HR Matters

Doesn't Everyone Want to Visit Austin?

The Austin Human Resource Management Association, (AHRMA), cordially invites all Texas SHRM Chapter Members to any/all of our 2015 Meetings. AHRMA offers all day programming options with up to 5.5 hours of programming each month. AHRMA meetings offer an opportunity to earn HRCI credit and network with a wide variety of HR Professionals. Visitors are always welcome in Austin, and we hope you will stop in and see us in 2015!

  

 

Dallas HR Educational Opportunities

2015 Federal Legislative, Regulatory & Enforcement Update: What HR & Benefits Leaders Should Expect & Do Now | Tuesday, Jan. 13
January Monthly Luncheon
Speaker: Cynthia Marcot Stamer, JD
Approved for 1.0 HR (General) HRCI recertification credit hour

While November election victories gave Republicans a narrow majority in both the House and Senate, the new Republican Majority may face significant challenges delivering on their promises to move quickly to enact more business-friendly health care, guest worker, tax and other key reforms Republicans say will boost the employment and the economy.
 
Democrat leaders say they plan to work with the new majority. President Barack Obama already is threatening to use vetoes, regulations and executive orders to block Republicans from obstructing or rolling back his pro-labor policy and enforcement agenda. When the new Congress takes office, the narrowness of the Republican Majority in the Senate means Republicans can’t block a Democratic filibuster or override a Presidential veto without recruiting some Democratic support.
 
Cynthia Marcote Stamer will discuss and share insights and predictions on the legislative, regulatory and enforcement agendas that HR and benefit professionals and other business leaders need to plan for and watch in 2015.

Reset the Clock: Replace Liability with Credibility | Jan. 21-22
Speaker: Mike Mirarchi, JD
Submitted for Approval for 14.0 HRCI Recertification Credit Hours (7 hours per day) 

Even if you win an employment-related lawsuit, you lose! The cost and loss to your employer – not just in legal fees but in management time, employee morale and public relations – can be significant. As a human resources professional, you are in a unique position to help your organization avoid these problems. This fast-paced, highly interactive program provides situation-specific advice for handling the significant HR challenges that you experience on the job.

 

The HRSouthwest Conference — Updates

Sponsorship & Exhibitor Inquiries
If you are interested in receiving information about 2015 sponsorship and exhibitor opportunities at The HRSouthwest Conference, click here.

The official State of Texas SHRM Conference will take place Oct. 25-28, 2015, at the Fort Worth Convention Center, attracting nearly 2,000 attendees.

California Law
Employment Law & Labor Relations
Global HR & Cultural Effectiveness
Human Resources & Organizational Development
Leadership & Personal Development
Risk Management
Students
Talent Acquisition & Workforce Planning
Total Rewards

All proposals must be submitted through the HRSouthwest Conference Speaker Portal. To submit your proposal for 2015, go to hrsouthwest.com/proposals.

The deadline for submission is Friday, Feb. 20, 2015. The speaker selection process will be completed in the spring, and notifications will be sent out by May 1.

For more information, visit hrsouthwest.com/speakers or email speakers@hrsouthwest.com.   

 

AHRMA Recognized for High Contribution

The Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) and the SHRM Foundation congratulate Austin HRMA, Inc. on being named, for the second consecutive year, the highest contributing SHRM affiliated chapter from January through October.

Austin HRMA, Inc. was recognized for this achievement during the recent SHRM Volunteer Leaders’ Summit, in Washington, D.C., on Nov. 20-22, 2014. The SHRM Foundation is a public charity focused on shaping the future of human resources. With the incredible support of chapters like Austin HRMA, Inc. the SHRM Foundation is able to advance the HR profession and serve the HR professional by providing valuable educational resources, conducting cutting-edge research, and awarding academic and certification scholarships. The mission of the SHRM Foundation is to advance global human capital knowledge and practice by providing thought leadership and educational support, and sponsoring, funding and driving the adoption of cutting-edge, actionable, evidence-based research. For more information about the SHRM Foundation, visit www.shrmfoundation.org.

Sherry Johnson, SHRM-SCP, CAE, Field Services Director, Society for Human Resource Management said, "It's a testament to the local leadership. Great work AHRMA! We lead Austin."

 

AHRMA's Stepping Stones Graduation

 

Dallas HR 2014 HR Executive of the Year!

Kate Lengyel was named the 2014 HR Executive of the Year at the DallasHR December Monthly Luncheon on Dec. 9. Currently serving as the vice president of human resources at Securus Technology, Kate has achieved a number of impressive measurable results within her organization, including an improvement in associate satisfaction scores of 20 percent and reducing turnover by 14 percent.

In the words of Kate’s CEO, "Kate is a key member of our executive team and has managed our associate growth from 400 in 2008 to 1,000 today, while our profitability has increased from $40 million to over $100 million in 2014. This growth could not be accomplished without taking full advantage of Kate’s attributes, which include hard work, attention to detail, business/personal integrity, and her ability to get results personally while working with others to improve their results."

 

Dallas HR Earns its Fourth Pinnacle Award

DallasHR is proud to be a 2014 SHRM Pinnacle Award winner for its Executive Breakfast Series (EBS), a program created in 2012 specifically for the association’s (approximately) 200 member executives.

Leaders from across the organization were present at SHRM's Volunteer Leaders' Summit in Washington, D.C., to accept the honor. Left to right: Elissa O’Brien, SHRM SCP – SHRM, Vice President, Membership; Lety Yañez, CEBS, PHR – Conference Director (2015), The HRSouthwest Conference; Diane McClendon – Executive Director, DallasHR and The HRSouthwest Conference; Lynne Stewart – 2015 President, DallasHR; Shawnda Parker, PHR, SHRM-CP, CSP – Chair, DFW SMA; Jimmy Taylor – Board of Trustees, DallasHR; Kelly Shanley – ADP, Senior Director, Global Events Marketing

The Pinnacle Awards highlight innovative activities, programs or initiatives that transcend normal SHRM affiliate chapter operations. As a recipient, DallasHR is receiving national recognition for its outstanding achievement – an accomplishment the organization has been bestowed three other times. EBS was designed to support a growing need among DallasHR’s member executives, providing a channel for them to interact directly with their peers about best practices for handling critical situations, solutions for executing critical business initiatives, and tactics for relevant problem resolution. The program affords strategic education and networking opportunities in a non-competitive/non-threatening, small-group environment, allowing local connection and support at their unique levels. Participation in the group is by invitation-only and limited to only 30 attendees per meeting. The executive members are primarily an under-served group within most HR chapters, but EBS allows DallasHR a method of meeting their needs that has continued to be successful and sustained for more than two years.

 

Dallas HR recognizes Kathy Hardcastle

At the DallasHR December Monthly Luncheon, Kathy Hardcastle was honored for 10 years of exceptional servant leadership within the organization.


Since 2004, she has served in the following volunteer roles:
2012-2014: Board of Trustees
2011: Current Texas SHRM Secretary
2010: The HRSouthwest Conference Director
2009: HRSWC Conference Director-Elect
2008: HRSWC Special Events Director
2006-2007: HRSWC On-site Director
2004-2005: HRSWC On-Site Committee Volunteer

We thank Kathy for her dedication to the HR community.

 

College Corner

College Corner

As the Fall Semester comes to end and the holiday break approaches, we’re unleashing a new section for the numerous Student Chapters that are a part of Texas SHRM. This section will contain information to better help you to take on the challenges you will face as you prepare to make the transition from academia to the corporate world.

There will be useful information on resume writing, interviewing, etiquette, job searching and more related topics. In addition, you will find a section on "Ask Scotty" about questions related to career development, as well useful factoids. 

Those seeking a more personal touch can win an opportunity for a one hour coaching session on any career related topic of your choice. The first three people each month that respond to this section by contacting otis.scott@utsa.edu will have this opportunity. Helpful hints from your coaching might even make it into College Corner – confidentiality maintained of course.

So let’s get started with one that will save you money and embarrassment over the holidays – SCAMS!


Employment Scams

This time of year, we see honest employers begin; looking for holiday help and offering part time positions that are temporary in nature. Employment Scams can show up at any time of the year. The holidays are the time that we tend to see them the most for the aforementioned reason. Scammers and Con Artists find its easy picking as college students seek extra money for the holidays or school. The results of these scams are disastrous and can lead to great financial lost to the victims.

Scammers know that finding a job can be tough. Normally scammers will advertise where real employers and job placement firms do. This may even be on your campus. They also make upbeat promises about your chances of employment, and virtually all of them ask you to pay for their services, before you get a job. Nevertheless, the promise of a job isn’t the same thing as a job. If you have to pay for that promise, it’s likely a scam.

Illegitimate employer scams come in many different forms. Here is a typical example. 

The most common scam seen involves a job opportunity for a Part Time Personal Assistant, Personal Shopper, Mystery Shopper or Office Assistant that appears to be for a legitimate, known employer. The address and phone number are often correct for the business named in the posting. However, the contact name is usually a false name and is not someone who works at the company. The email address to the "employer" is NOT A COMPANY EMAIL; it is usually a Gmail, Hotmail or Yahoo account. FIRST WARNING SIGN! This email address is the one that they want you to send your job inquiry, resume or personal contact information to as you apply for the "job". 

Generally this is how this scam works. 

You (job seeker) apply to the position as directed to the non-company email address. 

You are then contacted by the Scammer who, after they win your trust, explains that the job will entail doing some shopping for them to buy supplies and such. They usually say they will hire you for the position, but oddly, you do not fill out employment paperwork. SECOND WARNING SIGN! Sometimes they say that they want to give it a "trial run" and see how you do. ANOTHER WARNING SIGN! The Scammer tells you they will send you a check in the mail because they are out of town or out of the country. The checks can range from $2,000.00 up to $4,000.00. HUGE RED FLAG!!!! 

They tell you that when you receive the check, you are to go to their personal bank and cash the check. (This should scream NO with lights and sirens.... DON"T EVER DO THIS!!!) You’re then told to spend half the amount on the supplies that they "need", but reserve a certain amount for yourself for payment of your services for shopping (usually 200.00 to 300.00) and send the rest back to them through a Wire service. 

You then receive a check in the mail that may look like a company check but is usually signed by someone other than the "employer". RED FLAG!!! 

If you’re an inexperienced job seeker, you will follow the directions, cashing the check, do the shopping and then wire the money to the Scammer. The check bounces and guess who is liable for the whole amount – YOU! If you are lucky (and very few are), your bank is alert and will notice inconsistencies with the check or they have seen it before. They will tell you that it is a fraudulent check and confiscate it at that time. 

Sadly, there is really no recourse for the victim except to report it to the local law enforcement and to the State Attorney General’s Office. Scammers get better and better at it each year, as scams become more and more sophisticated. 

Your best defense is knowledge and awareness. If you are unsure or suspicious about an employment posting or employment situation wherever you find it, report it. There are many scammers out there and they have been doing this for a while, so don’t think for a minute that you are going to out con them.

Here are additional resources that help explain Employment Scams more in depth....... 

http://www.consumer.ftc.gov/articles/0243-job-scams 

http://jobsearch.about.com/od/jobsearchscams/a/jobscams.htm 


Ask Scotty

Question: I feel funny listing my degree on my resume when I haven’t graduated yet. What should I do?

Answer: If you list your degree with your graduation date, and the date is in the future, the employer will understand that you don’t yet have the degree. For example:
Bachelor of Science in Management, Spring College, TX, May 2015

However, you may feel more comfortable adding the word "expected" to the above:
Bachelor of Science in Management, Spring College, TX expected May 2015


Factoid

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) employment in the human resource field in training and development jobs should balloon 15.5 percent from 2012 to 2022. – US News and World Report 2014

Reminder: Don’t forget about the "Ask Scotty" – it’s your opportunity to receive a personal one hour coaching session.