Home


June 4, 2010 HR Bulletin

The June 2010 issue of HR News magazine (6.3 MB) is now online.
The Summer 2010 issue of Public Personnel Management (2.2 MB) is available online.
Press releases on the IPMA-HR Web site may be accessed here.
To access archived issues of the HR Bulletin, click here; you must be a member of IPMA-HR in order to access these archived issues.

Legislative Update

Congress recessed last week for the Memorial Day holiday without passing an extension of jobless benefits. As a result, the COBRA subsidy was allowed to expire May 31, 2010, and the extension of unemployment benefits expired June 2. While lawmakers are expected to extend unemployment benefits when they return, it appears the COBRA subsidy has ended.

Prior to leaving the District of Columbia, senators passed an emergency war and disaster relief spending bill that the House will take up after the recess. Important to IPMA-HR members was the behind-the-scenes activities, which included an attempt to amend the spending bill to include mandatory collective bargaining. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) had proposed amendment number 4174, which is identical to S. 3194, the Public Safety Employer-Employee Cooperation Act (PSEECA). While the amendment never made it to a vote, it signals the intent of leadership to move the bill quickly. IPMA-HR expects the measure to be considered again this summer.

The PSEECA would require all states and localities to engage in collective bargaining with their public safety officers. IPMA-HR opposes the measure because it gives the federal government oversight of an inherently state and local function. Many states and localities already engage in collective bargaining and it is up to voters in those jurisdictions to decide how to best run their public safety departments. The association joined several other organizations, include the National League of Cities and the National Association of Counties in opposing the measure.

IPMA-HR also urged lawmakers last week to pass the Local Jobs for America Act (H.R. 4812), which would provide $75 billion to localities to avoid layoffs. Additional funding of localities is critical at this time, as many jurisdictions are still facing budget cuts and layoffs. More than 30 percent of IPMA-HR members anticipate layoffs this year. An analysis by the Economic Policy Institute highlighted by the House Committee on Education and Labor found that local governments are expecting approximately 222,500 layoffs this summer.

For more information, visit the IPMA-HR Public Policy Web page.

Top

Employers Announce 38,180 Cuts as Summer Slowdown Approaches

CHICAGO – The pace of downsizing was virtually unchanged in May, as employers announced plans to cut 38,810 jobs from their payrolls during the month. That was slightly (1.3 percent) more than the four-year low of 38,326 job cuts announced in April, according to a recently released job-cut report by global outplacement consultancy Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

May layoffs were 65 percent lower than the same month a year ago, when planned job cuts totaled 111,182. This marks the twelfth consecutive month in which the job-cut total was lower than the comparable year-ago figure. It also marks the twelfth consecutive month that saw fewer than 100,000 announced job cuts.

Through the first five months of 2010, planned layoffs announced by employers totaled 258,319, which is 69 percent fewer than the 822,282 announced during the same period last year.

“Announced job cuts have, for all intents and purposes, returned to pre-recession levels. What makes the low job-cut totals we have seen this spring particularly remarkable is that we still have not reached what is the slowest downsizing period of the year, which typically occurs during the summer months,” said John A. Challenger, chief executive officer of Challenger, Gray & Christmas, Inc.

“It is difficult to imagine the pace of downsizing slowing even further, considering that the economy, while recovering, is still in a relatively fragile state. However, monthly job cuts may indeed continue to fall during the summer, when many businesses hold off on making dramatic staffing changes,” he added.

The one area of the economy that may not follow the typical pattern of a summer slowdown is the government and non-profit sector, which announced 16,697 job cuts in May, 12 percent more than April’s 14,973. May job cuts brought the year-to-date total for the struggling sector to 93,470, which is more than two-and-a-half times more than the second-ranked pharmaceutical industry’s 34,157 job cuts this year.

“Unlike the private sector, which is beginning to see the fruits of recovery, the budget crisis for many states and municipalities is only getting worse. High unemployment and falling home ownership are taking a significant toll on tax revenues. And, with many states in an election year, politicians are reluctant to raise income taxes and sales taxes, so as not to punish voters. However, this leaves them with no other choice but to make drastic cuts in public programs and the jobs that go with them,” said Challenger.

Top

More Than Half of Workers Feel They Need a Vacation More Now Than in the Past, CareerBuilder’s Annual Survey Finds

CHICAGO – With the official start of summer vacation season just days away, workers are planning to take time off and they are feeling more at ease about it. More than half (56 percent) of workers say they are more in need of a vacation in 2010 than they have been in past years. Additionally, 36 percent say they feel more comfortable taking a vacation in 2010 than in 2009 due to an improving economy. This is according CareerBuilder’s annual vacation survey that was conducted from February 10 through March 2, 2010, among more than 4,800 workers.

Many workers have vacations on their radar screens and are planning to be away from the office longer. Sixty-four percent of workers say they have already taken or plan to take a vacation this year, up slightly from 63 percent in 2009. Nearly one-quarter (23 percent) plan to take a week off this year, up from 19 percent last year. Twelve percent plan to be gone two weeks or longer. Nearly one-third of workers say they won’t be taking a vacation this year, with 21 percent indicating they still can’t afford it.

Taking a vacation may not mean being completely unhooked from the office. Nearly half (49 percent) of employers say they expect employees to check in with the office while they are away, with 37 percent indicating it’ll be necessary only if they are working on a big project or there is a major issue going on with the company. One-quarter (25 percent) of workers say they plan to contact the office at least once while on vacation, regardless of what they are working on.

“It is good news that workers’ anxiety around taking vacation time appears to be lessening this year compared to last,” said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources at CareerBuilder. “Now workers need to follow through and actually utilize their full vacation benefits; 15 percent reported that they didn’t use all of their allotted time last year. Utilizing time off to recharge batteries is even more important today as staffs have shrunk over the last 18 months and workers are dealing with added responsibilities and pressure.”

When planning a vacation, Haefner recommends the following tips to ensure your time off is a true break from the office:

  1. Get it on the calendar today - Today companies are operating with smaller staffs and having more than one person out of the office can negatively impact productivity. Be flexible and work with your co-workers to schedule vacation time before booking anything.
  2. Train a coworker - Before you leave, start recording important information, key contacts and any deadlines that will come up while you are gone and give it to a coworker who you have trained to fill in for you while you are gone. Remember to return the favor to the coworker, when they take vacation.
  3. Schedule a set work time while on vacation - While it’s best to leave the office at the office, if you must do work, set limits and boundaries for yourself and your coworkers. Don’t let activities on vacation be interrupted by work.
  4. Lead by example - If you are a supervisor, you should go through all the steps of planning and executing a successful vacation away from the office. That way, your workers will be more comfortable doing the same.

Survey Methodology:This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder among 4,803 U.S. workers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non government)and 2,778 U.S. employers (employed full-time; not self-employed; non government); ages 18 and over between February 10 and March 2, 2010 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset of U.S. employees or employers, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 4,803 and 2,778 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.41 percentage points and +/- 1.86 percentage points, respectively. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

About CareerBuilder: CareerBuilder is a leader in human capital solutions, helping companies target and attract their most important asset—their people. CareerBuilder works with employers, providing resources for everything from employment branding and data analysis to recruitment support. More than 9,000 Web sites, including 140 newspapers and broadband portals such as MSN and AOL, feature CareerBuilder’s proprietary job search technology on their career sites. Owned by Gannett Co., Inc., Tribune Company, The McClatchy Company, and Microsoft Corp., CareerBuilder and its subsidiaries operate in the United States, Europe, Canada and Asia.

Top

Consumer-Driven Health Plan Assets Show Three-Year Gain; Number of Accounts Also Increased from 2006–2009

WASHINGTON – Assets in health savings accounts (HSAs) and health reimbursement arrangements (HRAs), two relatively new employment-based health benefit plan options, have grown in recent years and totaled $7.1 billion in 2009, up from $835.4 million three years earlier, according to a study published by the nonpartisan Employee Benefit Research Institute (EBRI).

In addition, the number of accounts in these plans, collectively known as consumer-driven health plans (CDHPs), also was up during the same period—totaling five million in 2009, up from 1.2 million in 2006.

The study, in the June 2010 EBRI Issue Brief, examines health savings account and health reimbursement arrangements assets, account balances, and rollovers from 2006 to 2009.

The theory behind these accounts is that when individuals are given more control over funds allocated for health care services, they will spend the money more responsibly, especially once they become more educated about the actual price of health services. Furthermore, these accounts can he used as tax-advantaged vehicles to save for health care expenses in retirement.

Employers first began offering account-based health plans in 2001, when a handful of plan sponsors began to offer health reimbursement arrangements, a type of employer funded health plan that reimburses workers for qualified medical expenses. In 2004, employers were able to start offering health plans with health savings accounts, a type of tax-exempt trust or custodial account that an individual can use to pay for health care expenses.

With health reimbursement arrangements, employers have a tremendous amount of flexibility in plan design. Leftover funds at the end of each year can be carried over to the following year or not, at the employer’s discretion, and restrictions can be placed on the amount that can be carried over, With health savings accounts, any money left in the account at the end of the year automatically rolls over and is available in the following year.

These plans covered 15-19 million people in 2009, representing nine to 11 percent of the privately insured market. As the number of people with account-based plans grows, total assets in these plans will grow as well, the study says.

Here are some of the highlights from the study, which is based on findings from the 2009 EBRI/MGA Consumer Engagement in Health Care Survey:

Account balances: Increases in average account balances appear to have leveled off. In 2006, account balances averaged $696. They increased to $1,320 in 2007, a 90 percent increase. Account balances averaged $1,356 in 2008 and $1,419 in 2009, three percent and five percent increases respectively.

Typical enrollee: The typical consumer-driven health plan enrollee was more likely than traditional plan enrollees to be young, unmarried, higher-income, educated, and exhibit healthy behavior. No differences were found between CDHP enrollees and traditional plan enrollees with respect to gender, race, and presence of children.

Rollovers: Overall, the number of people with a rollover, as well as the total level of assets being rolled over, have been increasing. The average rollover increased from $592 in 2006 to $1,295 in 2009.

Account balance differences: Men tend to have higher account balances than women, account balances increase with household income, education has a significant impact on account balances independent of income and other variables, and no statistically significant differences in account balances were found by smoking, obesity, or the presence of chronic health conditions.

Rollover amount differences: Men rolled over more money than women, whites have higher rollover amounts than minorities, and the youngest adults and oldest adults had the largest rollover amounts in 2009. Rollover amounts increase with household income and education, and individuals with single coverage rolled over a slightly higher amount than those with family coverage. There was no statistically significant difference in rollover amounts by health status, although individuals who smoke had higher rollover amounts than those who do not and obese individuals had average lower amounts than nonobese individuals.

EBRI is a private, nonprofit research institute based in Washington, D.C., that focuses on health savings, retirement and economic security issues. EBRI does not lobby and does not take policy positions.

Top

Arrive Early to the IPMA-HR Conference and Attend a Preconference Workshop

The preconference workshops have been set for the 2010 IPMA-HR International Training Conference & Expo, which will be held October 2-6 at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Towers in Seattle, Wash.

Fly in early to attend one of five preconference workshops on topics specific to the needs of the public sector HR professional. Learn from real-life case studies at these hands-on interactive sessions presented by the profession’s top thought-leaders. Workshops include:

  1. Managing Employee Performance as a Human Resources Business Partner – A “how-to” course for creating partnerships with HR supervisors and managers to effectively manage employee performance.
  2. Public Sector Benefits: Understanding and Communicating with Policy Makers – Topics include the key issues in evaluating benefits programs as well as strategies to ensure the plan fits within an organizations overall compensation/benefits philosophy and business strategies.
  3. New Strategies and Applications for Public Sector Compensation – This workshop is designed to familiarize personnel and compensation practitioners, or anyone with the responsibility of implementing or supporting new compensation programs within their organization, with the “whats” and “whys” of the new strategies and decision-making considerations.
  4. Job Analysis – This course provides participants with the theory, principles and methodology to conduct a multipurpose job analysis, all in accordance with the Uniform Guidelines on Employee Selection Procedures.
  5. New HR Director’s Workshop – This workshop will be presented by a panel of experienced human resources directors in a highly interactive environment.

Register Today
Be sure to register by July 9 to take advantage of the special early bird rate of $600 for IPMA-HR members attending the full conference. Don’t forget about the Group Registration Discount Program, which allows full conference participants with three or more staff from the same organization or agency to deduct $50 from the applicable registration fee for each registrant. Each member of the group must complete a registration form. And all group registration forms must be submitted simultaneously.

Make Your Hotel Reservation Now!
Conference social and networking events are sure to be hits, and you won’t want to miss them. Please don’t wait to make your hotel reservation for attending the conference in October. The Sheraton Seattle Hotel has set aside a limited block of rooms for IPMA-HR conference attendees at the special rate of $189 (+tax)/night for single and double rooms. The special rate is in effect until September 9. All rooms are available on a first-come, first-served basis or until the room block is at capacity. After September 9, or until the room block is at capacity, reservations will be taken on a space- and rate-available basis only. Reservations can be made by calling the Sheraton reservation line at (800) 325-3535 and referencing the IPMA-HR Conference.

Questions about the conference can be directed to the IPMA-HR meetings department by e-mail at meetings@ipma-hr.org. Please continue to check the conference Web site at www.ipma-hr.org for updates.

Top

June 21 Webinar will Focus on Crisis Communication from the Human Resource Perspective

When a crisis occurs in any company, across any industry, there are, in reality, two separate crises. The first is the immediate problem that caused the crisis in the first place. The second crisis can far outlive the first and potentially destroy a company. The second crisis involves the employee’s perception of what happened, how it happened and what was done to fix it and ensure their safety, and well being and the long term value you create for them as an organization. In this regard, the clear and concise communication of information to your employees and other internal audiences is of crucial importance to recover from the crisis.

Join us Monday, June 21, 2010, from 11 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. Eastern Time for this informative webinar in which Jeff Lanza, FBI Special Agent (retired), will provide crucial and current best practices in employee communications in a climate of instant traditional news and user generated news reporting through social media such as Twitter and YouTube. The presentation includes specific instruction on what employees expect during a crisis and how to develop and deliver clear and messages that can mitigate the stresses placed on human resources personnel during the crisis.

Learning Objectives:

Following the presentation, audience members will be able to:

  1. Quickly determine what communication actions they should take during a crisis and what information is crucial to communicate to internal audiences.
  2. Be able to effectively communicate in times of crisis through the development of key themes and messages.
  3. Be able to plan and implement a strategy to minimize the spread of rumor, innuendo and false information during a crisis event.

Key Points Covered in Presentation:

  1. Effective message development and delivery
  2. Eleven key tips for a successful employee communication
  3. Avoiding traps and pitfalls
  4. What employees want and need to know during a crisis
  5. Seven internal communication steps to ensure a positive outcome

Meet the Presenter, Jeff Lanza, FBI Special Agent (Retired)
Jeff Lanza was an FBI Agent for more than 20 years, during which he investigated corruption, corporate fraud, computer crime and organized crime. He served as chief of internal security for the FBI’s Kansas City region. For nearly two decades, he also served as a public face of the FBI and was one of the agency’s most utilized spokespersons.

He is a certified FBI instructor and has developed and provided numerous educational programs for law enforcement and the community. He has provided more than 750 presentations on risk management to associations, corporate boards, and employees of major corporations around the world.

Lanza’s presentation on leadership ethics has been utilized to train future leaders in numerous organizations, including the University of Kansas, Blue Cross Blue Shield and the Helzberg Entrepreneur Leadership program. He developed a presentation on identity theft which was recently made available to a nationwide audience of Citigroup employees.

He has appeared on The Today Show, Good Morning America, Larry King Live and Fox National News. His expertise has been used as a resource for The American Association of Retired Persons (AARP) Bulletin’s “Scam Alert” column. He holds a master’s degree in business administration.

Sign Up Today and Your Entire Staff Can Listen In for One Fee 
Register today online (must pay by credit card). Or, download your registration form and fax the completed form to (703) 684-0948 or email to meetings@ipma-hr.org.

The price for IPMA-HR members to participate in the webinar is $150; the price for nonmembers to participate in the webinar is $200.

There is no limit to the number of staff from your office participating in this webinar. In the room where staff will participate, you’ll need a speaker phone and a computer. Prior to the event, you will get instructions on how you will link to the webinar by telephone and on the Internet. One registration fee gives you a unique access code for one phone line and a link to the Web component. As many of your staff that you can pack into a room can attend and listen in by speakerphone.

Please note: Additional phones lines require additional access codes, which means separate registrations for each additional access code you need.

Cancellation Policy
You may cancel your registration up to 48 hours in advance of the webinar, and transfer your registration to a future webinar without penalty. If you do not transfer your registration, you must cancel no later than one week prior to the webinar date to receive a full refund of your fee.

Questions? Contact us by phone at (703) 549-7100 or by e-mail at meetings@ipma-hr.org.

Top

Professional Development Courses for Public Sector HR Professionals

Save on Travel Expenses and Bring the Training to Your Organization

IPMA-HR, the premier association for professional development in public sector human resources, brings quality professional development courses directly to your agency, saving you and your staff travel time and expenses. IPMA-HR professional development courses offer hands-on, real-world exercises and are taught by instructors who are highly experienced public sector HR educators. These courses provide opportunities for professional advancement through coursework that is interesting, topical and immediately applicable.

With a rapidly changing workforce, public sector employers are particularly challenged to meet the demands of baby boomers retiring, younger professionals entering the workforce, complying with complex laws, and updating policies and practices. Committing your agency to ongoing, quality professional development will help you and your staff stay ahead of the issues and work through them effectively, efficiently and professionally.

Choose from the following 11 IPMA-HR courses to enhance your agency’s professional development efforts:

  1. Developing Competencies for HR Success
  2. Examination Planning
  3. Job Analysis
  4. Managing Classification/Compensation in a Broadbanding Environment
  5. Managing Employee Performance as a Human Resources Business Partner
  6. New Strategies and Applications for Public Sector Compensation
  7. Oral Examinations
  8. Performance-Based Pay and Performance Management
  9. Skill and Competency-Based Pay Delivery Systems
  10. Training and Experience (T&E) Ratings
  11. Variable Pay Plans and Team-Based Pay Strategies

Customized Training Available
IPMA-HR will work with your agency to map out professional development courses that best suit your needs. Visit IPMA-HR at www.ipma-hr.org to download registration forms today, or contact Jessica Allen, either by e-mail at jallen@ipma-hr.org, or by phone at (703) 549-7100 to schedule your professional development course today.

Top

On the Calendar

June 6-9, 2010
Central Region Conference
Middleton, Wis.

June 6-9, 2010
IPMA-Canada 2010 National HR Training Conference
HR: Rising to the Challenge
Westin
Ottawa, Ontario, Canada
Visit www.ipma-aigp.ca for more information.

July 13-16
Developing Competencies for HR Success
Alexandria, VA
Contact IPMA-HR Professional Development and Research Coordinator Heather Corbin at hcorbin@ipma-hr.org, or click here for more information.

July 7
Online Course
Managing Employee Performance as an HR Business Partner

July 18
Seminar: Job Analysis
In conjunction with the 2010 IPAC Conference.
Newport Beach, Calif.
Contact IPMA-HR Professional Development and Research Coordinator Heather Corbin at hcorbin@ipma-hr.org or click here for more information.

August 25
Online Course
Developing Competencies for HR Success

September 19-22, 2010
Eastern Region Conference
Adlephi, Md.

September 22
Online Course
Developing Competencies for HR Success

October 2-6, 2010
2010 International Training Conference & Expo
Sheraton Seattle Hotel & Towers
Seattle, Wash.
Contact IPMA-HR Director of Membership and Professional Development Jessica Allen at jallen@ipma-hr.org or click here for more information.

October 6
Online Course
Managing Employee Performance as an HR Business Partner

Watch the HR Bulletin and our Web site for more information on educational opportunities.

Top