Workforce Readiness & Diversity

Greetings!
 
I hope you’re enjoying your summer!  If you’re like me – it’s impossible to believe it’s already August and fall is just around the corner.  After some of the hot, humid weather we’ve been having though, that might be a relief. 

Thank you to all who took time to complete our annual membership survey. This survey is extremely important to the board as we utilize this information to help guide many of our decisions. This year we focused our questions on professional development and programming, diversity programs and HRCI / SHRM certifications. Results from this survey will allow us to offer programs that our members are interested in attending and will also guide us in our strategic initiatives, including diversity / inclusion and continuing to monitor how the SHRM certification affects our membership. Each year we encourage members to participate by offering a chance to win a free attendance to our annual Human Capital Conference. If you did not participate this year, please consider giving us your opinion next year. This year’s winner for the 2017 HCC is Gina Staskal! 
 
We have some great events coming up over the next few months.

• August 18 is our semi-annual Networking event. We have a fun night planned of painting beer or wine glasses!  No skill required – the experts will be on hand to provide tips and suggestions for what to paint. This is a perfect opportunity to meet new GMA SHRM members as well as catch up with some “old” HR friends. 
• Our September Summit is September 13^th.  Darcy Louma, a certified Leadership and Life Coach will be joining us to discuss Coaching as a Management Style: Be More Effective with Less Effort. This dynamic workshop explores the different management styles and core principles of coaching as an effective management style that leads to more engaged employees and greater results. You won’t want to miss this event. 
• HR Resource Groups are monthly, informal, peer-led discussions where members come together to address and discuss their emerging HR challenges, in an open forum, sharing information, seeking advice, and providing support and tangible resources to one another by exploring best practices.  Visit our website to RSVP for a meeting near you!

As I mentioned last month, we are always looking for members who are interested in donating some of their time to the chapter and to our community.  We are specifically looking for new volunteers to serve on our Volunteer Engagement Committee.  This is a great opportunity for those who may have limited time to assist or are just thinking about getting involved.  Please reach out to LeaAnn Rens (LeaAnn.Rens@remedystaff.com) if you are interested in learning more.  Additionally, our 4^th annual Job Boot Camp is coming up on August 19 at the Urban League of Greater Madison.  There will be plenty of volunteer opportunities for this event.  If you’re interested in volunteering at this half-day event please reach out to Rachel Martin (rachelc.martin@dhs.wisconsin.gov).  Volunteering is a very rewarding experience! 
 
Please know my phone is always open if you have any questions, thoughts or concerns. You are welcome to contact me at melissa.chadwick@bakertilly.com. 
 
And be sure to find time to enjoy the rest of your summer!




Melissa Chadwick
President
GMA SHRM

OFCCP Updates Sex Discrimination Rule 

On June 14, 2016, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs announced publication of a Final Rule in the Federal Register that sets forth the requirements that covered contractors must meet under the provisions of Executive Order 11246 prohibiting sex discrimination in employment. This Final Rule updates sex discrimination guidelines from 1970 with new regulations that align with current law and address the realities of today’s workplaces. The Final Rule deals with a variety of sex–based barriers to equal employment and fair pay, including compensation discrimination, sexual harassment, hostile work environments, failure to provide workplace accommodations for pregnant workers, and gender identity and family caregiving discrimination.

The Final Rule becomes effective on August 15, 2016. For more detail go to: https://www.federalregister.gov/articles/2016/06/15/2016-13806/discrimination-on-the-basis-of-sex

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Maximum Leave Policies May Violate ADA
 

The United States District Court for the Central District of California has approved of a settlement entered into between the United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (the "EEOC") and Lowe's Home Centers, Inc. or Lowe's HIW ("Lowe's"), resolving EEOC's nationwide disability discrimination lawsuit against Lowe's.  Lowe’s has a maximum 180-day leave of absence policy that results in automatic termination. This type of policy has been found to conflict with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employers are expected to assess each individual situation to determine if providing an extended leave is a reasonable accommodation or an undue hardship. If your organization has this type of policy, you should review it to determine if it conflicts with the ADA. 

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Professional Development

HR Advice Network Roundtables

By Dawn Koopman, GMA SHRM Immediate Past President 
 

I’m pleased to see that our HR Advice Network Groups/Roundtables have been gaining popularity over the past few months. These informal meetings are what all HR professionals are looking for.  It’s an opportunity to meet fellow HR professionals, create a relationship with them and share best practices. 
 
Due to the popularity of these groups, we have had to make a few changes to allow for continued growth. We will now be holding events each month in three locations throughout Madison.
 
Hopefully you will be able to attend one that works best for your schedule and location. CLICK HERE for more information about these events.  






 

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GMA SHRM Idea Exchange

Sometimes you just have that question…..you would really just like to ask an HR colleague quickly.  Perhaps it is limited to your field of work, or a specific situation.  Let GMA SHRM help! 
 
In response to a specific need, we are excited to launch the “Idea Exchange” as part of your membership in GMA SHRM!  The goal of the Idea Exchange is to provide a secure area for all GMA SHRM members to be able to start a dialogue and find someone to network with on a particular issue, and to share files in a more secure format - or at least share contact details so files could be shared.
 
This great new tool is available to all members of GMA SHRM.  You simply sign in on the GMA SHRM Home Page (click on Member Log In at the top) to access questions or to provide your response!”



Once you are logged in, click on ‘File Library’ at the top right, and Idea Exchange will appear on the drop down menu. 



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Committee Update

The Education & Development Committee met June 30th to celebrate the past year’s accomplishments, the next committee meeting will be held on August 17th at 4:30pm at Herzing University.  Anyone interested in learning more about/joining this committee is encouraged to attend!  
 

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Workforce Readiness & Diversity

GMA SHRM Member Spotlight

Name: Nathan Stahl
 
Where do you currently work?  
Forward Service Corporation
 
What is the focus of your position? 
Helping our program participants find and keep viable employment opportunities throughout Dane County.
 
How long have you been in the Human Resource field?
Not directly in the HR field, but I have been helping people find jobs and volunteer opportunities for around 3 years now.
 
Which of your career accomplishments makes you proudest? 
I was recently promoted to a supervisory role within Forward Service Corp.
 
What is the best advice you’ve ever received? 
Never lose your sense of humor, it’s critical.
 
Why did you decide to join GMA SHRM?
To connect with HR professionals and bring back what I learned to help our program participants find and keep jobs. 

 

GMA SHRM Volunteer Spotlight

Name: Krista Naleid
 
How long have you been volunteering with GMA SHRM? 1 year
 
What committee are you volunteering with? Have you volunteered on other committees? If yes, which one?  Marketing & Communications
 
What do you enjoy about volunteering?  Yes, it is a great way to get involved outside of work and it also keeps you up to date on what is going on in our community.
 
What would you say to others who are considering volunteering with GMA SHRM?  It only takes a little bit of your time per month, but it is time very well spent!
 
What have you gotten back from volunteering with GMA SHRM?
I have gotten to know some new people and have a network of trusted individuals to ask questions and look for advice.



If you’d like to be published in an issue of HR InTouch, please complete this profile and submit (along with a photo) to Brittany Hanson @ brittanyahanson@gmail.com

 

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Welcome New Members!

GMA SHRM welcomes the following members who joined our chapter in June 2016!
 

Movin' Up

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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 .