Greetings! Summer is finally here!

Thousands of SHRM members recently attended SHRM’s 62nd Annual Convention and Exposition held in beautiful San Diego, California June 27 – 30.  There were over 11,000 in attendance, representing the field of Human Resources from areas all over the world.  Keynote speakers included Steve Forbes, President and CEO of Forbes and Editor-in-Chief of Forbes magazine; former Vice President, Al Gore; Moderator (Harvard Business Review) Angelia Herrin; and New York Times best-selling author and visionary, Marcus Buckingham. 

The program was packed full of breakout sessions presented by an array of HR, business, and academic leaders who addressed a variety of topics focused on the unique and rapidly changing challenges currently affecting HR Professionals.    Presenters did an excellent job of keeping the program upbeat, fun and informative.  Attendees also enjoyed an evening of entertainment provided by world-famous duo Hall and Oats, and spent some “down-time” exploring the historic Gas Lamp District, Seaport Village, beautiful Coronado Island and the surrounding area. 

The conference qualifies for PHR, SPHR and GPHR recertification hours.  Next year’s Annual Convention and Exposition will be held in Las Vegas, Nevada June 26-29.  We hope you’ll save the date and join us in Vegas!

Congratulations to our Salem Student SHRM chapter for earning a Superior Merit Award for their efforts in 2009!

PHR/SPHR Study Group Opportunity

Have you applied to take the PHR/SPHR exam for the December 2010/January 2011 testing window?  Are you looking for an opportunity to network and study with others in the field who will be taking that next important step in their careers? 

Our Chapter conducts study groups for HR Professionals preparing to sit for the PHR and SPHR certification exams.  Study groups typically meet one night per week, for approximately 12 weeks.  Each week’s study session focuses on a particular area of HR knowledge, using the SHRM Learning System to guide participants through the process.  Sessions are led by HR Professionals with a good working knowledge and understanding of each of areas of focus the exam will be testing on.

If you are interested and want to learn more about a study group opportunity, please contact our Professional Development Director Jackie Allen at jallen@pclpartnership.org

New PHR/SPHR Exam Eligibility Requirements for 2011

Beginning with the May-June 2011 exam testing period, the exam eligibility requirements for the PHR, SPHR and GPHR will change. You may want to refer to the HRCI web site for details and answers to other questions you may have, but here are the new requirements, in a nutshell:

PHR Eligibility

• 1 year of demonstrated professional HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher
• 2 years of demonstrated professional HR experience with a Bachelor’s degree
• 4 years of demonstrated professional HR experience with less than a Bachelor’s degree

SPHR Eligibility

• 4 years of demonstrated professional HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher
• 5 years of demonstrated professional HR experience with a Bachelor’s degree
• 7 years of demonstrated professional HR experience with less than a Bachelor’s degree

GPHR Eligibility

• 2 years of demonstrated global professional HR experience with a Master’s degree or higher
• 3 years of demonstrated professional HR experience (with 2 of the 3 being global HR experience) with a Bachelor’s degree
• 4 years of demonstrated professional HR experience (with 2 of the 4 being global HR experience) with less than a Bachelor’s degree

Calling all Future Leaders
We are searching for up and coming leaders to serve on the 2011 Salem Chapter Board.  Getting involved is a great way to put your own personal stamp on the shaping of the future of Human Resources.  Plus, your volunteerism will earn re-certification credits for your PHR, SPHR or GPHR.  Serving on the board also provides opportunity to attend local conferences as a Salem Chapter Board Member.  If your company has cut back on their training budget, volunteering can be a way to get training at little cost to your organization.

If you are interested in talking about the possibility of being a SHRMA board member, please contact Shauneen Scott at (503)-373-1602 or Barbara Cecil at (503) 588 -0181, Ext. 3202.

Has your contact information changed?   

If you’ve moved, changed employers, or your email address has changed recently, please remember to let us know.  In order to continue receiving our meeting invitations and other notifications, your information must be current in our data base. 

Remember that your information must be kept current on both the SHRM National and our local SHRMA data bases.  Updating one does not automatically update the other, so please be sure that your contact information is current at both the National and local levels. 

Please contact our Membership Director Ellen Strickland stricklande@wcb.com should you need to update your contact information, or have questions in general regarding your membership with Salem SHRMA. 

The SHRM Member-Get-a-Member Campaign: Offer Ends July 31, 2010

Share your enthusiasm for SHRM! Help spread the word by referring your colleagues, business contacts and other HR professionals for membership and get rewarded.

Recruiting new members has never been easier. Simply share how you have benefited from your membership in SHRM and suggest that others visit www.shrm.org/infokit to learn more about membership and to join through this NEW Member Application form so we can track your referral. Or simply send an e-mail to colleagues you feel would benefit from a SHRM membership.

If they decide to apply for membership, they will need to include your name in the "Referred by" area in the membership application.
If they join, you get rewarded. And we keep track of your recruitment activity for you. It's that easy.

Past Programs

May 11 Breakfast Meeting

Administrative Law Judge David Gerstenfeld addressed attendees at our May 11 breakfast meeting, sharing some tricks of the trade for employers to use to make the most of unemployment insurance hearings, including what exhibits are most beneficial, claimant notification requirements and putting your best foot forward when providing testimony or preparing managers to provide testimony.

June 4 HR Basics

SHRMA held HR Basics training on June 4.  More than 60 attendees had a full-day crash course on employment law.  Presenters from Saalfeld Griggs and Cascade Employers Association spoke at the annual event about legal hiring practices, wage and hour laws, how to conduct workplace investigations, and other topics.  Attendees learned not only what the law is, but how to apply it in day-to-day settings.  If you are interested in learning more about attending HR Basics in the future, please contact Shelby Gould at (503) 370-6670 sgould@willamette.edu.

June 8 Breakfast Meeting

In June, Tim Joslin of SAIF Corporation, a Return-to-Work Consultant with SAIF, focused his presentation on helping employers better understand the components of a successful return to work program.

Future Programs

Please continue to let us know what you are interested in hearing about at upcoming meetings.  We work hard to provide speakers/topics that best serve our collective members’ needs, and we appreciate your input.  To add your ideas for future topics to our list to consider, please let us know what you’d like to hear more about.  You may email us directly at djeffries@hranswers.com, or complete an evaluation form at any of our meetings.  We have some exciting programs planned in the coming months, so watch your email for monthly invitations. 

We meet the second Tuesday of each month at 7:30 a.m. at the Best Western Mill Creek Inn.  A continental style breakfast is included in the cost of your registration.  First time visitors receive a free breakfast coupon, so please encourage others to attend as well. 

Follow this Events link or click on the Events tab on our home page to view a list of our upcoming events, as well as upcoming SHRM/NHRMA related events in general.

U.S. Moves to Improve Privacy of Health Records
The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services proposes a regulation to strengthen and expand enforcement of the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996 (HIPAA) Privacy, Security and Enforcement Rules.
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Criminal Records Deemphasized
A growing number of cities and counties are eliminating questions on job applications that ask about an individual's criminal record.
More

BP Oil Spill Becoming Personal
The disastrous BP oil spill has become personal for Jeff I. LeBlanc, SPHR, and other SHRM chapter officials and members in the Gulf Coast region.
More

USPS Gets a Shocking Citation
The U.S. Department of Labor has cited the entire United States Postal Service (USPS) for unsafe working conditions. The Labor Department is concerned about electrical safety violations at postal facilities around the country.
More

Risk-Taking Key to Innovation
Many organizations are hardwired to reduce risks and quarantine failures, but culture, timing and the ability to stretch boundaries and take risks are essential to innovation, experts advise.
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Aon Will Buy Hewitt Associates
Insurance broker Aon says it has agreed to buy human resources consulting and outsourcing company Hewitt Associates for $4.9 billion in cash and stock.
More

The following article is provided by our June breakfast meeting sponsor.  If you or your company is interested in sponsoring an upcoming Salem SHRMA meeting, please let us know.  For more information regarding the benefits of sponsorship, Click Here.

We’d like to thank the University of Phoenix for sponsoring our June 8, SHRMA breakfast meeting, and share the following information from them: 

Is continuing education one of your goals? Did you know that you have flexible options locally?

University of Phoenix is constantly innovating to help students balance education and life in a rapidly changing world. Through flexible schedules, challenging courses and interactive learning, students achieve personal and career aspirations without putting their lives on hold. As of November 30, 2009, 455,600 students were enrolled at University of Phoenix, the largest private university in North America. University of Phoenix serves a diverse student population, offering associate’s, bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degree programs from campuses and learning centers across the U.S. as well as online throughout the world.

Practitioner Faculty We bridge the gap between theory and practice by hiring faculty members who bring more than an advanced degree to the classroom. Faculty members are also working professionals who are encouraged to stay current in their professions and involved in academic and scholarly activities.

University of Phoenix strives to provide working adults with an unprecedented level of access to higher education. University of Phoenix degree programs are designed in collaboration with academic and industry professionals to ensure quality, relevance and rigor. Our curriculum is regularly updated to reflect the latest proven concepts, methods and practices. We are here to cater towards your individual needs with options for over 100 different degree programs.

Attend Online or one night per week at one of the five local Oregon campuses including Salem!  Programs levels include Associate, Bachelor, Master and Doctoral Degrees in various areas:

• Business –Accounting, Communications, Finance, Hospitality Management, Human Resource, Integrated Supply Chain and Operations Management, Management, Marketing, Global Business, Green & Sustainable Enterprise Management, Organizational Innovation, Public Administration, Retail Management, Small Business Management.
• Helping Professions –Criminal Justice Administration, Education, Health Administration, Human Services, Nursing (RN required), Psychology.

Let us help you map out a personalized education plan today!

Did you know that you can receive a complimentary Personalized Education Plan including:

• Complimentary Transcript Evaluation.
• Prior learning assessment options to see what credits could potentially transfer from prior work experience.
  
• An estimation of time and financial options to complete your program.
  
• Walk through your financial options which are available to you as a working adult, since you are considered a full time student there are many options through scholarships, government loans and grants or employer reimbursement. 

Many individuals think that there is a perfect time to continue their education.  However, the truth is life happens and now is the best time to at least figure out your personalized plan!

If you would like to look at different options, please visit us at: www.phoenix.edu/corp/bdrees

or contact Bryan Rees at the Salem Learning Center via email at bryan.rees@phoenix.edu or via phone at 503-385-2358.