SHRM-Atlanta

Well, you’re in luck because this is another of our two day tracks that will be presented at the 21st Annual SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference on October 17-18, 2011 at Cobb Galleria Centre.

Whether in a union or nonunion workplace, HR professionals must understand critical legal issues that affect day-to-day business decisions.  These sessions will highlight policies and practices and focus on key employment law issues that affect the way HR professionals conduct business.

We’ll cover this and more in the following sessions:

Creating and Keeping Employment Law Records | Speaker:  Jennifer Sandberg, Fisher & Phillips LLP
Monday, October 17, 8:00 am – 9:00 am | General Credit

All employers face numerous recordkeeping requirements – particularly records related to human resource issues. Unfortunately, many employers lack even a basic policy or process for record management, retention and destruction. Likewise, many employers are overwhelmed by the sheer volume of records that need to be managed. While some managers fail to create the necessary records to substantiate employment law decisions, on occasion, managers create records that do more harm than good. Learn how to convince your managers to create beneficial and appropriate records. Do you ever wonder if some records don’t belong in a personnel file? Do you know what records should and should not be created and how long records need to be retained? What are the important limits on record destruction if the employer is on notice of a legal claim? Court decisions and changes to the Federal Rules of Civil Procedure have made non-compliance with record keeping requirements an extremely expensive and dangerous proposition. Non-compliance can result in fines against company employees personally and multi-million dollar judgments against the company. More than ever, employers need a process for managing employment-related records.

Privacy and Social Media: The Rewards and Pitfalls of Social Networking in the Workplace and Managing Risk with the Claims That Arise | Speakers:  Natasha L. Wilson, Greenberg Traurig, LLP; Peter N. Hall, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Monday, October 17, 12:40 pm – 1:40 pm | General Credit

As social networking sites such as Facebook, LinkedIn, and Twitter have gained popularity over the last few years with employers and employees alike, the lines between business and personal communication often blur. This session will focus on how social networking sites are being used and the potential liabilities faced by employers and employees who use these social media.

Fundamentals of Wage and Hour Law: Insights for Managing the Risks of Wage and Hour Claims/Class Actions and Working with Outside Counsel | Speakers:  Brett T. Lane, Greenberg Traurig, LLP; David Long-Daniels, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Monday, October 17, 2:20 pm – 3:20 pm | General Credit

This session will provide participants with detailed information on and a practical analysis of the intricacies of wage and hour law, both at the state and federal levels. With all of the rules, exemptions, definitions and exceptions counsel must apply in navigating this complex area of law, those new to wage and hour can become easily overwhelmed. The FLSA is one of the most complicated federal statutes; further, a number of states impose additional requirements on employers. Participants will come away from the workshop with a firm grasp of the nuts and bolts of wage and hour law.

Back to the Future: Increased EEOC and NLRB Enforcement Trends and What You Need to Know to Protect Your Company | Speakers:  Todd Wozniak, Greenberg Traurig, LLP; Erik S. Rodriguez, Greenberg Traurig, LLP
Monday, October 17, 3:35 pm – 4:35 pm | General Credit

During the prior Administration, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) and the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) departed from prior practice and concentrated their enforcement efforts in a few non-traditional areas. Now, the rules have changed again. New leadership at the EEOC, the NLRB, and President Obama’s National Equal Pay Enforcement Task Force are returning to some traditional areas but also are aggressively enforcing new areas, such as pay equity discrimination, regulations related to the Genetic Information Nondiscrimination Act (GINA), among others. In this session, learn about the latest enforcement trends and ways you can proactively audit human resources practices to uncover risks under the Agencies changed enforcement approach.

Personnel Management Following the Dodd-Frank Act | Speaker:  Matthew Gilley, Ford & Harrison, LLP
Tuesday, October 18, 8:15 am – 9:15 am | General Credit

The Dodd-Frank Act is rightly viewed as “Wall Street” legislation, but its sweeping impact will be felt on Main Street. In particular, human resource and personnel managers in companies subject to the Act will see changes in executive compensation rules, corporate governance requirements, diversity and inclusion mandates, and whistleblower protections. Many of these provisions carry high-stakes penalties and deserve close analysis. This session will focus on the various Dodd-Frank provisions that will impact your human resource management.

Immigration & I-9 | Speaker:  Justin Coffey, Ogletree Deakins
Tuesday, October 18, 10:00 am – 11:00 am | General Credit

This session will provide an overview of the I-9 process and current I-9 enforcement priorities and strategies targeting employers. It will provide suggestions for employers to improve compliance in order to reduce the risk of significant penalties if the company becomes a target of investigation. Finally, it will address recent developments related to the E-Verify program.

Just the Facts- Conducting Effective Workplace Investigations | Speaker:  Deepa Subramanian, Esquire Ogletree, Deakins, Nash, Smoak & Stewart, P.C.
Tuesday, October 18, 11:15 am – 12:15 pm | General Credit

This session will show HR professionals how to conduct effective investigations in the workplace. From who conducts the interviews, to sample questions and procedures, through discipline and follow up, this session will teach you the ins and outs of an investigation and will show you how to best avoid litigation or at least create the best possible record should litigation ensue.

5 Critical Employment Law Challenges for HR Professionals in 2011 | Speakers:  Traywick Duffie, Littler Mendelson; Dionysia Johnson-Massie, Littler Mendelson
Tuesday, October 18, 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm | General Credit

Human resource professionals confront a constantly changing legal landscape. A single court decision interpreting the ADA or an issue implicating an employer’s social media policy can require the re-evaluation of a previously accepted HR policy or procedure. Significant changes to the ADA and FMLA, the rising occurrence of workplace bullying and the increasing use of social media all require new approaches to human resource management. In this fast-paced, highly interactive session, we will engage in a lively discussion, using realistic scenarios to address these 5 critical employment law issues affecting HR professionals now.

They Can’t Take It With Them: The Impact of Georgia’s New Non-Compete Law on Employers | Speaker:  Jeffrey Mokotoff, Ford & Harrison, LLP
Tuesday, October 18, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm | General Credit

On November 3, 2010, Georgia voters approved a constitutional amendment which is intended to give effect to the Restrictive Covenants Act “RCA” passed in 2009. The RCA represents a dramatic change in the law governing non-compete agreements and other restrictive covenants in Georgia. The RCA does not impact agreements entered into prior to the ratification of this amendment. Prior to passage of the constitutional amendment, a restrictive covenant that was deemed overly broad as to time, territory or scope of activities was void in its totality. The RCA authorizes Georgia courts to “blue pencil” or “modify” non-competes or non-solicitation provisions, in order to render them enforceable. The Act will likely result in increased enforcement of restrictive covenants in a variety of circumstances. Because the RCA represents a significant departure from existing law, any company that uses restrictive covenants today should fully understand how the RCA has altered the legal landscape in this area.

Online registration closes on October 12 and prices will increase onsite.  Don’t miss this great opportunity to earn CEU credits, network with your peers and visit the resource partnership showcase.

Register today!

The 21st Annual SHRM-Atlanta HR Conference will feature a two day track on Business Acumen & Leadership.  These sessions build the business know-how of HR practitioners ranging from the specialist/generalist to the mid-level manager to the seasoned leader.  Specialist/generalist and mid-level professionals can select from sessions that develop and enhance their fundamental business “literacy”.  Seasoned leaders can learn about the impact of their actions on decision-making and how this in turn affects outcomes at the functional, unit, or corporate level.

Here is what you can expect to learn more about in this track:

Savvy Leadership Acumen | Speaker:  Karla Brandau, CSP, Workplace Power Institute
Monday, October 17, 8:00 am – 9:00 am | Strategic Management Credit

Are charismatic leaders born or grown? The question has been asked for centuries. The truth is that no baby is born with a silver leadership spoon in their mouth. Most anyone can become a charismatic leader if they work from their own leadership attributes; work to implement admirable traits they observe in others; and resist the urge to be a copy cat of a popular yet perhaps flamboyant individual. The engaging and charismatic leader has a brilliant comprehension of personal innate strengths and an intuitive discernment of the inner assets of team members and employees. This knowledge generates savvy leadership acumen and provides a powerful concentration of courage and fortitude in the face of the indomitable challenges of the 21st Century relationships. Navigating work relationships and forging ahead to increased organizational productivity with the full support of colleagues, team members, and employees is a phenomenally complex endeavor. In this session, Karla simplifies it for you and gives you real help, not just theory.

Developing Your Strategic HR Business Partner Capabilities | Speaker:  Walter Boehm, Talent Connections
Monday, October 17, 12:40 pm – 1:40 pm | Strategic Management Credit

This session looks at the various ways in which an HR professional, develops leadership skills to work in the C-Suite delivering HR startegic value to the organization. We will do this through looking at two different buisness case studies on companies based in Atlanta. We will review the skills and HR startegic initiatives which drive bottom-line business results such as productivity and share-holder value.

Leading in Tough Times | Speaker:  Luis Castro, Cameron and Associates, Inc.
Monday, October 17, 2:20 pm – 3:20 pm | Strategic Management Credit

This session will bring hope, share proven strategies, ideas, tips and suggestions that really work while leading in tough times. Luis will discuss leadership greatest challenges; how leadership styles affect outcomes; management vs. leadership; ten strategies when leading in tough times; six rules for successful leadership; choices to make before and after the crisis; moving from the comfort zone to the challenge zone; and seven rules for leading in tough times.

Using HR Data to Make the Right HR Investments | Speaker:  Cathy Missildine-Martin, SPHR, Intellectual Capital Consulting
Monday, October 17, 3:35 pm – 4:35 pm | Strategic Management Credit

HR Departments are faced with decisions about which programs, initiatives and deliverables should be implemented almost on a daily basis. HR must compete for dollars and resources both within the HR Department and with other functional areas. Post recession, CEO’s are more risk adverse, therefore driving the need for HR to create a solid business case when competing for investment dollars. What if you had to choose between a wellness program and a new rewards and recognition program? How would you determine which of the two had the greatest impact on business results?  By understanding strategic mapping, HR professionals can directly link programs and activities to business outcomes.  Once key relationships are established in the mapping process,  simple statistical methods can be used to determine which investment has the most “bang got its buck.”

Get a Vision | Speaker:  LynnMarie Earl, Earl MKTG, LLC
Tuesday, October 18, 8:15 am – 9:15 am | General Credit

In this seminar you will learn how to assess future goals and convey them to others in a positive and encouraging way.  Your staff will be able to create their own goals as you work with them to visualize. You will learn how to empower yourself and others through a better understanding of characteristics, strengths, and weaknesses.  You will be able to share the importance of having, creating, and following through on individual and corporate visions to improve individual, team, division, and corporate growth.  Specific techniques are shared to ensure incorporation of methods learned and taught to staff and employees. Emphasis is placed on learning your, and your staff’s, characteristics that help or hurt you, time schedules, goals/numbers, and true focus on specific goals over general statements of growth.

F&B, Tweets & Green Peppers:  Practical Leadership Techniques | Speakers:  Joyce Chastain, SPHR, HR Florida State Council; Carol McDaniel, HR Florida State Council
Tuesday, October 18, 10:00 am – 11:00 am | General Credit

Using a conversational style, this session provides useful leadership strategies using real-life examples of lessons learned in the trenches of senior leadership positions. These three HR professionals are currently co-authoring a book by the same title which is expected to be completed in late 2011. In the book, “F&B” relates to business necessity (financials, mission, etc.); Tweets relates to outside influences (how you got here, who’s cheering you on, who’s attacking you); and Green Peppers relates to distractions (things that divert your attention from what’s important to what someone else thinks is urgent.)

Leadership GPS:  Goals, People, Systems | Speaker:  Seth Davies, Competitive Solutions, Inc.
Tuesday, October 18, 11:15 am – 12:15 pm | General Credit

What is your organizational direction? Are you ready to emphasize growth over survival? Are you ready to demonstrate to your organizational leaders that they are vital and valuable? Are you ready to re-calibrate your organizational GPS? In this interactive presentation, participants will receive a lively overview of the four key elements necessary to create and sustain a high performance mentality and process throughout any organization. The presenter will focus strongly on the role of organizational leadership to create, emulate, communicate and reinforce the non-negotiable strategies necessary to sustain business success. This presentation will look at the real-world business challenges facing organizations today, as well as give participants a specific implementation methodology to begin practicing upon immediate return to the workplace.

The Future is Here: Human Capital is the New ROI | Speakers:  Marcus Harwood, CPA, CPIM, MBA, OND; Vallerie Parrish-Porter and Jerry Glazier (both formerly of Embarq)
Tuesday, October 18, 1:45 pm – 2:45 pm | Strategic Management Credit

Imagine a world in which HR owns the single most value-rich improvement initiative, an initiative that dwarfs the value of the next ten, most significant improvement initiatives spanning the company – combined! That future is here. We will describe how one company leveraged a simple language and rich methodology to lay the foundation and take the first major step toward that future. The CIO (HR’s customer) and senior HR executive (IT’s business partner) from a top telecom will discuss the problem they faced, the bold new approach they took, the results they achieved, and, how they see the next steps – the future. The future calls for radical changes in talent acquisition, deployment, development, evaluation and recognition. The improvements in company bottom-line and competitiveness will make the “reengineering movement” and the “SAP movement” small in comparison. The only thing mind-boggling about this movement is that it has not already happened. The movement will unleash unprecedented productivity gains, turn around the performance of all mission-critical teams, enable truly productive collaboration for a purpose, and, materially elevate employee commitment and passion – raising acquisition and retention of top talent to levels thought impossible before. The movement takes HR from playing cop to sitting at the table as major initiatives are planned and implemented – as an integral part of mission-critical business processes from vision through implementation.

Influence for Impact | Speaker:  Hodges Golson, PhD, ABPP Management Psychology Group
Tuesday, October 18, 3:00 pm – 4:00 pm | General Credit

Psychological assessments of thousands of executives, sales people and technologists have shown that skills of influence are in short supply. These are most often mentioned as “developmental opportunities” in a very wide range of people. This talk presents a distillation of what psychologists have found out about influence and persuasion over the past 50 years. And it offers practical advice about how to use this knowledge to your advantage.

Register today!  You will not want to miss out on this great two day conference.  And keep in mind that this is not the only track being offered at the session.  We will have six current tracks covering seven specialty areas.

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 
Mary Lynn Miller, Chief Operating Officer
404.869.2568
mmiller@shrmatlanta.org

FOR ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
Jean Yahres, Association Director
404.760.8129
jyahres@shrmatlanta.org

Georgia’s Largest Human Resources Conference to Gather Hundreds for Education & Networking:  Hosted by SHRM-Atlanta October 17-18

Atlanta (September 15, 2011) – SHRM-Atlanta, the Atlanta Chapter of the Society of Human Resources Management, hosts the 21st Annual SHRM-Atlanta Human Resources Conference on October 17 and 18 at the Cobb Galleria Centre. Human resources professionals and other individuals with an interest in human resources from all over Georgia are invited to attend this two-day conference to network, learn and share ideas with other HR practitioners, as well as earn continuing education credits from the Human Resources Certification Institute (HRCI). The event is the largest gathering of the human resources community in Georgia this year; last year’s conference drew over 1,000 participants. Kat Cole, president of Cinnabon, presents the keynote address, “Transformational Leadership: Building Teams for Success through Times of Rapid Change,” on Monday, October 17 at 9:40 a.m.

The theme, “Working for a Better Atlanta,” spotlights Atlanta’s position as a vital economic center and the role of human resources professionals in shaping a more prosperous future. “The SHRM-Atlanta community has really come together to produce an unparalleled opportunity to meet and explore the critical issues – and opportunities – the HR profession currently faces,” said Mary Lynn Miller, SHRM-Atlanta’s chief operating officer. “Legislative changes and compliance, using social networking for recruiting, tackling recruitment and retention as the cost of providing benefits increases… we’re gathering the experts under one roof so HR practitioners at all levels find new insights and tools to improve their personal and company performance.”

Over 60 concurrent breakout sessions organized into seven educational tracks are planned. Confirmed speakers include leaders from MetLife, Merrill Lynch, Cox Enterprises, AARP and a number of other prominent corporations, consultancies and law firms. Tracks include: Business Acumen & Leadership, Law & Legislation, Total Rewards, Organizational Evolution, Talent Management, Diversity & Inclusion and HR Leveraging Technology.

The Resource Partner Showcase opens on Monday, October 17 at 9 a.m. and features over 100 exhibitors providing products and services to help human resources professionals work more efficiently. For the second year, the Technology Association of Georgia (TAG) presents “Tech Row,” a series of vendor booths representing TAG’s member companies providing products and services to the HR community. Admission to the Showcase is free and open to the general public.

A highlight of the agenda is the 2011 SHAPE Awards, taking place Monday, October 17, to recognize individual HR professionals and teams who exemplify the highest professional standards in the industry. Networking opportunities also include a roundtable breakfast held Tuesday, October 18 where conference attendees share ideas and knowledge about specific topics or areas of expertise.

Full-access, student and one-day registration rates are available, ranging from $230 – $650. Group discounts for five or more participants from the same organization are available. Admission to the Resource Partner Showcase (exhibition hall) is free. For detailed rate information, the full agenda and additional information regarding the 21st Annual SHRM-Atlanta Human Resources Conference, visit shrmatlanta.org.

About SHRM-Atlanta
SHRM-Atlanta, the Atlanta Chapter of the Society for Human Resource Management, was founded in 1965, and has current membership of over 2500 individuals. SHRM-Atlanta seeks to promote the professionalism of the Human Resources Management field by offering members a wide variety of professional development opportunities and a common forum in which to share ideas and experiences. Serving the Atlanta HR professional, SHRM-Atlanta provides opportunities for career development and community involvement both inside and outside of the Chapter. SHRM-Atlanta – Working for a Better Atlanta!
www.shrm-atlanta.org

On Twitter: @shrmatl
Conference hashtag: #shrmatl11

Please join us on Tuesday, May 17 for the SHRM-Atlanta Buckhead GEM Meeting, sponsored by Saint Leo University, at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.  Enjoy some great networking, and learn “The Top 10 Wage Payment Mistakes That Companies Make … That Create Huge $$$ Legal Exposure!”  Plus, you can earn 1 general HRCI credit!

Topic Details:
Employers continue to face an epidemic of lawsuits concerning wage and hour violations under the Fair Labor Standards Act.  This session will provide an update on the DOL’s rigorous enforcement plan and audit strategy.  Attendees will obtain practical advice in key areas aimed at decreasing potential wage payment liabilities, including: exempt/non-exempt determinations; classifying workers as independent contractors; when deductions may be taken from exempt employees; reducing “off-the-clock” exposure; how to handle pay issues regarding travel time, on call time, training time, etc.  Don’t miss this informative session!

Speakers:  Lauren Zeldin & Greg Hare of Ogletree Deakins Law Firm

This meeting is part of our legislative community.  Our communities come together with the purpose of discussing various areas of specialty in and around HR.  Communities are woven into all of our programming at GEMs, Chapter Meetings and Conferences.  Download our roadmap of learning to see where each community will be featured throughout 2011.

Date of the Buckhead GEM: Tuesday, May 17, 2011 | 11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.

Location:  Ruth’s Chris Steak House | 3285 Peachtree Road, NE | Embassy Suites Buckhead | Atlanta, GA 30305

Agenda:
11:00 a.m. – Networking/Announcements/Lunch
11:40 a.m. – Speaker Presentation

Registration: Click This Link!

If you haven’t already, you can join the Buckhead subgroup or the legislative community within the SHRM-Atlanta LinkedIn group.

Thank you to everyone who attended the SHRM-Atlanta April Chapter Meeting last night.  It was definitely a WOW! event and we hope you enjoyed it as much as we did!

As our past board chair, Nancy Vepraskas stated in our SHRM-Atlanta LinkedIn group this morning:

“The place was packed, the room buzzed with networking, and the program top-notch!”

What made the program top-notch?  Well, that would be our two local CEO’s who were previously featured on the CBS show Undercover Boss, Coby Brooks (left), President and CEO of Hooters of America and Joel Manby (right), President and CEO of Herschend Family Entertainment Corporation (HFE) which includes Stone Mountain Park.

To see more photos from the event, please visit our facebook fan page. And if you took photos of the event, please feel free to upload them to facebook.

We also want to thank our sponsors of last night’s program.

……..

We would not be the association we are without the support of all of Resource Partners.  We actually wrote yesterday about what sponsorship value means to us and last night demonstrated that relationship between SHRM-Atlanta and our Resource Partners.  At every event, please take a minute to thank our partners for all they do for SHRM-Atlanta and our members making programs like this possible.

Don’t miss our next chapter meeting on June 21 at Atlanta Marriott Century Center. Jean Houston Shore will be presenting: Influence Savvy for HR: Your Role In Moving the Organization Forward.  Register today!

Please join us next week, on March 15, for the SHRM-Atlanta Buckhead GEM Meeting at Ruth’s Chris Steakhouse.  Enjoy some great networking, and learn “What Employers Should Know About the EEOC.”  Plus, you can earn 1 HRCI credit hour!

Topic Details: The United States Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (“EEOC”) is responsible for enforcing federal laws that make it illegal to discriminate against a job applicant or an employee because of that person’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, or genetic information. In promoting equal employment opportunity in the workplace, and through its investigative and litigation efforts, the EEOC strives to eradicate all forms of employment discrimination.   With the advent of new laws, regulations, recent court decisions, and nationwide initiatives, it is important that employers understand the EEOC’s mission, enforcement mechanisms, and its objectives for the future.

Speaker: James Cerwinski, EEOC Trial Attorney
Date: Tuesday, March 15, 2011 (11:00 a.m. – 1:00 p.m.)

Location:
Ruth’s Chris Steak House
3285 Peachtree Road, NE
Embassy Suites Buckhead
Atlanta, GA 30305

Agenda:
11:00 a.m. – Networking/Announcements/Lunch
11:40 a.m. – Speaker Presentation

Registration: Click This Link!

SHRM-Atlanta brings true HR expertise to those handling HR functions and/or to entry-level HR staff.  We realize that many Atlanta businesses are small to mid-sized and may not have full-time HR professionals.  SHRM-Atlanta invites you to attend or send someone to this one-day HR Boot Camp on Feb 10 at Cobb Galleria.

Designed specifically for business owners, professionals who handle HR as one of their varied responsibilities, and entry-level HR employees, this one-day program covers HR fundamentals.   Learn best practices to recruit, retain and motivate employees while saving the company money.  Feel confident in handling the HR function from initial interview to employee termination.  Need to benchmark your HR practices or know what HR metrics are important?  You will leave with examples of key calculations to analyze your HR function.  Make the most of your healthcare benefits.   Find out how to avoid common HR mistakes and understand the importance of an HR audit.  Gain a better understanding of legal compliance, important policies to have in place, regardless of the number of employees you may have.  A bonus session will cover the basics of immigration and recent legal developments.  And you will hear from terrific speakers who have experience working with small to mid-sized companies on these issues.  This is an opportunity to hear from these experts and make valuable contacts you can call on in the future if the need arises.

Avoiding one common HR mistake, improving compliance to reduce risk, or finding ways to make the most of your benefit dollars will more than cover the cost of attending this event!  This program is a tremendous value at only $99 for SHRM-Atlanta members.