HRAConnection

Your Foundation at Work: HR Student Scholarships

Each year, the SHRM Foundation provides $13,000 to support the development of future HR leaders through national student awards and scholarships. The Leonard R. Brice, SPHR, Undergraduate Leader Scholarship and the SHRM Foundation Graduate Student Leader Scholarship, presented each June, are designed to recognize and encourage the development of leadership skills in students preparing to enter the HR profession. The SHRM Foundation Student Scholarships, awarded in the fall, recognize outstanding academic achievement. In recognition of the important work of SHRM chapter advisors to the student membership program, the Foundation also sponsors the annual Advisor of the Year Award. For more information on Foundation sponsored awards & scholarships, visit www.shrm.org/foundation.

The SHRM Foundation: 40 Years of Advancing the HR Profession

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Certification Committee - New PHR's and SPHR's

Submitted by Jennifer Lange

Please congratulate the following participants of HRACI’s PHR/SPHR Exam Preparation Class who earned their prestigious PHR (Professional in Human Resources) and SPHR (Senior Professional in Human Resources) certifications between May and June 2007:

Amy Roetgerman, PHR
Ana Zabala, PHR
Bridget Kuzma, PHR
Dawn Sutton, SPHR
Debbie Fields, PHR
Dee Prater, SPHR
George Hanlin, PHR
Javier Contreras, SPHR
Jeff Wolting, PHR
Jenny Windsor, PHR
Katie Reed, SPHR
Kerrie Lafky, SPHR
Kim Dennis, PHR
Laura Miller, PHR
Megan Bryant, PHR
Michelle Schmidt, SPHR
Sarah Blanchard, PHR
Stephanie Railing, PHR
Tammy Gossman, PHR

The certification, awarded by the Human Resource Certification Institute (HRCI), signifies that the above mentioned individuals possess the theoretical knowledge and practical experience in human resource management necessary to pass a rigorous examination demonstrating a mastery of the body of knowledge in the human resource field.

The HRCI is the credentialing organization for human resource professionals and is an affiliate of the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM), the world's largest organization dedicated exclusively to the human resource profession. The Institute's purpose is to promote the establishment of professional standards and to recognize professionals who meet those standards.

If you are interested sitting for the PHR/SPHR exam in December 2007/January 2008 — go to www.hrci.org to confirm you are eligible to sit for an exam, learn more about the exams, and get registered!

If you are interested in participating in HRACI’s Fall 2007 PHR/SPHR Preparation Class — look for information on HRACI’s website in early August where you’ll be able learn more and register online. The Fall 2007 classes will probably start sometime in mid September and the deadline to register for these classes will be September 7, 2007 OR when we have 25 registered/confirmed students (whichever comes first). If you have any questions/concerns about HRACI’s Prep Class, please contact HRACI’s Director of Certification, Jennifer Lange, at jennifer.lange@oldnational.com or call 317-706-9531.

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July Meeting

What’s Your Plan “B” –Developing a Business Continuity Plan
Panel Discussion

This hot topic will be addressed by Community Hospital, Sommer Barnard, and the Health Department. Community Hospital will share how they address violence in the workplace, Becky Petersen of Sommer Barnard will talk about disaster recovery following last year's downtown tornado hitting their building, and the Health department will talk about contagious illnesses in the work place. Following their presentations, you will be invited to ask the Panel questions.

Click Here to Register Now!

Date:	Thursday, July 19, 2007
Topic:	What’s Your Plan “B” – Developing a Business Continuity Plan Panel Discussion
Agenda	10:30 a.m. Registration & Networking 11:00 a.m. Lunch 11:45 a.m. Program 1:15 p.m. Adjournment
Location:	Holiday Inn North at the Pyramids 3850 DePauw Blvd Indianapolis, IN 46268
Program Cost:	Members $25 Guests $35 Student $15
Click Here to Register Now!

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HRACI Volunteer Opportunities and Information

Committee in Need – Membership Committee

Committee Initiatives/Responsibilities:
The primary responsibility of the Membership Committee is to recruit new members by providing an atmosphere of learning and growth together in our profession. We are also responsible for the retention of members and seeking feedback from individuals who do not renew their membership to see where we, as an organization, can improve to provide individuals with value for their membership.

Committee Goals:
Maintain Mega Chapter status – over 1000 members strong at all times. We are in the process of initiating an HRACI Ambassador program to connect our members (new and existing) with other HR professionals to help answer questions when they arise, introduce them to others so they can attain a sense of belonging and feel welcomed into the organization.

To keep the efforts going Membership is in need of additional volunteers to continue with their current initiatives and plan and implement new ones.

Committee in Need - Recruitment & Retention (EMA)

EMA is in need of an At-Large individual and other volunteers to help with the program organization and facilitation.

Committee Initiatives/Responsibilities:
The primary responsibility of the Recruiting and Retention forum (formally EMA) is to provide additional learning, resources and networking events for those involved in this critical part of Human Resources.

Committee Goals:
One of the goals of this committee is to keep the momentum and continue to get the word out about the group. We also will target new sponsors so we can bring cutting edge topics geared towards recruitment and retention to the Indianapolis market.

If you are interested in learning more about Recruitment & Retention or any other committees a link to the HRACI Volunteer Form can be found below please complete and submit or contact Tami Murphy, Director of Volunteer Management at 317-469-4141 or tami@temporaryavenue.com.

Volunteer Form:
http://www.hraci.com/HRACIvolunteerform2007.htm

Volunteer Recognition

Committee Recognized - College & Community Relations

Member Recognized -Cindy Wenz
Cindy does a fantastic job handling our scholarship program. She spends time communicating with several area colleges and universities to promote the scholarship program. She recently recommended the addition of 2 local colleges to the eligibility list, which was ratified by the board. She also spends ample time reviewing the applications and ensuring they meet the criteria for proper submission. It’s not a glamorous role but Cindy tackles it with a great attitude and a willingness to help. Submitted by Scott Kincaid

Please email or fax back to Tami Murphy at tami@temporaryavenue.com or 469-4140. Response needed by 25th of the month prior to your designated month.

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Diversity Committee

Submitted by Erin Brothers
Created by “Susan Van Hoosen, SCHEETZ Relocation”

How well do you know “Cultural Indy” Quiz

1. What is the population of the Indianapolis Metropolitan Area (MSA)?

2. How many performing arts theatres do we have? How many museums do
we have?

3. Companies have access to a highly educated, qualified labor pool thanks to how many accredited colleges and universities in central Indiana?

4. Ethnically speaking, what community/city has the highest diversity rate?

5. Approximately how many people live in Downtown Indianapolis?

6. When recruiting an employee, or answering an inquiry on how culturally diverse Indy is, what is a great website to direct people to?

Answers at the bottom of newsletter

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HR Legislative Issues Updates

Managing pay during FMLA leave: the latest word from the 7th Circuit

Employers who are covered by the Family and Medical Leave Act (“FMLA”) have traditionally struggled in determining how to handle the interaction of leave taken under the FMLA and paying for any of the leave time taken based on other laws or employee benefits. Although the FMLA requires employers to provide up to 12 weeks of leave to an otherwise eligible employee, that leave does not have to be paid. As a result, most employers provide unpaid FMLA. That being said, there are many instances in which employees are paid a portion of their wages during their leave, not because the employer provides paid FMLA, but because of other sources of pay. These sources of pay may include disability benefits, workers compensation, sick time, vacation time, and other similar paid time off benefits provided by employers.

The FMLA says that an “employee may elect, or an employer may require the employee, to substitute any of the accrued paid vacation leave, personal leave, or family leave of the employee for leave provided.” 29 U.S.C. §2612(c). This statute is specifically limited by a regulation, 29 C.F.R. §825.207(d)(1), which explains that leave taken pursuant to a temporary disability benefit plan is not unpaid, and therefore the above statute concerning substitution of paid leave is inapplicable. The regulation does allow the employer to designate the time during which an employee is receiving disability benefits as FMLA leave so that the FMLA leave entitlement and disability pay under a benefit plan run concurrently. Another subsection of the regulation also explains that since workers compensation is similarly not unpaid leave, the provision regarding substitution of paid time off is also inapplicable to time during which an employee is receiving workers compensation. 29 C.F.R. §825.207(d)(2).

Until recently, there was some speculation about whether the above limitation concerning disability benefits and the substitution of paid leave only applied to maternity leave, as only that form of leave was specifically mentioned in §825.207(d)(1). In addition to this speculation, many employers have not been paying attention to this provision in handling the interplay of FMLA leave, disability benefits, and paid leave policies.

The Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals eliminated any speculation and brought this issue to the forefront of employers’ minds in the recent case of Repa v. Roadway Express, Inc., 477 F.3d 938 (7th Cir. 2007), in which it held that the above regulation, 29 C.F.R. §825.207(d)(1), applies to the receipt of disability benefits regardless of whether those benefits are being paid due to the birth of a child or some other reason.

The Repa decision serves as a good reminder for employers that FMLA and its interaction with other laws and other benefits provided by employers is a complicated web which warrants employers’ attention.

Submitted by Amy Adolay, Employment Attorney at Krieg DeVault

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Special Interest Groups (SIGs)

As a Member of the HRACI you are welcome to attend the SIG’s meetings, too! For the Employment Management Association (EMA) of Indiana, please visit URL: http://www.emaindiana.org/events.asp.

The Consultants Forum is another SIG of the HRACI. Please visit URL: www.hraci.com/index.htm for the next event!

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Welcome New Members

Teresa Voors
Mary Johnson
Eddie Journey
Suzie Lockhart
Robyn Stapleton
Laura Ewert
Chelsea DuKate
Jim Balder
Nicole Vernon-Goldman
Kimberly Hollan
Joseph Boone
Sherry Harvel
Donald Grant
Amy Wright
Sam Wright
Renaye Frazier
Daphne Norris
Lauriale Easley

Answers to “Cultural Indy” Quiz:

1. 1.6 million
2. 20 and 39
3. 24
4. Carmel
5. 20,000
6. www.culturalindy.com

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