underwriters who helped make the day possible: Alliant Energy, American Girl, Baker Tilly, Palmer Johnson Power Systems, Springs Window Fashions, St. Mary's, Stoughton Trailers, TDS Corporate, UW Credit Union, and WEA Trust. Finally, as a reminder, please don’t forget to attend our Member Welcome on October 17th. This is a great event for current and new members to network and learn more about the chapter. Also, we are very excited for our October 24th Toolbox, when we will have key leaders from the Department of Workforce Development as well as the Equal Rights Division presenting. They will be discussing their strategic plan for 2014 and the impact on Wisconsin employers and Human Resources. I hope to see you at our next event!
Warmly,
GMA SHRM Board of Directors
DOL Onsite FMLA Investigations on the Rise
Contributed by Allen Smith (full article originally posted on and available at SHRM.org)
The DOL is coming! The DOL is coming! So tighten up your Family and Medical Leave Act compliance efforts.
U.S. Department of Labor branch chief Diane Dawson has announced the agency’s intent to do more onsite FMLA investigations “to increase its investigators’ access to information and save time by reviewing documents and interviewing employees onsite,” Anne Larson, an attorney at Ogletree Deakins in Chicago, told SHRM Online.
A DOL spokesperson mentioned these common FMLA violations:
Many employers are responding to the increased onsite investigations “by conducting internal audits to ensure they are ready when the DOL knocks on their door,” Larson said.
FMLA Checklist
Larson outlined an FMLA checklist that organizations should review, considering whether they:
Train Managers
So get your ducks in a row, including providing FMLA training to managers.
“It’s amazing and, sadly, unacceptable that more employers are not training their managers about FMLA compliance and their role in administering FMLA and following your FMLA policy,” Nowak said. “There are way too many examples of employers who have paid out a whole lot of money because their manager said something foolish about FMLA, did not properly handle an absence covered by FMLA or did not follow the FMLA regulations. Managers at all levels can drastically increase an employer’s liability when it comes to FMLA. Training them now immediately reduces employers’ risk of liability—both in court and as a result of a DOL investigation.”
A Hard Deadline to Notify Employees of Health Insurance Options or Another False Step for Obamacare?
Contributed by John Gardner & Scott Palmer, DeWitt Ross & Stevens S.C.
Among many other requirements, the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (the “ACA”, aka “Obamacare”) contains a provision that obligates employers to provide their employees with a written notice containing information relating to the private health insurance marketplace that will be created through the ACA. In particular, the notice “must include information regarding the existence of [the] new” marketplace, “contact information and [a] description of the services provided by” the marketplace, and information providing that “the employee may be eligible for a premium tax credit … if the employee purchases a qualified health plan through the [m]arketplace,” among other information. Guidance on the Notice to Employees of Coverage Options under Fair Labor Standards Act § 18B and Updated Model Election Notice under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act of 1985, May 8, 2013, U.S. Department of Labor, Technical Release 2013-02, available at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/newsroom/tr13-02.html.
The U. S. Department of Labor has put together two model notification forms that contain all required information, one for employers that intend to offer medical coverage to their employees and another for employers who do not offer such coverage. These forms are both available on the DOL’s website, at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/healthreform/#acaimplementationfaqs. Importantly, this notice obligation applies to employers without regard to whether or not they employ fifty or more full-time equivalents pursuant to the ACA. Rather, all employers who are subject to the Fair Labor Standards Act – by all accounts, the vast majority of employers – must comply.
In the first half of this year, the federal government declared that October 1, 2013, would be the date by which employers would have to comply with the ACA’s notice of coverage obligation. Consequently, pursuant to that announcement, employers are obligated to provide the required notice to all of their existing employees by October 1, and, beginning on that date, to all newly-hired employees within fourteen days of their hiring.
For a number of months, these notice obligations and the government’s deadline all appeared relatively straightforward. However, on September 11, the DOL complicated matters by asserting that even though covered employers “should” provide the required notice to their employees by October 1, “there is no fine or penalty under the law for failing” to do so. FAQ on Notice of Coverage Options, U.S. Department of Labor, available at http://www.dol.gov/ebsa/faqs/faq-noticeofcoverageoptions.html. Although not directly related, this guidance appears to fall in line with the government’s earlier announcement that it would delay enforcement of the employer Pay or Play provisions for another year. In such a context, what is a responsible employer to do?
Our advice – issue the coverage notices as soon as possible. Even though the DOL has gone on record as saying that it will not penalize employers who fail to provide the notices, the ACA contains clear penalty provisions for noncompliance, and the U.S. statutory code explicitly states that employers “shall provide” the notices. 29 U.S.C. § 218b (emphasis added). With these provisions as a backdrop, we are not at all convinced that the DOL will refrain from quickly changing course in the near future with regard to its enforcement of the law. In addition, though perhaps unlikely, it is possible that one or more employees could assert a cause of action against their employer based, at least in part, upon the employer’s failure to provide notice specifically required by federal statute. Consequently, we think it best for any employer that was preparing to issue the required notices prior to the most recent announcement from the DOL to go forward and issue those notices, and for any employer that has not yet thought about putting together the notices to move forward with doing so as soon as possible. Put simply, despite the DOL’s most recent guidance, we believe that there are significant risks in ignoring the notice requirement altogether.
The Literacy Network offers a variety of courses, tutoring and other services to Dane County community adults to further reading, writing and speaking skills. Specifically the Literacy Network offers customized language instruction to improve employees' English communication skills both on and off the job. Literacy Network excels at developing programs tailor-designed to meet your company's specific workplace needs. If you are interested in learning more please visit us at: http://litnetwork.org/programs/index.php?category_id=4493
If you are looking for a fun wellness activity this fall, mark your calendars for the Literacy Network Run/Walk! For more information, visit: www.tinyurl.com/literacynetworkrunwalk. Families and corporate teams welcomed and encouraged!
GMA SHRM Social Media
Wish you could stay connected with GMA SHRM members? Now you can search for a member, call, e-mail or find directions to their listed location and be confident that it’s up to date. Check it out today, you can now stay better connected to GMA SHRM members and it’s just a click away at http://www.gmashrm.org/mobile
Forward HR Want to know what’s going on in HR for the other areas of Wisconsin? WI SHRM has a new blog, Forward HR. Click here to take a look.
October 17, 2013 — Member Welcome Orientation & Networking Event
Location: Coliseum Bar
Are you new to GMA SHRM? Are you interested in meeting more HR professionals? Do you want to get involved in the organization by volunteering? Or maybe you just want to learn more about what our chapter has to offer. Whichever situation it may be, we hope you will join us on October 17th for our semi-annual Member Welcome Orientation.
You will meet our board members and learn about the programs we offer and benefits we provide. You will also learn about our committees and opportunities you can be a part of the largest SHRM chapter in Wisconsin!
Hope to see you there!
For more information and to register for this event click here.
Topic: Governmental Affairs
Location: Olbrich Botanical Gardens
The October HR Toolbox will be one not to miss, as it has a number of top officials from the Department of Workforce Development (DWD) discussing the agency’s strategic plan for 2014 and its impact on employers and Human Resources.
There will be a keynote presentation by Jonathan Barry, the Deputy Secretary of the Department of Workforce Development, on key objectives, goals, and how DWD plans to help employers meet their staffing needs. There will also be a panel discussion from three agency divisions on the key compliance and enforcement priorities for 2014. Confirmed speakers include Lisa Boyd, Administrator for the Division of Employment & Training; Bob Rodriguez, Administrator for the Unemployment Insurance Division; and Joe Handrick, Administrator for the Equal Rights Division.
For more information and to register for this event click here.
Topic: Integrating Culture
Location: M3 Insurance
Professor Werner will initiate the roundtable discussions by reviewing the highlights of recent research on organizational diversity practices and how those practices were perceived by the employees involved. He will facilitate discussion over what it means to manage for diversity and ideas for how to achieve an open and inclusive work environment, one that works for all employees and applicants. He will also share and encourage discussion over successful and less-than-successful practices for managing a diverse workforce.
1. Attendees will learn what recent research shows regarding what works, and what doesn’t, in organizations seeking to manage their diversity.
2. Attendees will be able to discuss current issues they face regarding diversity and inclusion in their own organizations, and suggestions for addressing these issues. 3. Attendees will learn about the role of HR professionals and all levels of management in building an inclusive workforce.
For more information and to register for this event click here.
November 19, 2013 - GMA SHRM Strategic Summit As organizations continue to compete for top talent, they also seek to retain their talent, especially in an increasingly competitive environment. This interactive session will showcase how organizations can benefit by ensuring that their employees are engaged and inspired to do their best work. An engaged workforce is critical, because having employees who quit and stay, is far worse a problem than employees who quit and leave. Participants can expect to discover key engagement strategies that they can immediately apply across their organization. Gather fellow colleagues and join us for a results-focused program that is inspiring, authentic and impactful! Our presenter, Tracy Butz, is a national speaker and book author based in Appleton who helps organizations and individuals make productive choices, especially during difficult times.
Requesting Speakers for Student SHRM Chapters
UW Madison, UW Whitewater and UW Platteville have requested GMA SHRM members to speak at their meetings this fall. Topics that have been suggested by the student chapters are: recruiting trends, how to use social media to job hunt, benefits and health care reform, “a day in the life of an HR professional”, generational trends in business, communication, employment law, or any topic that you may be willing to present. Chapter meetings are held during the week and usually start between 5:00 p.m. – 6:00 p.m. and speakers have about 45 minutes to present. Chapters usually can be flexible regarding start time, with notice. Please contact Melissa Chadwick at melissa.chadwick@bakertilly.com if you would be interested in speaking and indicate which topic(s) you would be interested in speaking about and which schools you would be interested in traveling to for a meeting. Thank you for your help in supporting our student chapters!
The Marketing & Communications Committees is seeking a lover of social media for long moonlit walks on the beach and candlelight dinners…wait, forget that part.
We have an exciting opportunity available to become involved on our committee for an individual who loves all things social media. This person will manage the chapter’s Facebook, Linkedin and Twitter accounts and postings. If you are social media savvy and are looking to become involved with the fun-loving Marketing & Communications committee, we would love to talk with you about this opportunity. For more information, please contact Kate Karre at kkarre@pjpower.com or Shaun Thomson at sthomson@dcpcinc.org.
Contributed by Bog Gregg, Boardman & Clark LLP
I joined GMA SHRM in 1982. Since then, I have served several terms on the Boards of the Madison and Jefferson Chapters, been on several GMA SHRM committees, been Program Chair of the State Conference 18 times, and a few more roles. I joined to "make business connections." I ended up serving on boards and committees. In the process, I found that the greatest benefit of our Association is not the business connections and the professional development and education. Rather, it is the people we meet who become so important in our professional and personal life.
Involvement in Chapter and State SHRM has resulted in many close friends, who have shared my ups, down, success and tribulations. They have given support and care in my years as a single parent, operations, hospitalizations, recuperations and a variety of other personal difficulties. The friends you make in SHRM soon outweigh all of the other professional benefits of membership.
The SHRM community helps people move forward in careers, survive layoffs, find new opportunities and deal with their professional and personal difficulties. SHRM meetings and conferences are a safe-haven where you can let down among other who understand. A place you do not have to be on-guard all the time! SHRM can be an important place of respite.
Of course, you have to be actively involved to get these real benefits. If you come to meetings for HRCI credits, you will receive them. However, that will not create the connections which lead to the true value of this organization. That requires joining committees, interacting with others, working with and getting to know your fellow members.
It takes extra work, extra effort. However, it results in the real benefits and long-term connections which truly assist you to survive and thrive.
 If you had the opportunity to attend the GMA SHRM Strategic Summit, you are likely practicing at least one of the seven principals of a fierce conversation. Halley Bock, CEO of Fierce Inc., presented these fundamentals so we as leaders can improve, repair, or enhance relationships. Missing conversations will cost every one of us because without conversation, there is no relationship. This realization is now making us take responsibility to forgo the one-sided conversation. We must listen to understand versus listen to respond. Additionally, we now understand how everything in a conversation is filtered through attitudes, beliefs, opinions and truths. This truth remains; engagement, productivity, and profitability are all tied to relationships. Tackle those “Mokitas” and banish the wasted energy and resentment. Engage in fierce conversation. Come from behind, into the conversation, and make it real.
“While no single conversation is guaranteed to change the trajectory of a career, a company, a relationship or a life – Any single conversation can.”
If your organization is looking for strategies to promote its products or services to the Madison area Human Resources community, this is a unique opportunity to reach out to over 800 HR professionals representing more than 500 employers.
Reach HR professionals through GMA SHRM while also enjoying the benefits included in your partnership with one of the largest, most successful chapters in the United States.
We are currently offering Gold, Silver and Bronze Corporate Partnerships levels for 2014. Click here to see the benefits of becoming a Corporate Partner. Sign up now through November 8th, 2013 to secure your place as a 2014 partner.
Volunteer GMA SHRM members will be following up through October regarding this limited-time annual partnership offer. If you’re interested, please contact Shaun Thomson (SThomson@dcpcinc.org), or Meg McGrane (meg@careermomentum.com) to secure your spot for 2014 In addition to partnerships, we offer other advertising & promotional opportunities during the year on a limited basis (first come, first-served). They include:
· Web site advertising
· E-blast sponsorship
· Displays at meetings
· Meeting sponsorship and special events including Annual Human Capital Conference Sponsorship.
This annual, day-long event in May is the perfect opportunity to reach local HR professionals.
Click here to learn more about these options. We appreciate your consideration of these opportunities and look forward to another successful year with our corporate partners, sponsors, and advertisers! GMA SHRM Member Spotlight Name: Bridget Ripp
Where do you currently work?
M3 Insurance
What is the focus of your position?
Assisting other HR team members with a variety of different tasks including recruitment, benefits, and payroll.
How long have you been in the Human Resource field?
About a year, I had an internship during my last semester of college and recently starting working at M3 Insurance here in Madison.
Which of your career accomplishments makes you proudest?
Finding a job that I really enjoy relatively quickly after graduating from college.
What is the best advice you’ve ever received?
Do not worry if things do not work out the way you planned to begin with, it might make way for something even better that you just cannot see yet.
Why did you decide to join GMA SHRM?
To network and learn more about the HR field in general.
If you’d like to be published in an issue of HR InTouch, please complete this profile and submit (along with a photo) to Tia Gibson @ tia.gibson@covance.com.
GMA SHRM Volunteer Spotlight
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Name: Laura V. Page, Page Management Consulting|
Will Bloedow Jr.
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American Security & Investigations LLC
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Carolyn L. Curry, PHR
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Human Resources Coordinator
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Rowland Reading Foundation
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Maureen Duffey
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Carol Ellis
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Chief Operating Officer
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Special Olympics Wisconsin, Inc.
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Laura K. Gill, PHR
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HR/Benefits Generalist
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Flad Affiliated Corporation
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Jaime Gullick
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HR Generalist
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Ballweg Management Services, Inc.
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Abigail Hale
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Sub Zero
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Tina Hallis
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Happy Hill Consulting, LLC
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Shanda Herman
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Staffing Specialist
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Diversified Personnel Services
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Bridget M. Hinton
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Director of Human Resources
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Hilton Madison Monona Terrace
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Amber Kelsey, PHR
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Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation
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Isaac LaRonge
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Skyline Services, Inc.
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Erica Pelzek
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RockAuto.com
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Kari Rahn, PHR
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Mead & Hunt, Inc.
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Rebecca Roth
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UW Hospital
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Kim Toussaint
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Director of Finance & Admin
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Lucigen Corporation
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Lynne Yudice, PHR, CPA
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Human Resources Manager
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Center for Oral & Maxillofacial Surgery
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Movin' Up
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!
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.
GMA SHRM Member Poll
Do you have a burning HR question that you’d like to see featured on our GMA SHRM Member Poll? If so, please submit your questions to Tara Conger at tconger@pjpower.com
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 .
