Volume 10 Issue 2

February 2005

RVSHRM is an
Affiliate of

President's Message | Treasurer's Report | Announcements | Board Minutes
Members in the News | New Members & Changes
 

Monthly Program by Johna Campbell

February 2005 Program Tuesday, February 22, 2005 The Hotel Roanoke & Conference Center Registration: 11:30 a.m. Networking: 11:30 a.m. - Noon Lunch: Noon Program immediately following lunch. Understanding Virginia’s New Career Readiness Certificate By Dr. Barbara Bolin, Special Advisor to the Governor for Workforce Development Employers know that the costs of hiring, training, and retention significantly affect their bottom line. The cost of making a good hire is high; the cost of making a bad hire is even greater! Virginia’s Career Readiness Certificate was created to assist employers by certifying that a recipient possesses competency skills in Applied Mathematics, Reading for Information, and Locating Information that are required by more than 85% of all jobs in the country. The Career Readiness Certificate certifies that job seekers have the core employability skills required across multiple industries and occupations. It is a portable credential that promotes career development and skill attainment for the individual, and confirms to employers that an individual possesses basic workplace skills in reading, math, and locating information - skills that all jobs require. In today’s world, where jobs and capital are more mobile than at any other time in human history, this Certificate will facilitate job placement, retention and advancement in Virginia.  Please make reservations by utilizing the event reservation form or e-mailing Joyce Kessinger at jkessinger@boxley.com. Please include "RVSHRM RSVP" in the subject line. Registration Deadline is Wednesday, February 16th.

President's Message by Sarah Wilson

Welcome to the February edition of the Roanoke Valley RVSHRM Valley Views Newsletter. The RVSHRM started our new year of outstanding programming with one of our long time former members as speaker, Mr. Clint Morse of LeClair, Ryan, Flippin, Densmore Law Offices, entertaining us with a lively interactive discussion entitled, “Freedom of Expression in the Workplace”. This program focused on Section 7 of the National Labor Relations Act, which provides non-supervisory employees the right to self- expression in the workplace. I will admit to being stumped several times when questioned about incidents where employees where discharged for self-expression, and whether the employer did or did not have the right to discharge the employee. Again our thanks is extended to Mr. Morse for taking time out of his busy schedule to address our membership and we hope to see him again at future meetings. This meeting was approved for re-certifications credits, an addition to our programming that has increased the value of our luncheon meetings.  On Friday, January 28th, six members of our Board attended the State Leadership Conference in Charlottesville, VA. This meeting was hosted by the Virginia SHRM State Council and focused on “SHRM Volunteer Leadership for the Future” and was presented by Dorothy Hill, SPHR, Director of the Southeast Region. If you have not visited the State Council’s web site I encourage you to do so at www.shrmva.org.   At this meeting we were asked to remind our membership of the Virginia State Conference that is being held at the Cavalier Hotel in Virginia Beach, VA September 25-27, 2005. If you have not already registered please do so as rooms are limited at this point at the Cavalier Hotel. You can register online at www.hrshrm.org. There are some discounts available for students who agree to work at least 4 hours at the conference. And on that note let me remind you that planning has begun for the 2006 State Conference that we are hosting on October 11-13th2006 at Hotel Roanoke. Conference chairs are still open for Arrangements, Door Prizes, Programs, and Sponsorship. If you have an interest in either chairing or just working on these committees (as well as Exhibits, Publicity, and Registration) please either contact Dan Semones, Conference Chair or myself, and we will put you in touch with the appropriate person. It will take all of us working together to pull this conference off in 2006.  When the membership was surveyed in October several questions focused on what caused our members to join the RVSHRM, Networking, Need to be linked to the HR Community, and Professional Development made up 79% of the responses. All three of these objectives can be met by working on either one of our standing committees, and/or the State Conference committees. You will only get out of this organization, what you are willing to put in to it. Remember It Is Your Professional Organization, and Your Professional Development. Take the time to get involved.  See you at the February 22nd meeting ! Sarah L. Wilson, SPHR President

Treasurer's Report By Debbie Honaker

RVSHRM TREASURER'S REPORT FOR: January 2005 Balance as of December 30, 2004 $24,735.82 INCOME Monthly Meeting $20.00 Meeting Sponsor $160.00 TOTAL INCOME $180.00 BALANCE $24,915.82 EXPENSES Monthly Meeting $1,502.53 Merchant Bank Fees $46.30 TOTAL EXPENSES $1,548.83 Balances as of January 31, 2005 BALANCE OF CHECKING ACCOUNT $23,366.99 MONEY MARKET BALANCE $2,547.72 CERTIFICATE OF DEPOSIT BALANCE $11,920.79 BALANCE OF ALL RVSHRM ACCOUNTS $37,835.50

Board Meeting Minutes by Sandy Hamilton

Minutes from Board Meeting January 25, 2005 Hotel Roanoke – 10:45 a.m. – 11:30 a.m. The following Board members were in attendance: Sarah Wilson, Patti Dunbar, Donna Tatum, Sharon Bowers, Sandy Hamilton, Johna Campbell, Dan Oyler, Debbie Honaker, Joy Hanson, Joyce Kessinger, Matt Duffy, Barbara Phelps, Mike Leach, Charlotte Mason, Kathy Claytor, Beth Pinson, and Bruce Wood.  The meeting was called to order by Sarah Wilson, 2005 President. The November 30, 2004, Board minutes were approved as submitted. Sarah Wilson reported that our Charter has been received from SHRM. Mike Leach has reviewed the by-laws and recommended that two types of memberships be retained, Professional and Associate, and both types have voting rights. A motion was made and approved to retain these two types of memberships. Joyce Kessinger reported that Hotel Roanoke has raised luncheon rates to $14.37, inclusive. Suggestions were made to discontinue parking, raise prices for lunches and discontinue paying for guests as ways to offset the increase in rates. Johna Campbell suggested having exhibitors at each meeting to help offset the increase. A discussion was held as to the fee to charge for these exhibitors. Currently, the fee is $150. Discussion was also held regarding the chapter paying for first-time, potential member guests only or the chapter paying for the first meeting for new members. Mike Leach recommended monitoring trends for several months and reviewing the results at the March Board meeting. The matter was tabled until the March meeting. Johna Campbell suggested that a national speaker, Margaret Mumford, be hired as the speaker for the April 14th meeting. Ms. Mumford charges $2,500 plus an estimated travel expense of $1,500. This fee would be shared by the New River Valley SHRM and hopefully offset by a proposed $500 exhibitors’ fees. Johna has two exhibitors who have committed with a possibility of three more. This April 14th event would be held in lieu of the Spring Fling. The speaker would conduct approximately a two-hour program, credit would be offered for the ½ day event and $25 fee would be charged for attendees. The meeting would start at 1:00 p.m. and conclude with a social after 5:00 p.m. Martinsville and Lynchburg SHRM chapters would also be invited. The Greenfield Center was suggested as the venue. The topic for the meeting would be “Power Politics and Influence.” Time would need to be allowed for visits with the exhibitors. A discussion was held regarding charging exhibitors $150 for regular meetings and $300 for special meetings. Levels of sponsorship were also suggested. Donna Tatum was asked to research this matter and report back to the Board at the February meeting. Ben Bowman is arranging for the program in February and Express Personnel (Jack Smalley) will speak on “Employee Retention” for the March meeting. Hotel Roanoke cannot accommodate us in March. We will check with the Clarion and Wyndham. Joyce Kessinger will report her findings at the February Board meeting. Kathy Claytor introduced Jack Kennedy, a senior at Roanoke College and intern at Delta Dental. RVSHRM received a thank you note from Gail at Roanoke College for sponsoring the last Roanoke College Chapter meeting. There are now approximately seven chapter members at Roanoke College. Interest flyers will be placed at tables at today’s meeting for the purpose of members expressing interest in supporting the Roanoke College Chapter. RVSHRM has offered to pay the $35 dues for members of the Roanoke College Chapter but no interest has been expressed. Kathy asked that lunch be paid for chapter members at our next regular meeting. Mike Leach suggested that we sponsor a student chapter member at the April 14th meeting. Motion was made and approved for this sponsorship. Mike Leach announced that 101 members had signed up for 2005 RVSHRM membership. National membership information is being provided as the members sign up.  Sarah Wilson suggested that all Board members post their pictures on the website. Charlotte Mason announced that she and Sarah have completed the CAPS application, and we have enough points for the Superior Merit Award. Tracking information during the year is vital in completing the CAPS application. Dan Semones was unable to attend the meeting due to surgery. Sarah Wilson reported on the 2006 State SHRM Conference. We have a contract with Hotel Roanoke for October 11, 12 & 13, 2006. Sleeping rooms have been reserved for October 10th-13th. We have received a grant award of $3,150 from the VA Tech Center for Organizational Technological Advancement to cover hotel costs. The only stipulation for the grant is that they are listed as a sponsor in all of our conference materials. The status for the Conference Committees is as follows: Arrangement – Chair open Door Prize – Chair open Exhibits – Co-chairs Dan Oyler & Coy Renick Publicity – Donna Tatum Program – Chair Open Registration – Sharon Bowers Sponsorship – Chair Open Patti Dunbar presented the proposal for enhancing the website. A motion was made and approved to make the $2,670 available for the enhancement. New City Media will perform the enhancement. It was decided to revisit the posting of positions on the website (who can post positions as well as which positions should be posted) Dan Oyler suggested that a fee for non-HR positions be considered.  Donna Tatum announced that Job Market Magazine (Tracey Booth and Alicia Lovern) are interested in talking with HR professionals willing to do presentations on their experiences. This will be discussed again at the February meeting. The Blue Ridge Journal will feature a press release in the May issue. We are also submitting press releases to the Chamber and Salem Times Register. A tri-fold brochure is being worked on.  A discussion was held regarding donations to the Foundation. A suggestion was made to solicit donations from private sources. Our chapter makes an annual $250 donation.  Beth Pinson announced seven to ten opportunities exist to teach JA. She is also looking for donations to JA and recommended that our chapter consider a donation. It was decided that an e-mail would be sent to all Board members to approve a $500 donation to JA.  Sarah Wilson announced that she would be in touch with attendees for the State Council meeting on Friday, January 28th, to determine time (7:00 a.m.) and place to meet. There being no further business, the meeting was adjourned. Respectfully Submitted, Sandy Hamilton, Secretary

Announcements

Investing in your Future as an HR Leader In 2003, the SHRM Foundation invested more than $400,000 directly in research, education and publications. Of which included, HR-related research, supported education such as HR Role Models DVD, the SHRM Masters Series and the collegiate HR games. The Foundation offers Area Scholarships for HR professionals pursuing certification or college degrees. It also supports SHRM Foundation publications such as The Federal Wage & Hour Laws and Making Mergers Work. The Foundation depends upon annual contributions like yours to build its endowment and fund important research, and educational projects. When you make an individual contribution to the SHRM Foundation, you support your profession and invest in your own career.  How much should you give? The amount you contribute will be up to you. Your gift is tax-deductible. As you know, we have been selling raffle tickets for a 50/50 drawing at our monthly meetings. We appreciate your contribution and will continue to offer this type of participation. We will be making more available, our SHRM Foundation brochures which you may complete and mail in with your contribution. Your gift is an ideal way to give back to your profession, help others, and to feel good about yourself. For more information on the SHRM Foundation, please write to Sandi Peyton, speyton@shrm.org, Foundation administrator or go to the Foundation web site at http://www..shrm.org/foundation/about.asp  Write in Support of Medical Leave Clarifications to the FMLA  Background Since the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) was enacted in 1993, the FMLA has made a significant contribution by providing a supportive environment for employees and their families in a time of need. On the other hand, employers, employees, and the courts have raised questions concerning the consistency with which the regulations were drafted and applied in comparison to the original statute.  According to the U.S. Department of Labor’s (DOL) regulatory agenda, proposed regulations to clarify issues raised in the Supreme Court decision in Ragsdale v. Wolverine Worldwide Inc. as well as other court rulings could appear in the Federal Register as early as March 2005. In Ragsdale the Supreme Court held that the DOL regulation’s penalty provision—the part that automatically grants employees additional leave if employers fail to designate time off as FMLA leave—was invalid.  SHRM continues to underscore to the DOL and Congress that clarification is needed with Ragsdale and the regulatory interpretations of what constitutes a “serious health condition” and “intermittent leave.” The original statute defined these terms as:  Serious health condition—an illness, injury, or physical or mental condition that involves inpatient care or continuing treatment by a health care provider. Intermittent Leave—leave that is taken in less than full-day increments when medically necessary.  DOL regulations defining these terms have expanded the scope of the Act, e.g., absences of three days or more and a doctor’s visit are now covered as a serious health condition. In addition, leave must also be provided to employees in the smallest time increments that employers are able to track (6 to 10 minutes) in their payroll systems. Clarifying provisions relative to the original intent of the FMLA will help reduce problems experienced by organizations that administer the Act’s requirements and provide leave to those who truly need it.  Action Needed This is your opportunity to write your elected officials to support clarifying the FMLA prior to issuance of proposed DOL regulations. It is important that SHRM members provide their professional experiences with regard to the FMLA, in particularly the medical leave provisions of the regulations.  Write Today through HRVoice  1. Log onto SHRM Online and go to the HRVoice homepage by clicking here.  2. Sign in using your member number and last name  3. Click on the “Governmental Affairs” tab on the left side of your screen.  4. Chose the "HRVoice" option under the tab.  5. Click on “Write Your Elected Officials!”  6. Click on “Medical Leave Clarifications to the FMLA” below the “Take Immediate Action on These Hot Issues” bar.  Personalize Your Letter: SHRM members can click inside the body of the SAMPLE letter (provided on the HRVoice website) and insert their personal FMLA anecdote(s).  Workforce Readiness Update Thank you on behalf of Junior Achievement to the RVSHRM Board and our chapter for agreeing to donate $500.00 to Junior Achievement.  Laura Elliott with Junior Achievement had this to say, “Wow Beth! That is fantastic!” Another JA Board Member said, “Thanks for championing the cause of JA within SHRM. Our kids win.” Laura recently shared the following needs JA has in the Roanoke Area: We are looking for volunteers at Flemming and PH.  • There is a Health Assistant I class at both schools,  • Cosmetology class at Fleming,  • An Automotive class at both schools • 2 Business and Marketing classes at PHHS.  If there are people in SHRM working in these types of businesses it would be fantastic, however it isn't totally necessary. If you are interested in participating please contact: Volunteer Coordinator/Pam Flood Junior Achievement of Southwest Virginia, Inc. 3433 Brambleton Ave., Suite 202B Roanoke, VA 24018 (540)989-6392 ja@rev.net The “Success Skills/Work Ethic Program” will be brought to the attention of the Roanoke County High School Principals in their next meeting. We are working with the Roanoke County Coordinator of Guidance and Counseling Services on this initiative. If you would like to help on the Workforce Readiness Committee, please contact Beth Pinson at 540. 989.3562 or beth.pinson@adeccousa.com. Beth Pinson Member Birthdays The Board thought it might be a nice idea to list member birthdays each month in the newsletter. If you see that it's a friend's birthday, feel free to send a card, make a phone call, or even bake a cake for that person! In order to start the birthday list idea, we need for all members to update their member profiles on the web site. Click here to go to the "Update Your Member Record" section of the site. Your log-in is the first initial of your first name and your whole last name. The password is rvshrm. Click "Edit My Info" and your profile will pop up. Scroll down to enter your birth month and day. And, please check the accuracy of your other information as well. If you have any questions, feel free to contact Joy Hanson, Newsletter Editor, at jhanson@rkeauthority.org or 983-9216. Thank you. Time to renew your membership in RVSHRM! We were proud to count you as one of the Chapter's 278 members in 2004 and look forward to your active involvement in 2005. With your help, we can continue to find tangible, effective ways to support the professional growth of persons like you who are pursuing human resource careers in the Valley. For your convenience, we have mailed to you a Membership Renewal Invoice. You may return the Invoice to the Chapter's post office box with your check or, if you prefer, renew your membership through the Chapter's web site using a credit card. However you choose to respond, do so soon. We don't want you to miss a single benefit of Chapter membership. (Remember to include your SHRM Membership Number and SHRM Membership Expiration Date. RVSHRM is a "100%" chapter-all RVSHRM members must also be current members of SHRM.) Questions? If so, feel free to contact Mike Leach at mleach@advanceautoparts.com. The Roanoke Chapter Sponsors Memberships In 2004, the Roanoke Chapter will sponsor memberships for several HR Professionals whose employers do not fund their National and Local SHRM memberships. Through these one-year memberships, the Chapter hopes to better serve the community and to reach persons engaged daily in the field of HR who may not currently be participating in the either organization.  Recipients of the Chapter-sponsored memberships will be expected to pay their own fees for the Chapter’s monthly luncheons and other events. They will not be identified to Chapter members as recipients of sponsored memberships. Persons interested in applying for the one-year membership should submit the following items as soon as possible: · Letter of interest, describing their current position and the   benefits they hope to receive from National and Local   SHRM membership · Resume  · Letter of recommendation from their employer that includes   confirmation their memberships will not be employer-paid. If you’re interested, please contact Barbara Phelps, Matt Duffy, or Debra Lovelace. Funds available for this new program are limited, so you are encouraged to act promptly to ensure your request is fully considered.

Diversity Corner

February 2005 The month of February has several events of note to some religious and ethnic groups. February 8: Nirvana Day. In the Northern Buddhist tradition, this is the anniversary of Buddha’s passing away. In the Southern tradition, the Buddha’s death is commemorated during Vaisakhi (in April) February 9: Chinese and Vietnamese New Year. This is the year of the Rooster. February 9: Ash Wednesday/Lent Begins. The use of ashes signifies penance. February 10: Al-Hijra: The Islamic remembrance of the migration of Mohammed and followers to Medina. Source: The National Conference For Community and Justice calendar of Holidays and Festivals 2005.

Members in the News

Members—Please help us highlight Chapter members who have something to celebrate. If you have information on yourself or others you’d like to share, let us know. Job changes, awards, achievements, family additions, unique experiences . . . we’re interested in all of them. Contact Mike Leach at mleach@advanceautoparts.com or (540) 561-6899.

New & Returning Members & Changes

How about a date? That is, an update of your Member Profile! Your fellow members in RVSHRM use the member information at RVSHRM.org daily to locate names, addresses, phone numbers and e-mail addresses. Is the information posted on you correct? Does it correctly reflect your name, title, employer, mailing address, phone numbers and e-mail address? Is the picture listed with your name a picture of you? Checking your Member Profile takes only about a minute. Adding or correcting information takes but a moment more. Here’s how to do it: To check your Member Profile Click on “Members Only Enter Here” Click on “Update Your Membership Record” Enter your login and password • Your login is your first initial and last name. For example,   “jsmith” for John Smith. • Your password is “rvshrm”. • Enter your first name or your last name in the “Search” box • Click on your name (there may be several persons with   the same first or last name) • Check the accuracy of the information displayed To update your Member Profile • Click on “Edit My Information” • Revise any outdated information • Click on the “Update” icon at bottom of page   (don’t forget this step!) That’s all there is to it. You can repeat the process as often as necessary to keep your Member Profile accurate. Still unsure you want to try it? Give Mike Leach, Chair of the Membership Committee a call and he’ll walk you through the process, or send him an e-mail with the correct information and he’ll update your Member Profile for you. You can reach Mike at (540) 561-6899 and mleach@advanceautoparts.com