Agenda & Registration Forms Are Available At

March 2012 Newsletter

BOARD MEMBERS RRHRPA Members: I hope this month’s newsletter finds you well and you’ve been able to get out of the office and President enjoy this unbelievably beautiful weather that we’ve been experiencing in March. Who would Rachel Untz, PHR have thought that summer temperatures would find us 3 months early? I’m not complaining, Nippon Sharyo but curious to see what the summer is going to bring since we’ve hit 80 degrees in March… Manufacturing, LLC This month during my research, or interactions I’ve come across just a few different pieces of information that I thought might be interesting to share with you:

President-Elect 1. Organizational Assessments to Build Organizational Culture - as an extension of last Anne Noble month’s newsletter article about understanding your organizational culture and presenting KSB Hospital the idea of conducting cultural audits to see if your understand/perception is in-line with Secretary the rest of the organization, I’ve been reviewing the current assessments that are available. Susan Swegle, SPHR The ones that come to mind are Myers-Briggs Type Indicator, DiSC Profile and a new Jack Mabley Developmental assessment called StrengthsFinder. Just thought I would share in the event that you were Center interested in assessing your organization, or building on communication within your organization. There are organizational that will administer and conduct this Treasurer training/assessment for your organization. One organization that does this is The Dianne Frye Management Association of Illinois. To find out more information about their training Dixon Public Schools capabilities and services you can visit their website at: http://www.hrsource.org

Education Chair 2. National Labor Relations Board Poster - has a new posting date requirement of April Kathryn Snow, SPHR 30, 2012. You can visit the following website to print off the poster: SVCC https://www.nlrb.gov/poster You will see that the poster is available in many languages and it is required to be printed on 11X17 paper to be compliant. The site also states, “The Certification Chair notice should be posted in a conspicuous place, where other notifications of workplace Kendra Hull, PHR rights and employer rules and policies are posted. Employers also should publish a link to Sinnissippi Centers the notice on an internal or external website if other personnel policies or workplace notices are posted there.” I would recommend reviewing with your management team Diversity Chair and/or legal counsel to determine what’s right for your organization in regards to this Carol Fitzgerald poster and timing of posting. YWCA of the Sauk Valley 3. Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) On-line Advisor Updated

Legislative Chair Online Advisor Offers Updated Information on Family and Medical Leave Act Doug Lee The U.S. Department of Labor recently released an updated version of its Family and Ehrmann, Gelbach, Medical Leave Act (FMLA) Advisor. This online resource helps clarify which employers Badger & Lee are required to provide FMLA leave as well as which employees are eligible to take such leave. In addition, it outlines valid reasons for leave and employer and employee notice Membership Chair requirements and other responsibilities under the law. Amber Olson Dixon Direct The FMLA is a Federal law that entitles eligible employees of covered employers to take unpaid, job-protected leave for specified reasons with continuation of group health Program Co-Chairs insurance coverage under the same terms and conditions as if they had not taken leave. Sally Hanrahan Examples of specified reasons include caring for a newborn or recently adopted child or a and family member with a serious health condition, or an employee’s own serious health Mike Winters condition. Best, Inc. The FMLA Advisor is one of a series of elaws (Employment Laws Assistance for Workers Workplace Readiness and Small Businesses) Advisors developed by DOL to help employers and employees Jeanne DuPuy understand federal employment laws and resources. To access it, visit the elaws Web site SVCC at www.dol.gov/elaws. To learn more about DOL’s efforts to protect and enhance the welfare of the nation’s workforce, visit www.dol.gov/whd. Past President Lisa Taylor, SPHR Halo 4. Heartland Health Care Coalition - 11th Annual Health Care Conference will be held on Friday, April 27th, 2012 at the Marriott Hotel & Conference Center in Normal, IL. The theme of this year’s conference is "A Closer Look at Value-Based Benefit Design" with excellent national speakers coming in to address this topic.

The conference has been approved for 3.25 credit hours toward General recertification credit hours toward PHR, SPHR, & GPHR recertification through the HR Certification Institute. Agenda & Registration forms are available at: http://www.hhco.org/programs-and-events

5. Talent Anarchy Published Book entitled Social Gravity: Harnessing the Natural Laws of Relationships. The book is being sold at their speaking engagements and can be purchased off their website at: http://talentanarchy.com

6. IL SHRM Legislative Conference and Advocacy will be held on March 27, 2012 in Springfield, IL. To get more information or to register go to: http://ilshrm.org/content.php?page=ILSHRM_Legislative_Conference

Also, if anyone would be interested in carpooling to the conference please send a message to the group to coordinate.

Hope you have a great rest of March, enjoy the weather and we look forward to seeing you at our March 27, 2012 Chapter Meeting, or in Springfield at the Legislative Conference and Advocacy Day.

Rachel Untz, PHR, President MEMBERSHIP

Please remember that annual dues are paid at the beginning of each year. Professional and Associate dues are $30 per individual. The membership application should be sent with your dues so we can be certain the information we have is current. It can be found on our website at www.rrhrpa.shrm.org; on the home page, click the “Become a Chapter Member” box on the right hand side of the page. MEMBER SPOTLIGHT

The March Membership Spotlight is on Amber Temple.

Amber Temple is the Director of Human Recourses for American Health Enterprises/ Winning Wheels and the Executive Director for White Oaks Therapeutic Equestrian Center. White Oaks Therapeutic Equestrian Center (WHOA) offers therapeutic horseback riding and animal-assisted activities as well as other related services for children and adults with disabilities. WHOA is located in Lyndon. Winning Wheels is an organization that helps individuals decrease dependency on institutional care through the provision of rehabilitation services, which foster the development of skills designed to train and assist the individual to live as independently as possible. The Winning Wheels continuum of care is made up of highly trained professionals from a variety of clinical disciplines. Each specialist contributes a detailed evaluation that serves as a building block in the development of a comprehensive, individualized treatment plan. Winning Wheels employs 110 people and is located in Prophetstown.

In Amber’s free time she enjoys reading, spending time with her family and Riding Horses.

Amber Olson, Membership Chair TREASURER’S REPORT Previous Checking Balance $1,004.83 Previous Savings Balance $2,139.02

Deposits 3/12/12 Membership dues $330.00 3/12/12 Deposit (IL SHRM Support) $2,300.00 Deposit Total $2,630.00

Payments 2/9/12 Deluxe Checks (EFT Payment) for $49.42 check order

Payment Total $49.42

Total Checking Balance $3,585.41 Current Savings Balance $2,139.42 Total Cash Balance $5,724.83 Dianne Frye, Treasurer

LEGISLATIVE On March 2, 2012, a federal district court ruled that the National Labor Relations Board can require most private employers to post a notification of employee rights under federal labor law. The NLRB therefore can begin enforcing the notice requirement on April 30, 2012.

The NLRB’s rule requires employers to post an 11 x 17 notice describing employees’ labor law rights in all places where notices to employees usually are published and to publish the notice on an intranet or Internet site if the employer uses the Internet or an intranet to communicate with employees about employment rules and policies.

The rule applies to almost all private employers. There is no minimum number of employees necessary for an employer to be subject to the rule. Instead, whether an employer is subject to the rule depends on the amount of goods sold or services provided by the employer out of state or purchased by the employer from out of state. The NLRB generally asserts jurisdiction if either amount – directly or indirectly (such as through a supplier) – is at least $50,000.

The notice can be downloaded from the NLRB’s website at www.nlrb.gov/poster.

Doug Lee, Legislative Chair

DIVERSITY During Women’s History Month, it’s worth noting the impact of one woman on today’s workplaces. Frances Perkins, born in 1880, served Franklin Roosevelt as Secretary of Labor and was the first woman appointed as a Cabinet officer.

Perkins studied chemistry, physics, and political science, and her early career was in teaching and social work. She also became an active advocate for change and, in 1910, rose to prominence has head of the New York Consumers League, where she advocated for better working conditions and hours. She witnessed the tragic 1911 Triangle Shirtwaist Factory fire, where 148 workers died, some of them because managers had locked the doors to the stairwells and exits – a common practice at the time to prevent pilferage and unauthorized breaks. Many of the workers who could not escape the burning building jumped from the eighth, ninth, and tenth floors to the streets below.

In 1929, FDR appointed Perkins to serve as New York Industrial Commissioner, where she tackled issues of minimum wage, work hours, and unemployment insurance.

As Secretary of Labor from 1933-1945, Perkins created many features of the New Deal, including the National Industrial Recovery Act. She worked for child labor legislation, created the Social Security system, established the Fair Labor Standards Act, and set up governmental policies around labor unions.

Thanks to this one innovative and hard-working woman, we all experience safer, fairer, and more positive workplaces, along with better opportunities for retirement!

Carol Fitzgerald, Diversity Chair

NEXT MEETING March 27, 2012, 12:00 noon Sauk Valley Community College, Room 2K2 Alan Kinsey from Inquire Hire, "Top 10 Background Check Mistakes" HRCI recertification credits have been applied for.

PLEASE NOTE THE SVCC CAFETERIA WILL BE CLOSED 3/27/12. PLEASE PLAN ACCORDINGLY FOR LUNCH.

Upcoming Chapter Meetings Upcoming Board Meetings April 24 - Protecting Your Business while 3/27/12 11:30am Using Social Media; Lisa A. Dreishmire SVCC, Rm 2K2 Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C. 5/22/12 11:30am SVCC, Rm 2K2

UPCOMING PROGRAMS Our April Program Social media--such as blogs and other web sites, LinkedIn and Plaxo, Facebook, MySpace and Foursquare, Twitter, text or instant messaging and email--can serve as both friend and foe in the world of human resources. Knowing the law related to the intersection between social media and legally compliant labor and employment practices is crucial to the success and survival of your business. Similarly, understanding the various types of social media, coupled with the nature of the risks they present, will assist you in minimizing or avoiding the serious risks they present to any business.

During our April presentation, by Lisa A. Dreishmire, of the law firm, Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak and Stewart, we will discuss concrete solutions to mitigate against the risks social media poses to employers. Moreover, we will engage in an in-depth discussion of the National Labor Relations Board's recent decisions in the social media context, which touch on areas such as employer policies, discharge and discipline decisions related to use of social media, failure to bargain concerning terms and conditions of employment related to social media and union communications in the social media realm. This presentation goes beyond a simple discussion of NLRB decisions, however—it also includes a detailed analysis of what those decisions may mean for your business, in order to assist you in formulating a social media strategy designed to comply with the National Labor Relations Act. In short, this interactive presentation will cover all of the up-to-date information and practical advice you need to navigate the social media minefield, and you simply cannot afford to miss it!

And, as always, if there are topics or specific presenters you are interested in or feel would be valuable to others in the chapter, please let us know by calling 815-288-1260, emailing your suggestions to [email protected] or talk to us at the meeting. Sally Hanrahan and Mike Winters, Program Co-Chairs WORKFORCE READINESS WorkKeys ® Assessment

WorkKeys, developed by ACT, is the gold standard in workplace assessment used by thousands of companies throughout the world. Workers that can demonstrate higher job skills have access to higher- paying jobs.

The WorkKeys® Assessment System is a comprehensive system for measuring, communicating and improving the common skills required for success in the workplace. It allows these skills to be quantitatively assessed in both individual persons and in actual jobs. Therefore, the WorkKeys System can allow you to identify individuals who have the basic skills required to be successful in a given position or career. When properly used, businesses can make hiring and promotion decisions based on WorkKeys with confidence and security.

Workkeys also offers three soft skills assessments. They are Fit, Performance, and Talent.

 The Fit Assessment matches individual interests and values to the work environment. This assessment measures an individual's interests and values, providing information that can help determine how well a candidate matches up with occupations in an organization.

 The online prescreening integrity test flags a tendency toward unsafe work behaviors and attitudes toward work. It measures general work performance such as prevalence of theft, absenteeism, and resilience to work-related stress. It also screens for unsafe work behaviors such as working under the influence of alcohol/drugs, outbursts of physical or verbal aggression, and risky behavior that may lead to work-related accidents.

 The WorkKeys Talent Assessment is a selection and employee-development tool that measures a candidate's work-related attitudes and behaviors.

National Career Readiness Certificate

The idea of Career Readiness Certificates (CRC) has become popular nationwide as a system for certifying the basic skills necessary for success in typical jobs. A Certificate gives specific information about a person's ability to perform common tasks that all employers require. Over 35 states have or are in the process of implementing programs affiliated with ACT's National Career Readiness Certificate (NCRC) or at least using the same model based on ACT's WorkKeys® assessments.

The National Career Readiness Certificate is composed of three WorkKeys assessments that measure skills critical to on-the-job success. The tests are: Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Locating Information. Examinees must score at least a Level 3 on all three tests to be awarded a certificate.

The certificate is awarded at four levels based on performance on the assessments. Platinum – skills for 99% of the jobs in ACT’s database of occupational profiles. Gold – skills for 90% of the jobs in the database. Silver – skills for 65%. Bronze – skills for 35% of the jobs in the ACT database.

The National Career Readiness Certificate is an ideal tool for ensuring that individuals have the essential skills they need for the workplace today.