Hello GMA SHRM Members,

Spring is here and in full swing! During the last quarter of the GMA SHRM Board year, we finalize our 2023-2024 Board Slate of volunteers who will continue to lead our Chapter with great ideas, wonderful programming offerings, and fantastic networking opportunities into the next year and beyond. We are always interested in adding to our roster enthusiastic Chapter volunteers and Board members, so if you’d like to join us, check out our Get Involved website link for more information; alternatively, please contact Laura Bermudo, our President-Elect, who is heading up our succession planning project this year.

During the month of April, GMA SHRM leadership formally recognizes our fantastic committees by celebrating volunteer recognition month. I want to dedicate some space in my April President’s Message and extend a huge shout-out of thanks to ALL our GMA SHRM committee volunteers!! Our ideas and goals turn into real and valid accomplishments because of your commitment, energy, and perseverance, and I thank every one of you for your service. We are only able to set and maintain this stellar level of service and excellence to our members because of you!
 
Although this month generally portends showers, we do have some bright spots to lift your spirits with a novel HR networking option! Our Membership Committee is offering a networking opportunity which will be held at Schwoegler Park Towne Lanes Thursday, April 27th from 4:00 to 6:00. Lanes, shoe rentals, and appetizers will be provided.  Participation is limited to the first 30 members who rsvp so please be sure to sign up early!  Bowling starts promptly at 4:30, however, if you are only interested in socializing with your human resource “peeps,” come and watch the fun! If you are interested, please register on our website. 

Can you believe our flagship programming event, the Human Capital Conference, is just around the corner? Taking place at the Alliant Energy Center on May 16, 2023, the all-day event features two keynote speakers, Justin Jones-Fosu, the founder and CEO of Work. Meaningful, who will be speaking on Working to a Different Beat, and Your Why Matters Now; and Mike Aitken, SHRM Chief Membership Officer, who will address Workplace Issues: Now and Looking Ahead. We also have a full roster of brilliantly informative breakout speakers for you to enjoy, so please check out our full lineup here, and register on our Human Capital Conference page!

I’m really excited about the upcoming programming and networking offerings we have available this Spring; I hope to see many of you at our events.

All my best,

Dana Denny, IPMA-CP
GMA SHRM Chapter President
dana_denny@hotmail.com. 

Legal Update – Complying with the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act

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

Mai Chao

Storm Larson

Brian P. Goodman

The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) goes into effect on June 27, 2023.  Under the PWFA, employers must provide reasonable accommodations to qualified employees who have known limitations due to pregnancy, childbirth, or other related medical conditions, unless the employer can show that providing such an accommodation would result in an undue hardship to the employer. 

Unlike under the American with Disabilities Act (ADA), employers must even consider reasonable accommodations related to the essential functions of such an employee’s job, provided those accommodations do not present an undue hardship to the employer. The interactive process to determine potential reasonable accommodations under the PWFA will likely look similar to the interactive process used for employees with disabilities under the ADA. However, to receive accommodations under the PWFA, employees need not have an underlying disability.  Specific accommodations, which should be determined on an individualized basis for each employee, might include flexible work hours, additional break times, and more convenient parking. Additionally, under the PWFA, an employer cannot require an employee to take leave as an accommodation if another reasonable accommodation could keep the employee working.

The EEOC has already issued an initial FAQ on the PWFA, which is available at https://www.eeoc.gov/wysk/what-you-should-know-about-pregnant-workers-fairness-act. The EEOC will also be issuing formal regulations by the end of the year.  If you have questions about complying with the new requirements of the PWFA, you should reach out to your legal counsel.
 

 

April 27th - Networking Event - Park Towne Lanes!

Thursday, April 27, 2023
Schwoegler Park Towne Lanes

Whether you like to bowl or simply show up to meet and  reconnect with fellow GMA SHRM friends, we are hosting our next networking event at Schwoegler Park Towne Lanes Thursday, April 27th from 4:00 to 6:00. 

Lanes, shoe rentals, appetizers provided by your membership committee with GMA SHRM.  Participation is limited to the first 30 members who rsvp so please be sure to sign up early!  Bowling starts at 4:30 but again you don’t need to bowl if you’d prefer to socialize only instead.

Registration Required - Register here!

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2023 Human Capital Conference 

                            

 

  
Justin Jones-Fosu will share his message of empathy, empowerment and engagement with his keynote presentations Lead to a Different Beat and Moving from Head to Heart.   

Our second keynote presenter is none other than Mike Aitken, former VP of Government Affairs and current Chief Membership Officer with SHRM!  Mike is a leading authority on the issues important to the HR profession and will share with us the latest SHRM research on Workplace Issues: Now and Looking Ahead.    

Outstanding Breakout Sessions:

• Mental Health in the Workplace: Tools and Processes for HR Professionals
• The Critical Role of Compensation in the Recruitment Process
• Leadership in an Age of Permanent Whitewater
• Modernizing the Employee Lifecycle Using an Equity Lens  
• Annual HR Legal Update 

Information and Registration

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Roundtables Continue on Zoom in 2023!

Join us for these virtual discussions facilitated by members!

During Roundtables, members discuss their emerging HR challenges and when possible, others offer possible solutions, support, and resources. Come with those questions top of mind for your organization, offer your own experience and best practices, or simply join to network with others by using the registration links below.

Roundtables are designed for human resource professionals who are interested in sharing their ideas and experiences in a confidential environment. It is expected that what members share in these roundtables will stay within the roundtable. We encourage members to exchange contact information and reach out to each other outside of these meetings to expand on the discussions.

Find out more or register for Roundtables!
 
Membership is required to join Roundtables so if you're not a member, join us or reach out to learn more!

 

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Volunteer and Committee Spotlight - Anita Herrick, GMA SHRM Director of Human Capital Conference

Submitted by Anita Herrick, HR Director at UW-Madison, WI Veterinary Diagnostic Laboratory, GMA SHRM Director of Human Capital Conference

How long have you been a member of GMA SHRM?   Off and on for 8 years, more on in the past 5 years.

How long have you been a volunteer with GMA SHRM?  Around 4 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 was on the Social Media committee as a volunteer for a couple of years, and also on HCC for a couple of years, and two years ago I was elected HCC Director

Why do you volunteer with GMA SHRM?  I volunteer with GMA SHRM because of the networks I have made being on committees, and it also provides me with additional career satisfaction that I sometimes find missing from my day job. I am amazed by the work done by my fellow volunteers, and being around them inspires me to give my best.

What would you say to others who are unsure about volunteering with GMA SHRM?  I would tell someone to try it…everyone understands that we’re all busy with our day jobs, and we all back each other up as needed. It’s an amazing group of people to surround yourself with!

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.)   Hmmm…the biggest surprise would be the outpouring of support that I see coming from GMA SHRM volunteers, members, and the board of directors…and also the incredibly high level of professional development from the PDS session and HCC, of course!

What’s been the biggest “reward” for you since volunteering with GMA SHRM?   Honestly, having others to share ideas with and get input on how they work through issues similar to what I may be working with. It’s amazing to have others to talk with and to get other perspectives. There are so many talented and experienced people to connect with, and I wouldn’t have that without GMA SHRM.


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New Membership Offering – Retiree Membership
 

Have you retired from a career in the HR profession or do you know someone who has?  Want to stay connected to friends and the profession while also giving back?  GMA SHRM now offers a Retiree Membership option.  Dues are discounted to $25 for a 12 month membership for all retired HR professionals. 

To qualify you need to have been employed in Human Resources and no longer represent a company.   We ask Retiree Members get involved and join a committee and/or participate in monthly HR Advice Network group meetings (roundtables). 

For more information, visit our Retiree Membership page.

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