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HR Bulletin June 25, 2010

The June 2010 issue of HR News magazine (4.7 MB) is now online.
The Summer 2010 issue of Public Personnel Management (2.3 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.

Employer Review of Text Messages OK, Says Supreme Court

In a unanimous opinion authored by Justice Anthony Kennedy, the United States Supreme Court held that a city employer can review text messages on an employer-provided pager without running afoul of the Fourth Amendment. The opinion clarifies the law surrounding the use of employer-provided devices but is limited by the Court’s narrow opinion.

Declining to issue a sweeping rule concerning the use of electronic devices, Justice Kennedy wrote, “At present, it is uncertain how workplace norms, and the law’s treatment of them, will evolve.” The Court’s narrow opinion held that City of Ontario SWAT officer, Jeff Quon, had a reasonable expectation of privacy in the text messages but that the search did not violate the Fourth Amendment because it was reasonable.

The city of Ontario, Calif., has a written “Computer Usage, Internet and E-Mail Policy” reserving the right to monitor all activity with or without notice and informing users that they should have no expectation of privacy or confidentiality when using these resources. The policy was extended to paging devices through a meeting and a written memorandum.

Ontario’s policies are in line with many other public employers’ policies. In a recent survey conducted by the International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR), nearly 90 percent of members, most from local government, said that they have a written policy on the personal use of electronic communication. Slightly more than two-thirds of those policies allow for personal use but specify that communications are not private. Twenty-two percent of policies prohibit personal use.

Having such policies and communicating them are even more important after the Court’s opinion. In the opinion, Kennedy wrote, “And employer policies concerning communications will of course shape the reasonable expectations of their employees, especially to the extent that such policies are clearly communicated.”

Quon’s superior, Lieutenant Steven Duke, told officers that he did not intend to review their messages and that if they went over the allotted number of characters for the messages in a month that they could simply reimburse the city for the extra cost. Over the next several months, Quon did go over the allotted number of characters and reimbursed the city for the overage fee.

Despite his earlier statement, Duke told the chief of police, Lloyd Scharf, that he was tired of being a bill collector. Scharf decided to audit the use of the pagers for the purpose of determining whether or not the city needed to increase the monthly character limit to avoid the overages. Scharf and Duke reviewed the messages and found that most of them were not work related. Several of them were sexually explicit and sent to Quon’s wife and girlfriend.

The matter was referred to internal affairs and the officer in charge of the review redacted all messages that were sent while Quon was off duty. The investigator discovered that Quon sent or received 456 messages in August of which no more than 57 were work-related. He sent as many as 80 messages in one day at work, with the average of 28, only three of which were work related. The investigation concluded that Quon violated workplace rules. Quon was allegedly disciplined.

Quon argues that this review violated his Fourth Amendment right to privacy. The Supreme Court assumed without deciding that Quon had a right to privacy in the text messages but when on to say that the Fourth Amendment was not violated because the search was reasonable. Justice Kennedy said that reviewing the transcripts was an efficient and expedient way to determine if the overages were the result of personal or work use. The search was not overly intrusive because it was limited to a two-month time period and the investigating officer removed all messages sent outside work hours.

Further, the Court said that Quon’s expectation of privacy would be limited by the fact that his actions could easily come under legal scrutiny. A reasonable employee might assume that during a law enforcement action, the use of the pagers might be investigated since they were provided to help officers respond quickly to emergency situations. Further, the Court said that the city should not be required to use a less intrusive means because the chief and lieutenant could not be expected to know that the messages would reveal intimate details of Quon’s personal life.

The IPMA-HR survey mentioned above was conducted in May 2010. Three hundred and thirteen members completed the survey. Fifty-four percent of respondents were from localities/cities, 14 percent from counties, 16 percent from states, and the remainder from federal government, school districts, special districts and towns. In addition to the above information, about half of respondents said they actively monitor employees’ internet use through monitoring software and 23 percent said that they actively monitor the content of employees’ e-mail messages.

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Recent Premium Increases Imposed by Insurers Averaged 20 Percent for People Who Buy Their Own Health Insurance, Kaiser Survey Finds

MENLO PARK, Calif. – People who buy their own insurance report that their insurers most recently requested premium increases averaging 20 percent, according to a new Kaiser survey examining the experiences and views of people who buy health coverage in the non-group or individual market.

Overall roughly three in four people (77 percent) with non-group coverage report facing a premium increase with a current or previous insurer. Most say they paid the increase, but 16 percent of all policyholders say they switched plans, either buying a less expensive policy from their current insurer or switching companies altogether. After these so-called “buy downs” are taken into account, people who faced a premium increase ended up paying 13 percent more than before.

Many of those facing a premium increase who switched to a cheaper policy are now getting less comprehensive coverage than they were before. The survey found that those who switched are more than four times as likely to say their new plan offers worse benefits than their previous plan (49 percent) as they are to say their new plan’s benefits are better (11 percent).

“With people in the individual market being hit with average increases of 20 percent, the survey shows that the steep increases we have been reading about over the last several months are not just extreme cases,” Kaiser Family Foundation President and CEO Drew Altman said.

While most people in the U.S. get health insurance through their employer, about 14 million people under age 65 have coverage through the non-group or individual market, which has faced scrutiny recently in news reports about some insurers’ steep rate increases and in the market reforms in the new health reform law that will take effect in 2014. Kaiser’s Survey of People Who Purchase Their Own Insurance provides insight into the current state of the non-group market. It is based on a nationally representative random sample of 1,038 people ages 18-64 who purchase their own health coverage and was conducted between March 19 and April 2, during the final congressional debate and enactment of health reform legislation.

Premiums and deductibles
More than half (57 percent) of those with non-group insurance say that they are the only ones covered by their policy. This group reports average annual premiums of $3,606, less than the average $4,824 premium reported in 2009 for employer-sponsored coverage (which typically provides more comprehensive insurance). Among those whose policies cover not only themselves but also other family members, the average annual premiums are $7,102. With insurers generally varying premiums by age in the non-group market, older people report paying higher premiums than younger people, both for individual policies and for family policies.

Many people report being in plans with high deductibles, including one in four (26 percent) with an annual deductible of $5,000 or more and six percent with a deductible of $10,000 or more.

Overall, the average deductible reported for single coverage is $2,498, almost four times the $634 deductible reported on average for employer-sponsored PPO coverage. Those with family coverage whose deductibles must be met on a per-person basis report an average deductible of $2,959, while those with a family deductible (the total spending required across the entire family before coverage kicks in) report an average of $5,149.

Cost concerns among policyholders
Those who purchase their own coverage are much more likely to worry about being able to pay for health care than those with employer coverage.

For example, 40 percent of those who buy their own coverage say they are “not too confident” or “not at all confident” that they will be able to pay their usual medical bills, twice the share of those with employer coverage who said so in another Kaiser survey. Only 17 percent say they are “very confident” they could pay these usual bills, compared to 36 percent of those with employer coverage.

A similar disparity exists when asked about their ability to pay for a major illness or injury that requires hospitalization. Half (51 percent) of those who purchase their own coverage say they are “not confident” they could pay their bills in such circumstances, compared with a quarter (26 percent) of those with employer coverage.

This lack of confidence may reflect real problems policyholders have experienced. More than one in five (22 percent) say over the past year they or a family member covered by their plan did not get needed medical care because of the cost, and a similar share (20 percent) say they skipped filling a prescription due to cost. Those who report a preexisting condition are twice as likely as those without to report skipping needed medical care because of the cost (31 percent vs. 15 percent) or not filling a prescription because of the cost (28 percent vs. 14 percent).

Nearly four in 10 policyholders (38 percent) report at least one problem getting their insurer to pay a bill, either because the plan paid less than they expected (31 percent), the plan would not pay anything for a bill they thought was covered (22 percent), or they reached the limit of what the plan would pay for a specific illness or injury (seven percent).

Preexisting conditions
Nearly half (47 percent) of those in non-group plans say that they or someone covered by their policy have what could be considered a preexisting condition. This group is more likely than other policyholders to report difficulty in finding a plan that met their needs (49 percent vs. 27 percent) and are more likely to worry about losing that coverage if they become seriously ill (62 percent vs. 48 percent). These findings do not reflect the experiences of people with preexisting conditions who could not find affordable coverage on their own at all—as the survey only captures the experiences of current policyholders.

Within this group, nearly half (49 percent) say they have had at least one problem getting their insurer to pay bills and one in five (21 percent) of those in the preexisting group report that an insurance company denied them coverage in the past, compared to just three percent of other policyholders. The group is also more likely to say they are worried about the future stability of their insurance coverage.

Who buys individual coverage?
The survey finds that people who buy their own insurance on average are somewhat older than those with employer-sponsored coverage, but with similar incomes and health status.

When asked why they buy their own health coverage, nearly half (45 percent) say it is because they are self-employed and small business owners. One in four (25 percent) say they or their spouse work for an employer, but the employer either does not offer coverage or they are not eligible for, or cannot afford, the employer coverage.

When purchasing their current policy, eight in 10 (79 percent) say they shopped around at different insurance companies—though fewer than half ended up applying to more than one insurer: 13 percent say they applied to two insurers, 28 percent to three or four, and seven percent to five or more. Fifteen percent of those who shopped around (accounting for 12 percent of all those who purchase their own insurance) say that at least one insurance company refused to offer them a policy.

The vast majority (74 percent) of those who buy their own insurance say they’re likely to keep purchasing coverage on their own one year from now. Just over half (54 percent) think it would be difficult for them to switch plans if they wanted to. The most common reasons people think it would be difficult to switch is that they or someone else on their plan has a preexisting condition (42 percent of those who say it would be difficult), they wouldn’t be able to find a price as low as they have now (26 percent), and it would be too complicated to look for a new plan (18 percent).

Methodology
The Survey of People Who Purchase Their Own Insurance was designed, analyzed, and conducted by researchers at the Kaiser Family Foundation. In order to identify people who purchase their own insurance, screening interviews were completed with a nationally representative sample of 8,499 people ages 18-64. Respondents were drawn from the Knowledge Networks Panel, a large-randomly drawn representative national panel of households recruited by telephone and mail. A Web-based survey among the 1,038 randomly selected individuals was conducted between March 19 and April 2, 2010. The margin of sampling error for results based on the full sample is plus or minus four percentage points. The full question wording, results, charts and a brief on the poll can be viewed online.

The Kaiser Family Foundation is a nonprofit private operating foundation, based in Menlo Park, Calif., dedicated to producing and communicating the best possible analysis and information on health issues.

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One in Four Finds Fulfillment in Job, but for Most, the Job is Just a Source of Income

ARLINGTON, Va. – Twenty-six percent of people say they find happiness and fulfillment in their job, according to a nationwide telephone survey of more than 500 employed Americans by Arlington, Va., management consultants Healthy Companies International. But for most workers the job serves mainly to provide income to enjoy other aspects of life.

Only 11 percent feel the job is mostly a drain on their energy and happiness.

“Sure it’s heartening that as many as one in three people enjoy their work,” said Stephen Parker, chief commercial officer of Healthy Companies. “Nevertheless, the findings tell us a lot more could be done to improve the situation of employees, and that any improvement would benefit both them and their employer.”

When asked by Healthy Companies how their jobs affected their ability to enjoy life, 26 percent of full- and part-time employees said it was a “major source of happiness and fulfillment, 60 percent said it primarily served to provide income so that they could enjoy other aspects of their lives, and 11 percent said their jobs were a drain on their energy and happiness.

More companies, explained Parker, are looking into the job satisfaction and well being of their employees. “Aside from it being the right thing to do, management also realizes that employees who see little intrinsic value in the work itself are not as productive as they might be. No one is saying we can totally transform the reality that sometimes a job is just a job, but there is huge potential even in taking small steps to engage employees further.”

“People spend half their waking hours at work and it’s a shame if they feel unconnected or indifferent to what they do,” said Parker. “The survey tells us the national workforce has so much unrealized promise. Many companies are obviously getting just a modest or minimal discretionary effort from their workforce. If, on the other hand, organizations were able to lift job satisfaction by just five or 10 percent it would pay off in very real terms.”

Among the survey’s other findings:

  • Not surprisingly, the sense of fulfillment in the job tends to correlate with both income and education. Thirty-two percent of respondents with income of $75,000 or more find their job a major source of happiness, compared with just 17 percent of those earning less than $25,000. Similarly, 41 percent of those who at least completed college feel such satisfaction with their job, compared with only 20 percent of those with high school or less.
  • The greatest job satisfaction was expressed by respondents in mid-career. Thirty percent of those 45-54 feel fulfilled compared with just 25 percent of those 18-34.
  • Men were 28 percent more likely than women (25 percent) to feel fulfilled in their jobs.

According to Parker, there are a variety of ways to build greater employee engagement. “In some cases, leaders need to connect workers with the key roles they play in fulfilling the company’s mission and in serving the higher purpose that great companies seek to achieve. Employees need to see how their own values fit with the company’s. In most cases, employees should be recognized for their contribution to the wider team, encouraged to find ways to use natural talent and given the chance to collaborate more with colleagues.”

The leadership of a healthy organization never takes this human dimension for granted, believes Parker. “There is so much untapped human energy in the workplace that we have to wonder what better would look like if just a small part of the disengaged majority began to feel greater fulfillment from their work.”

The nationwide telephone survey of 509 employed Americans was conducted May 19-30, 2010, by International Communications Research, Media, PA, on behalf of Healthy Companies International, Arlington, Va. Healthy Companies conducted the research as part of its ongoing commitment to learn more about the role of leaders in producing healthy, high-performing teams.

Founded in 1988 by Bob Rosen and based in Arlington, Va., Healthy Companies International is a management consulting and research firm that helps chief executive officers and their teams build healthy, high-performance organizations. As a trusted client partner and thought leader, the firm has maintained a continuing dialogue with over 300 CEOs and developed extensive research contributing to numerous books and papers on leadership, growth, change management, communication strategy, executive coaching and performance improvement.

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Working Dads Feeling the Pressure Brought on by Tough Economic Conditions, CareerBuilder’s Annual Father’s Day Survey Finds

CHICAGO – The struggling economy is causing many working dads to experience heavier workloads, added stress and less time spent with their families. One-in-10 working dads said their spouse or significant other has become unemployed in the last 12 months, with half indicating that it is causing stress at home. Forty-two percent of working dads said they are the sole provider for their household and nearly one-in-10 (nine percent) have taken on a second job in the last 12 months to provide for their family. This is according to CareerBuilder’s annual Father’s Day survey conducted from February 10 to March 2, 2010, among 800 men, employed full-time, with children 18 and under living in the household.

Leaner staffs are creating more demands at the office, making it more difficult for working fathers to achieve a healthy work/life balance. Sixty-three percent of working dads said they work more than 40 hours per week. Three in 10 (31 percent) working dads who take work home reported they typically bring work home five days a week or more. Thirty percent bring work home on the weekends.

Heavier workloads and longer hours are resulting in less quality time with family. Close to four-in-10 (37 percent) of working dads said they spend two hours or less with their children each work day. More than three-in-10 (35 percent) reported they missed two or more significant events in their child’s life due to work in the last year.

“Especially in tough times, working dads have to be more creative and strategic to successfully juggle both work and family commitments,” said Jason Ferrara, VP corporate marketing at CareerBuilder and father of two. “Employers understand the importance of working dads’ time away from the office and continue to place an emphasis on work/life balance through benefits that encourage employees to better manage their schedules. However, year over year, we find that nearly half of working dads do not take advantage of the flexible work arrangements offered to them.”

Ferrara recommends the following tips for working dads navigating through difficult economic times:

Keep everyone in the mix – Remember that communication is a two-way street. Besides just listening to what is going on in your family’s lives, talk about what is going on in your office, so everyone understands why you are away or have to do some work when you are home.

Learn to say no – In addition to actual work, sometimes activities associated with your job can take a toll on your free time. Determine what additional activities you can turn down and which are necessary so that you can free up more of your time outside of the office.

Develop a master family calendar – Add every family member’s schedule to one master calendar so there are no surprises. Also, save vacation days for important events and talk to your supervisor about flexible work arrangements.

Play now, work later – Put down your Blackberry and avoid checking e-mails until after your children have gone to sleep.

Plan a family event in your office – Take advantage of the summer months when school is out and the office may be less hectic by scheduling a kid-friendly potluck or other event with co-workers and their families.

Survey Methodology
This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive on behalf of CareerBuilder among 800 U.S. working dads (employed full-time; not self-employed; non government, with children age 18 or younger living in the household); ages 18 and over between February 10 and March 2, 2010 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset of U.S. employees, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 800, one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 3.46 percentage points. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

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. 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.

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IPMA-HR Offering “Ronald Gabriel New HR Professionals’ Conference Scholarship”

The International Public Management Association for Human Resources (IPMA-HR) is pleased to announce the establishment of the Ronald Gabriel New HR Professionals’ Conference Scholarship, in memory of the late Ronald Gabriel, a longtime IPMA-HR member who left a bequest to the Association.

IPMA-HR will be offering two Ronald Gabriel scholarships for the 2010 International Training Conference for new HR professionals. To be eligible for this scholarship, an individual needs to be an IPMA-HR member—either an individual member or a covered staff member (CSM) of an IPMA-HR agency member—and have less than five years of HR experience. The value of each scholarship is up to $2,000, which can be used for conference-related hotel, travel, and meal expenses.

The 2010 International Training Conference will be held October 2-6, 2010, at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel in Seattle. The deadline for the receipt of scholarship applications is July 23, 2010.

Completed applications should be submitted to Jessica Allen, Director of Membership & Professional Development, IPMA-HR, either by mail, at 1617 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 22314; fax, at (703) 684-0948; or e-mail, at jallen@ipma-hr.org.

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One $25,000 CPS/IPMA-HR Grant for Government Agencies to be Awarded to Qualified Applicant

CPS Human Resource Services (CPS) and IPMA-HR have formed a partnership to establish a grant program for the encouragement of innovative Human Resources (HR) practices in the public sector. It is the mission of both CPS and IPMA-HR to further the discipline of HR through support of personnel programs and initiatives. The purpose of this grant program is to support excellence in HR through recognition of contributions to public service that foster quality, fairness, equity, and solutions to organizational needs. The grant will be offered to agencies demonstrating the promotion of such objectives through the implementation and utilization of innovative human resource programs. It is the desire of CPS/IPMA-HR to offer one $25,000 grant this year to a qualified applicant. CPS/IPMA-HR may not offer grants in any given year if there are insufficient applicant proposals meeting grant criteria.

Eligibility Requirements
The agency selected for the CPS/IPMA-HR grant will be responsible for using the funds to establish a unique or innovative HR-related program within their agency. Meeting the following requirements is necessary to be eligible for grant consideration:

  • Be a governmental agency in the U.S.
  • The funds must only be used for internal staffing and expenses (not external consultants).
  • The implemented program must be new to the agency and linked to the agency’s future goals or strategic plan.
  • The program must be outcome based (result oriented).
  • The agency must be able to demonstrate where and how the funds were used.
  • Within eight months of receiving the grant, the agency awarded will be expected to design and implement the program so that the results can be published.
  • The agency must publish their results with sufficient detail to enable other agencies to use the program as a model.
  • The agency is expected to present their findings at any IPMA-HR conference (with an expectation for the agency to present their findings at the IPMA-HR International Training Conference).

Application Process
Interested agencies should submit up to a five-page description thoroughly discussing the following issues:

  • Project Title.
  • History and mission statement of the agency.
  • Current departmental, human resource concern(s), or problem(s).
  • The innovative HR-related program to be undertaken within the agency.
  • Population served by the agency.
  • Number of paid full/part-time employees and volunteers.
  • The project’s intended start and end date in Month/Day/Year (mm/dd/yy) format.
  • The methodologies that will be used to develop, implement, and promote the program.
  • A description of the intended results or outcome of the program and how it is linked to the agencies goals or strategic plan.
  • A description as to how the effectiveness of the program will be measured, the measures in place to gauge the results, and the method to be used for quantifying the program’s success.
  • Additional funding, if any, that will contribute to the objectives of the project. Be sure to include: Name of funder, amount of funding, and where this funding is directed.
  • Any publicity plans that will promote the program and grant, other than those events as stipulated for this grant.
  • A monetary breakdown of the project’s budget.

Application Deadlines:

Please submit the proposal by August 13, 2010, to:

CPS Human Resource Services
Attn: Connie Champnoise
444 North Capitol Street, NW
Suite 544
Washington, DC 20001
cchampnoise@cps.ca.gov
(608) 536-3590 Phone
(916) 561-8446 Fax

E-mail submissions are strongly encouraged. If sending by mail, include an electronic copy on a CD or 3.5 inch disk.

Note: Applications will be acknowledged upon receipt. You will be notified of the results of the application review on or about September 13, 2010. The successful grantee will be announced at the IPMA-HR International Training Conference in Seattle, October 2-6, 2010, and the funds will be forwarded to the recipient in December 2010. The grantee is encouraged to attend the conference, but attending the conference is not a requirement of the grant award.

Grant Application Form:
To download an application form that you can mail or fax, please click here. It is in PDF format. In order to open the document, you will need Adobe Acrobat Reader. It is a free program. To obtain a copy, please click here.

Alternatively, to download an application in MSWord that you can return by e-mail, please click here to save the file to your computer. Complete the document and save the document under a different title; we suggest you save the final document as lastnamefirstnameIPMAGrantAPP.doc reflecting your last name, your first name or initial and the words IPMAGrantAPP. Complete the form and e-mail it as an attachment to cchampnoise@cps.ca.gov. If you are unable to e-mail an attachment, you may print and fax the form to (916) 561-8446.

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June 28 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 28, 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:

  • Effective message development and delivery
  • Eleven key tips for a successful employee communication
  • Avoiding traps and pitfalls
  • What employees want and need to know during a crisis
  • 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 e-mail 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.

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City of Alexandria, Va., to Host IPMA-HR Developing Competencies for HR Success on July 13-16

Developing Competencies for HR Success is a comprehensive four-day training program that teaches the benefits of understanding HR competencies, how to apply them and how to integrate them into business plans. As a standalone training program, this course is the best way to become a strategic player within your organization. This course will help you and your staff shift from managing “people issues” to managing “people-related business issues.”

Learn about self-assessment, building teams and coaching staff, resolving disputes and reaching consensus, creating a risk-taking environment, communication and levels of listening, building trust relationships, using consensus- and coalition-building skills, and more with IPMA-HR’s Developing Competencies for HR Success.

The entire program costs $275 for IPMA-HR members, and just $375 for nonmembers.

Completing IPMA-HR’s Developing Competencies for HR Success is a step toward certification. At the core of the IPMA-HR certification program is an appreciation of the importance of HR competencies. If you or members of your staff desire to become certified as an IPMA-HR Certified Professional (IPMA-CP) or an IPMA-HR Certified Specialist (IPMA-CS), learning the concepts that are the foundation of this course is a necessary step.

Visit IPMA-HR at www.ipma-hr.org to download the registration form today, or contact us by e-mail at meetings@ipma-hr.org, or by phone at (703) 549-7100 to learn more about IPMA-HR’s Developing Competencies for HR Success.

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Making the Case to Attend the IPMA-HR International Training Conference & Expo

Great ideas and successful practices don’t happen in a vacuum. They are often sparked by new ways of thinking and that’s what you’ll find at the IPMA-HR International Training Conference & Expo, which will be held October 2-6 at the Sheraton Seattle Hotel and Towers in Seattle, Wash. This is no time for business as usual. Come to the IPMA-HR conference and leave with dozens of practical ideas that you’ll be able to implement immediately.

It’s true; budgets are tight, especially for state and local governments. That’s why it’s even more important that you attend the conference. Finding out how other public sector HR agencies are navigating through these difficult times is essential for dealing effectively with this economy. This conference is the largest gathering of public sector HR professionals anywhere.

And it’s smart to begin planning ahead to get approval to attend the conference. Let your manager know why it’s important that you attend. Whether your agency is small or large, by attending the 2010 IPMA-HR Conference you’ll get:

  • Practical solutions for effective agency management in difficult times
  • Access to an entire network of people who are dealing with and navigating through similar complex problems
  • A choice of more than 20 educational sessions
  • Connected to products and services for the public sector HR professional at the expo featuring employee benefit packages, professional development programs, training programs and materials, and much more

Writing a Proposal
Impress your manager by stating your case in a written formal proposal. This will suggest that you’re serious about your own professional development and getting solutions that will help your agency succeed. Include in your proposal:

  • A complete list of the educational sessions with the specific sessions you intend to attend, and try to tie these sessions to your organizational goals.
  • A list of exhibitors and those you intend to meet with during the meeting.
  • Areas where your agency faces challenges and the preconference workshops you want to attend that will help you overcome those challenges.
  • An overview of the costs (registration, lodging, transportation, meals).

Seattle is a convenient and affordable destination. Plus, your conference registration fee includes continental breakfasts and breaks each day of the conference, hors d’oeuvres at the President’s Welcome Reception and the Annual Celebration Reception, and lunch during Monday’s expo. You can even suggest that you share a room with a colleague to cut your lodging expenses in half.

By planning ahead, you can get early buy-in from your manager to attend. It’s a smart business decision, and your agency will reap the rewards in the long run.

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.

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Job Analysis Seminar Scheduled for July 18 in Newport Beach, Calif.

Register today for the Job Analysis Seminar, which is being held in conjunction with the 2010 IPAC Annual Conference, and will take place from 8:30 a.m. until 4 p.m. Sunday, July 18, 2010, at the Hyatt Regency Newport Beach in Newport Beach, Calif. Karen Coffee, chief of HR planning and innovation with the California Department of Corrections and Rehabilitation, will lead the seminar.

The job analysis 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. The resulting data can be used for a variety of human resources activities such as the establishment of class specifications, the design of training programs and the development of content valid selection procedures. The IPMA-HR job analysis approach is flexible enough to be used on any type of occupation and is applicable for small, medium and large agencies. Those who would benefit from this seminar include all assessment practitioners as well as HR professionals seeking additional knowledge on selection issues.

What You Will Learn

  • Overview of job analysis
  • Legal and professional foundation
  • Multipurpose job analysis
  • IPMA-HR job analysis method
  • Job analysis documentation

Register today by visiting the IPAC Annual Conference Web site, or e-mail meetings@ipma-hr.org for more information.

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On the Calendar

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
Eastern Region Conference
Adlephi, Md.

September 22
Online Course
Developing Competencies for HR Success

October 2-6
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.

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