This time of year makes me remember why I live in the Willamette Valley.  The sun is out and other than a few days of high temperatures we have had perfect weather.  People are out and about staying busy and I have noticed that morale is up around the office.  I hear people talking about vacations that they have just returned from or that they will be taking.  My workload has taken on different nuances, instead of employee and labor relations issues my work is geared toward more maintenance type activities like classification and compensation.  I hope that your workload has taken on less urgency too.  Be good to yourself and plan some time away from work to enjoy the season!

I wanted to take a minute and update you on the chapter goals that we set in January. We set three goals.

1) Increase SHRMA’s (Salem Chapter) membership by 25%.  I am excited to announce today that we have met our membership goal – we started the year at 168 and are now at 216 and growing. 

2) Allocate budget dollars dedicated to technology.  We have converted our newsletter to html and are looking forward to receiving a proposal for our website update in the next few weeks.  We are still on track to have the website updated by the end of the year. 

3) Community Partnership – still to be defined. 

Beth Hawk, Marion County Safety and Wellness Coordinator was our presenter for June.  She led an interactive discussion about wellness programs and gave us some tips on getting a program started.  THANKS BETH!   Our August meeting topic is teamwork and Deborah Jeffries will be leading us in some tabletop games.

Have a great HR day!

Tuesday, August 12, 2008
Chapter Monthly Meeting
Topic: August Social – HR Helping Managers Build Effective Work Teams
Location: Roth’s Hospitality Center, West Salem; 11:00 am - 1:00 pm
This meeting has been approved for 1 hour of general HRCI credit
If your organization would like to donate a door prize for the social, please contact Kathy Sharp or Beth Ursin.

Tuesday, September 9, 2008
Chapter Monthly Meeting
Topic: Table Topics 
Location: Willamette Alumni Lounge, Willamette University; 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

September 16 – 18, 2008, NHRMA Regional Conference, Kennewick, WA; www.nhrmaconference.org “United in One Vision – HR Strategies For the Future”
12.5 certifications credits available, plus pre-conference workshop.  2 general sessions and 7 concurrent sessions are eligible for strategic/global credit.

Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Chapter Monthly Meeting
Topic: Compensation
Speaker:  Judy Clark, SPHR, CPC –Owner and President of HR Answers
Location: Willamette Alumni Lounge, Willamette University; 7:00 a.m. – 9:00 a.m.

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

Youths Embrace Hourly Career Jobs
Many young U.S. 'new collar' workers are content with careers as hourly employees.

Chemical Exposure Rule Debated
Lawmakers say the Bush administration is acting secretly to make it harder to limit employees' exposure to chemicals.

Survey: Backup Care Cuts Stress
Companies are adding backup care to their suite of employee benefits in an effort to reduce unscheduled absenteeism, boost workplace productivity and support employees with family care responsibilities.

Tools Gauge Short-Term Disability
A national organization is developing methods for employers to assess the impact of short-term disability leave.

Wage Boost Vanishes for Some
For many U.S. workers in low-paying jobs, high gas and food prices are swallowing the increase in the minimum wage effective Thursday.

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

HR Voice FAQ’s

What is HRVoice?

As an SHRM member, you are automatically enrolled in HRVoice. HRVoice assists you in taking proactive steps to shape public policy affecting the HR profession. SHRM members, through the HRVoice program, can play an instrumental part in influencing legislation on the national and state levels.

What Effect Will My Involvement Have?

As an HR professional, your voice provides a unique perspective that your member of Congress or state legislator may not have considered. By joining forces with other HR professionals, you directly affect the outcome of pending legislation and regulations. Your actions will ultimately benefit employers and employees all across the nation.

Do I Have To Be a Political Expert?

No. HRVoice is for political novices and seasoned professionals alike and is nonpartisan. HR professionals with an interest in the continued viability of the profession are the best representatives of the field to Congress. Tools to help you educate Members of Congress, such as SHRM Fact Sheets, quarterly newsletters featuring lobbying tips and legislative updates, and a HRVoice toolkit are available through this section of SHRM Online.

Chapter Chatter is all about you, our members. Have you changed jobs recently, gotten a promotion, become a grandparent or have other interesting news that you would like to share with chapter members? Then tell us about it!

SHRM Webcasts  - Informative, entertaining and free to SHRM members.

Webcast information is available @ http://www.shrm.org/webcast.

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.

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