Do you like our new look?  I hope the answer is yes!  Converting the newsletter from a PDF format to an HTML format is the first of several technology updates that we are making in 2008.  Our goal is to have the newsletter be more reader friendly for those of you who want to read it online and to provide informative content, but not recreate what is already available to you at the SHRM website.  If you have suggestions, please take the time to share them with a board member.

We are adding a new section to the newsletter.  The new section is all about “you”.  We want to recognize our members when they change jobs, get a promotion, implement a new and innovative HR program, or have other exciting news to share.  We need a name for this new section that is all about “you” – so listen up.  We are having a contest to come up with a newsletter section name and we want YOUR participation.

Our Chapter meeting costs continue to rise. In 2008, we pay a room rental fee for our meetings and the cost of food continues to go up. Even with rising costs, the board is trying very hard to maintain our current level of meeting costs and we need your help to succeed. In addition to costs, the Chapter is continuing to experience a challenge with registration and we need your help to resolve the issue. If you register in advance then you also need to pay in advance. Members can do this one of two ways - pay online with a credit card or pre-pay. Pre-payment is only available to SHRMA Chapter members. To register in advance, guests must pay by credit card. There is an incentive for members to pre-pay because you receive a discounted meeting rate of $10.00. The minimum pre-payment amount is $30.00 or 3 meetings at $10.00 each. However, you can pay for more than 3 meetings if you choose. SHRMA members who wish to pre-pay may do so by making payment arrangements with the Treasurer at a chapter meeting. If you have not pre-paid, are not eligible to pre-pay, or do not want to pay by credit there is an option. Register at the door the day of the meeting. We accept cash, checks, and credit cards at the door. Please do not register if you have not made pre-payment arrangements in advance or are not using a credit card. Beginning with our May 13th meeting registration at the door will be $15.00 for members and guests. THANKS in advance for your help in resolving this important issue.

Workforce readiness seems to be a topic that is on a lot of HR people and business owners minds’. We are all looking for ways to have the right people ready with the right skills and abilities at the right time. At our April meeting, we had a full house of approximately 75 people who came to listen and interact with a panel of workforce readiness experts.  Dave Fawns, our Programs Director, asked 5 questions of the panel related to workforce readiness.  After the panel had an opportunity to address each question, Dave then opened it up to questions from the audience.  It was a great interactive meeting and many of our members’ questions were answered.  I know that many of you have initiated or are considering implementing some workforce readiness ideas in your workplace.  If you would like to share your ideas, please e-mail a brief summary of your workforce readiness programs to me and I will share them with our members in an upcoming newsletter.  In your e-mail, please let me know if it is okay for members to contact you regarding the program.

On a lighter note, our June, July, and August meetings move from breakfast to lunch – with registration and networking beginning @ 11:00 a.m.  The program starts at 11:45 and finishes up at 12:45 – and we adjourn @ 1:00 p.m.  This year our luncheon meetings will be at the Roth’s Hospitality Center in West Salem.  We look forward to seeing some of you who are not able to make our breakfast meetings because of work or family conflicts.

Have a great HR day!

May 7 – 8, 2008
2008 State of Oregon Training Summit: Connecting Our Training Communities
Keynote Speaker: Jason Ryan Dorsey  “Gen Y @Work: An Insider’s Guide to Engaging Generation Y Employees” 
Location: Salem Conference Center ~ Salem, Oregon
Details: http://oregontrainingsummit.org/Registration.aspx

May 8, 2008, 8-5 p.m.
The Mid-Willamette High Performance Consortium presents: The Spring 2008 Executive Forum
Speaker: Mike Hoseus:  Building a Lean Culture, “The People Value Stream”
Location: Eola Viticulture Center - 215 Doaks Ferry Road, Salem, OR 97304
Cost: Non-members: $100.00 - MWHPC Members: $50.00. Refreshments and on-site lunch will be provided
Registration: Only a few spaces left for registration information contact Karen Litvin at Klitvin@workforce-solutions.net or 503-581-4272

Tuesday, May 13, 2008
Chapter Monthly Meeting
Topic: Conducting and Effective Internal Investigations Conducting an effective investigation today is crucial.  This presentation will explore how to conduct internal investigations the "right way" at all phases of an investigation, including what to investigate, planning the investigation, documenting and concluding the investigation.
Presented By: Todd A. Hanchett - partner at Barran Liebman
Location: Willamette University – Alumni Room; 7:00 am - 9:00 am
Recertification: This program has been HRCI Approved

Wednesday, May 14, 2008, Cultural Competency for Leaders, Facilitated by Lee Mun Wah; Presented by Lane Community College, Lane County HR Association (LCHRA), and the Oregon State Council.  Find more information @ www.lchra.net or register @ http://lanecc.edu/cml/upcoming.htm  

Portland Human Resource Management Association (PHRMA) presents: People, Passion, Profit.  It’s Your Move.  PHRMA along with Bullivant, Houser and Bailey, PC welcomes you to join us for the 3rd Annual PHRMA Strategic HR Management Conference on May 14th.  This full-day conference has a great line-up of speakers covering topics such as tips for writing an HR strategic plan, intentionally developing your company's culture, understanding your company's pace of change, and of course creating profits (by putting people first!).  This conference has been pre-approved for 7 HRCI Strategic Management credits! And for all our fellow SHRM members, we are offering the conference at PHRMA membership rates, regardless of your chapter affiliation!  More information available at pdxhr.org

UPDATE: SAVE THE NEW DATE...Our annual presentation of HR Basics will be on June 6, 2008, at Willamette University (room to be determined).  This fast paced, full day course covers a variety of relevant and timely human resource topics presented by local attorneys and HR professionals.  Be watching for more details!

Tuesday, June 10, 2008
Chapter Monthly Meeting
Topic: Future Trends in HR. This presentation will provide attendees with perspective on which
HR arenas will command our professional attention for the next 5 – 15 years. Attendees will have an opportunity to consider the critical factors for action or change in the areas of social concern, economics, and politics. 
Presented By: Dan Tabison, Willamette District Director ~ Oregon State Council SHRM
Location: Roth’s Hospitality Center – West Salem; 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
Recertification: HRCI certification pending

June 22 –25, 2008 - SHRM 60th Annual Conference & Exposition, Chicago, Illinois; More information available @ http://www.shrm.org/conferences/annual

September 16 – 18, 2008, NHRMA Regional Conference, Kennewick, WA; www.nhrmaconference.org

SAVE THE DATE…HR Advanced will be on October 17, 2008, at Roth’s in West Salem.  HR Advanced is a one-day seminardesigned for HR professionals looking to enhance their skills and meet continuing education at the strategic level.

EEOC Scrutinizes Pre-Employment Tests, Job Steering
The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission is targeting pre-employment tests as part of its fight against systemic bias.

 Global HR Pros Face Common Issues
HR professionals around the world face similar challenges, they learn at the World Federation of Personnel Management Associations conference in London.

 Starbucks Serves Online Job Sample
Starbucks brews up a system allowing job applicants to test drive a job online, SHRM Staffing Management Conference attendees are told.

 OSHA Seeks Better Shipyard Safety
The U.S. government is proposing new standards because of the high rates of injuries and deaths in shipyard employment.

 Immigration Agents Detain Hundreds
Federal agents fan out in four states, detaining hundreds of poultry plant workers suspected of immigration law violations.

 Different Tactics Engage Young Workers
Employers can engage young people entering the workforce, but they need to use different tactics than they use with older workers.

To read these articles in full go to www.SHRM.org

Legislative Director Report
Randy Sutton, J.D.
SHRMA Legislative Affairs Director
Oregon State Council Legislative Affair Director

For years, many HR professionals have hoped that the U.S. Department of Labor (DOL) would clarify the implementing regulations of the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). As most of you know, for the first time since the law was enacted in 1993, the DOL has proposed changes to many of the FMLA regulations that have been problematic for employees and employers. SHRM believes that if these new rules are adopted in final form, it should improve the administration of the FMLA.

The DOL has asked for comments about the proposed regulations. SHRM prepared extensive draft comments on behalf of chapters and state council's nationwide. Our SHRMA chapter and the Oregon State Council have now submitted those comments for review by the DOL. Other chapters around Oregon have likewise submitted comments.

Last month, I attended the SHRM Employment Law and Legislative Conference in Washington DC. As part of the conference, we met with staff from the offices of Senators Gordon Smith and Ron Wyden, and House Representative Darleen Hooley, to explain why Congress should not block the eventual implementation of the DOL rules once they are finalized.  Our efforts appeared to have been well received.

If you are looking to understand the difference between the existing and proposed FMLA regulations, SHRM has prepared an excellent resource. Look for the "2008 FMLA Booklet" on the www.shrm.org/government page. SHRM is also a member of the National Coalition to Protect Family Leave. There is extensive information about the history of FMLA, challenges employers face with FMLA, and needed reforms at www.protectfamilyleave.org.

For any questions or comments, please feel free to contact me at rsutton@sglaw.com.

Are you getting the most out of your SHRM membership benefits?

If you answered no or I don’t know then you are invited to view a webcast on resources available to SHRM members. The original webcast took place March 6, 2008 and was hosted By Chief Membership Officer Pamela Green, SPHR. This same webcast is available online for you to view at your convenience.  The webcast will serve as a great introduction or reminder to you about your member benefits and the SHRM experience. The next membership benefits question and answer session will be in early May. Details will be available soon @ the SHRM website.  The March 6th webcast may be viewed @ http://www.shrm.org/webcast/memberresources

Unemployed SHRM Members Can Extend Membership for Free

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) provides active members who are unemployed at the time of their membership renewal a one-time opportunity to extend their membership for up to one year—at no cost. SHRM believes that this continued affiliation to its loyal members will help transitioning members stay current on the issues affecting the HR profession and will provide them with needed resources to assist them in their job search. Transitioning members will receive all SHRM free and discounted member benefits for up to one year, except for voting privileges and the ability to hold office on a SHRM panel or board. Visit  www.shrm.org/members/transitioning for more information. —HR News staff

Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI)

Do you have questions about documenting your continuing education activities for recertification? Wondering how your on-the-job experience or leadership activities will convert to recertification credits?  Mark your calendar for June 4th and get answers to these questions and more!
Visit HRCI’s homepage on Wednesday, June 4th at 12:00 noon ET to participate in the next Virtual Recertification Counselor (VRC) session with HRCI’s staff. Please note: The Q&A session link will only be activated 5 minutes prior to the 12:00 noon start time and all questions will be answered in the order in which they are received. Be sure to download the schedule for all the remaining Virtual Recertification Counselor sessions in 2008.
No time to join the upcoming VRC session? Visit HRCI’s Virtual Recertification Counselor archive, to view questions and answers from previous sessions.

As a reminder, you may submit your completed recertification application online at any time after you have accumulated the required 60 credit hours. All SPHRs must earn at least 15 of their 60 recertification credit hours in Strategic Management and GPHRs must earn 30 hours in International Management.  If you have already submitted your recertification application, please note that the current processing time is 4-6 weeks from the submission date. Applications will be reviewed once the application has been submitted and payment has been received. To log in to your personal online recertification file and post your recertification activities, please visit the HRCI Website and click on the "My Recert File" link on the right side of the homepage. If you don't know or can't remember your HRCI ID number, follow the link on the homepage to retrieve your information.  Our new Virtual Recertification Tour will give you further information about HRCI’s online recertification system.
If you have additional questions, please contact HRCI at info@hrci.org or 866-898-4724.

SHRM Foundation
Regional Scholarship Program for SHRM Members

The SHRM Foundation will award a total of $100,000 in scholarships to national SHRM members, chapters and state councils in 2008.  Applications are now being accepted for the following scholarships. Deadline to apply: July 15, 2008.
The scholarships are awarded through the local SHRM regions. Applications will be judged in the following five groups:  Northeast Region, Southeast Region (and former Caribbean Atlantic Region), North Central Region, Southwest Central Region, and Pacific West Region (and former Asia Pacific Region)

Each group has a total of $20,000 to distribute in scholarships annually, which guarantees that there will be scholarship winners in every region. Twelve certification scholarships of $750 each and eight academic scholarships of $1375 each will be presented in each group.

All national SHRM members pursuing a college degree in human resources or working towards SPHR, GPHR or PHR certification are eligible to apply. (Note: SHRM professional, general or associate members may apply; however student members and local-only members of chapters are not eligible for this scholarship program.) In addition, chapters and state councils are eligible to compete for the scholarship money to fund programs that promote SPHR, GPHR or PHR certification locally.

SHRM members outside the U.S. are eligible to apply. In place of a SHRM region, they should write 'international' on their applications. International applications will be distributed among the five regions for judging.

Timeline

July 15, 2008: Postmark deadline for applications
Sept. 30, 2008: Scholarship recipients selected
Oct. 10, 2008: All applicants advised of scholarship decisions
Oct. 15, 2008: State councils and chapters provided with list of winners
Oct. 30, 2008: Scholarship checks distributed to all winners.

More information @ http://www.shrm.org/foundation/2002_scholguidelines.asp

SHRM Webcasts - Informative, Entertaining and Free to SHRM Members.
Webcast information is available @ http://www.shrm.org/webcast.

Currently SHRM’s featured webcast is: Are Your I-9’s Up to Date?

This program, features Littler Littler Mendelson Legal Learning Group's David Goldman, it dissects common missteps by employers, along with the cost of getting it wrong. ICE’s strategic initiative will also be reviewed.  Fast paced and practical, the program provides must-know information for anyone involved in completing or reviewing the I-9 form.

SHRM Online webcasts, unless otherwise noted, count for one hour of general PHR/SPHR or GPHR recertification credit. In some cases, the webcasts may count toward SPHR strategic management or GPHR international recertification credit if the subject matter can be tied directly to those portions of the bodies of knowledge.

Have you read a good HR related book or article lately or found resource that has proved invaluable to you at work?  If the answer is yes, tell us about it – so we can share it with our members.  Click on “Tell us about it” below and fill out the form telling us about the book, article or resource.  

Retaining Talent - a new report from the SHRM Foundation
One of the most critical issues facing your organization today is how to retain the employees you want to keep. This new Effective Practice Guidelines report will help you to analyze and manage employee turnover. Learn how to develop an effective retention management plan. http://www.shrm.org/foundation/   

American Red Cross - Business & Industry Guide “Preparing Your Business For the Unthinkable” http://www.redcross.org/services/prepare/0,1082,0_64_,00.html

Hidden Reasons Employees Leave - How to Recognize the Subtle Signs and Act Before It's Too Late, By F Leigh Branham – This book presents 54 Best Practices that will serve as the building blocks for a proactive approach to employee satisfaction, growth, and retention.

Have a suggestion?
Tell us about it.