EMPLOYERS RESOURCE ASSOCIATION BRIEFS - ERA … · EMPLOYERS RESOURCE ASSOCIATION BRIEFS New COBRA...

EMPLOYERS RESOURCE ASSOCIATION

BRIEFS

New COBRA - ARRA Notices 1

From the President: C-Suite Briefing 2

Survey Update 3

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act 4

Legislative Update - Employee Free Choice Act

5

Inside this issue:

Member Update March 25, 2009

Special points of interest:

Columbus Issues Forum - COBRA Requirements

6

Managing Stress: Another Applica-tion for DiSC

8

Upcoming Training 9

Group Ratings 11

New Members 12

Member Highlights 13

Member Spotlights 14

Preparing for Reduction in Force 15 Cincinnati Issues Forum - COBRA Requirements

7

Finally, the DOL has released the new Model COBRA Notices for compliance with the subsidy mandates of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009. Any organiza-tion covered by COBRA or a similar state continuation of coverage statute will need to be-come familiar with these forms and select and send the appropriate forms to certain employ-ees. We have placed a link on our website, www.hrxperts.org, under the “What’s New” tab explaining the various notices with links that allow printing of the forms.

Also, please consider joining us at one of ERA's COBRA Issues Forums. They will be held on March 30th in Columbus and March 31st in Cincinnati. Columbus members should call Susan Kuertz at 614.538.9410. Cincinnati members should call Brandi Helton at 513.679.4120. For more detailed information on these issues forums refer to pages 6 & 7.

New COBRA -ARRA Notices

ATTENTION!


Are You “Linked-In” and Social Media Savvy?

Jennifer Graft, SPHR

Two thirds of the world’s internet population visit social networking or blogging sites, ac-

counting for almost 10% of all internet time, according to a recent Nielsen report. This percent-

age is likely to grow as time spent on social network sites is growing more than 3 times the rate

of overall internet growth. So the question is: Are you as an executive “Linked-in” or savvy with

the uses of social media sites? Please join us on Friday, March 27, 2009 at ERA in Cincinnati

from 9:00 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. We will be hosting a C-Suite Briefing as part of our series to

CEO’s, COO’s, CFO’s, Business Owners and Presidents of member companies. Kendra Rami-

rez, President of Sales Konnect, is able to teach and share directly from over a decade of ex-

perience in networking, sales, recruiting and business improvement. Kendra has consistently

grown through social network tools and good old fashioned “hard work.” Since 2005, she has

been able to show businesses how to utilize these networking tools to shorten their sales cycle,

recruit passive candidates and market their businesses in a tough economy. In this session, you

will learn:

Call, fax or e-mail us today to reserve your space for our C-Suite Briefing on Social Media with Kendra Ramirez.

You do not want to miss this event!

Please fax, e-mail or mail your registration to:

Brandi Helton, [email protected] Employers Resource Association

1200 Edison Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45216 FAX 513.679.4139 Phone 513.679.4120

LinkedIn, Facebook and Twitter Statis-tics Steps to building a good profile Connections - Invitations etiquette To pay for LinkedIn upgrades or not? Social Media Company Policies Groups – how to find groups that are in your industry and target market for sales

Free marketing, event and job post-ing opportunities How and why to complete your com-pany tab Time Management Privacy and Security Concerns

mailto:[email protected]

THE HR PROFESSIONALS SINCE 1946

Participants should receive their copies of the 2009 Production Survey soon. This com-prehensive survey covers 89 positions in fields such as, Machine Operation, Quality Control/Inspection, Maintenance, Assembly, Service and Medical. Over 250 employers submit their data for this year’s survey. Thanks to all who participated! Copies are available for non-participants to purchase as well. Please contact the Survey Department for details.

In this time of economic uncertainty, we are responding to a heavy volume of calls from members asking for data on how local companies are dealing with layoffs, reductions in force, and wage and salary adjustments. In order to help our members understand the local market-place, we are conducting a survey on current employer practices. This survey is attached to the July-December 2008 Turnover survey which was sent out on March 16. If you have not received a copy, please contact us.

Here are the current survey deadlines:

Please do not hesitate to contact the Survey Department at 513.679.4120, toll free at 888.237.9554, or e-mail Douglas C. Matthews at [email protected] if you have any questions about our survey processes or need assistance with completing your survey ques-tionnaires.

Professional & Supervisory: Extended to Monday, March 30!!

Turnover/Layoff Survey: Friday, April 10

Engineering & Technical questionnaires will be mailed: Wednesday, April 1

Survey Update



On January 29, 2009, President Obama signed the Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act of 2009, which was the first bill signed into law by the new administration. This Act clarifies that a discrimi-natory pay decision occurs each time compensation is paid pursuant to that pay decision. What this means is that each time an employee receives a paycheck that reflects any past discrimina-tory pay decision, the 180-day (or 300 day, depending on the state) time period for filing an EEOC charge restarts.

What should you be doing now? Employers need to ensure that there are no pay practices/decisions that could be consid-ered discriminatory and implement measures to avoid pay discrimination claims. How do you do this? Employers Resource Association can assist you with your statistical analysis or review-ing and writing your pay practices. For assistance with reviewing your pay practices, call Terry Henley or e-mail [email protected]. For assistance with statistical analysis, call Carol Reubel or e-mail [email protected].

1. Conduct an audit of your written policies relating to pay decisions with regard to start-ing pay, promotional pay increases and merit pay increases.

2. Conduct a statistical analysis of pay to see if any disparities currently exist or if there are any statistical patterns based upon past decisions (starting pay, merit and promo-tional pay increases, position classification within job grades/salary ranges, Exempt/Non-Exempt pay status).

3. Educate management about the Ledbetter Fair Pay Act and implement written policies giving guidance to managers about pay decisions.

4. Be prepared to answer questions from employees.

Lilly Ledbetter Fair Pay Act

Carol Reubel, SPHR




The Employee Free Choice Act (EFCA) has once again been introduced in the House of Representa-tives (H.B. 1409) and Senate (S. 560). This ironically named legislation was narrowly defeated when it was originally introduced in 2007. Additionally, President Bush had pledged to veto the legislation if it did pass in the House and Senate. President Obama has expressed support for the legislation in the event that it reaches his desk.

The basic provisions of the EFCA include the end of secret ballot elections (thus the irony), potential intimidation and coercion of your employees by co-workers and union organizers, no opportunity for employer education of employees on unions and mandated binding arbitration of a union contract determined by a feder-ally appointed mediator.

Currently, employees can be asked by union organizers to sign an authorization card (card check) indi-cating the desire for a union. The authorization cards are signed publicly. Generally, union organizers attempt to obtain cards from 60-70% of the targeted workforce. The union organizers may then request an election from the National Labor Relations Board. There is generally a period of time (8-10 weeks) prior to the election for both the employer and union to provide information and persuade employees. An election then occurs with a secret ballot to determine whether employees want union representation. If employees vote for a union the em-ployer and union then negotiate a contract. Neither side can impose any contract provisions on the other. If no agreement is reached, the parties can attempt mediation. The union may strike if an agreement cannot be reached.

If the EFCA is signed into law, union organizers would only need to obtain a simple majority (50%+1) of authorization cards from employees and attempts to obtain the cards and information regarding who has signed or not signed would be public. Therefore, employees could be targeted to sign the cards both in the workplace and at home. Once the union obtained a simple majority of signed cards, other employees would have no vote in the matter. The signed authorization cards would determine whether employees supported union representa-tion. There would be no opportunity for an employer to present their position on union representation and em-ployees would have no opportunity for a secret ballot election. Many employees would have had no vote and have union representation imposed on them.

While the loss of the secret ballot is crucial, an equally devastating part of the bill is that once the union is approved with the authorization cards, the employer and union would be required to start negotiating a con-tract within 10 days. If the employer and union could not reach a contract within 120 days, a federally appointed mediator would be assigned, who would then impose a contract determining wages, paid days off, health insur-

ance coverage, pension, working hours and all other conditions of employment for two years.

The fines and penalties against employers would also be substantially increased for unfair labor prac-tices including treble damages and $20,000 in civil damages for willful or repeated violations for each employee.

The National Association of Manufacturers is at the forefront in its opposition to this legislation. Now is the time to let your legislators know your opinion of this legislation. Please take a few moments and contact your legislators. You can easily do this with the help of the NAM website. The NAM webpage is www.nam.org/PolicyIssueInformation/HumanResourcesPolicy/EmploymentandLabor/ECFA. On the left hand side of the EFCA page is “Contact Congress”. If you click on the link, you will have an opportunity to generate opposition letters to your legislators.

Carolyn Potter, JD

Legislative Update

Employee Free Choice Act

http://www.nam.org/PolicyIssueInformation/HumanResourcesPolicy/EmploymentandLabor/ECFA

http://www.nam.org/PolicyIssueInformation/HumanResourcesPolicy/EmploymentandLabor/ECFA


NEW COBRA REQUIREMENTS EXPLAINED MONDAY, March 30, 2009

1:30 PM – 2:30 PM Speaker/Q&A

ERA Columbus Office

Known as the “Stimulus Bill”, the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Plan was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. As part of the package, the federal government is provid-ing a nine month subsidy covering 65% of the COBRA premium for certain “Assistance Eligible Individu-als” (AEI’s) - effective immediately. So who qualifies for the new COBRA subsidy and who doesn’t? Do you and your leadership team know all you need to know about complying with the employer’s new COBRA notice obligations? Do you know what you must do if eligible employees who originally decided NOT to take COBRA now request to sign up for COBRA and receive the subsidy? Do you know for which period in the past workers must be notified and of-fered additional COBRA rights? If you would like to know more, Employers Resource Association is offering you the opportunity to hear from a leading benefit attorney. On Monday, March 30, 2009 from 1:30 pm – 2:30 pm, Ben Wells, of the Cincinnati law firm of Dinsmore & Shohl, will be presenting what the provisions of this new COBRA subsidy require and will answer your questions about what this means to employers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------- Due to space restrictions, reservations are required. Cost of participation is $25.00 for ERA members and $35.00 (prepayment only) for non-members. Registrations must be received by 5:00 p.m., Thursday, March 26, 2009. Members choosing not to prepay with your registration, will be invoiced. “No shows” and late cancellations (less than 48 hours) will be charged. Please reserve ____ spaces for the Issues Forum on March 30, 2009 for the following: 1. _______________________________________ Company __________________________________ 2. _______________________________________ Phone Number______________________________ 3. _______________________________________ Check enclosed _________ Please invoice _______ Visa Master Card American Express Discover Card #: ______________________________________________________ Expiration Date_____________

Name of Cardholder: __________________________________________________________

Billing Address:__________________________________

___________________________________

___________________________________

Please fax, mail or e-mail your registration to:

Susan Kuertz, [email protected] Employers Resource Association

921 Chatham Lane, Suite 111, Columbus, OH 43221 FAX 614.538.9420 Phone 513.679.4120


NEW COBRA REQUIREMENTS EXPLAINED

TUESDAY, March 31, 2009

8:30 a.m. – 9:30 a.m. ( C ontinental Breakfast Provided )

Speaker/Q&A

ERA Cincinnati Office Known as the “Stimulus Bill”, the American Economic Recovery and Reinvestment Plan was signed into law by President Obama on February 17, 2009. As part of the package, the federal government is providing a nine month subsidy covering 65% of the COBRA premium for certain “Assistance Eligible Individuals” (AEIs), effective immediately. So who qualifies for the new COBRA subsidy and who does not? Do you and your leadership team know all you need to know about complying with the employer’s new COBRA notice obligations? Do you know what you must do if eligible employees who originally decided NOT to take COBRA now demand to sign up for COBRA and receive the subsidy? Do you know for which period in the past workers who were involuntarily terminated now must be notified and offered additional COBRA rights? If you would like to know more, Employers Resource Association is offering you the opportunity to hear from one of the leading benefit attorneys in the Cincinnati area. On Tuesday, March 31, 2009 from 8:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m., Hans M. Zimmer, member of the Cincinnati law firm of Cors and Bassett, will be presenting what the provisions of this new COBRA subsidy require and will answer your questions about what this means to employ-ers. ----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------- Due to space restrictions, reservations are required. Cost of participation is $25.00 for ERA members and $35.00 (pre-payment only) for non-members. Registrations must be received by 5:00 p.m., Thursday, March 26, 2009. Members choosing not to prepay with registration will be invoiced. “No shows” and late cancellations (less than 48 hours) will be charged.

Please reserve _______spaces for the Issues Forum on March 31, 2009 for the following:

1. ______________________________________________ Company

2. ______________________________________________ Phone Number

3. ______________________________________________ Check enclosed ______ Please invoice

Visa Master Card American Express Discover

Card #: _____________________________________________________________ Expiration Date_____________

Name of Cardholder: ________________________________________________________

Billing Address

Please fax, mail or e-mail your registration to: Brandi Helton [email protected]

Employers Resource Association 1200 Edison Drive, Cincinnati, Ohio 45216 Phone: 513.679.4120 - Fax: 513.679.4139



Managing Stress: Another Application for DiSC

Most of us are feeling increased stress, which is causing an even bigger drain on the organization’s fi-nances because of decreased productivity, increased absenteeism and higher health insurance claims. To effectively manage our stress, we need to deal with the source. Is there one common source today? Not necessarily. Several ERA members have used the DiSC® Dimensions of Behavior for pre-employment screening. If you are not familiar with this tool, DiSC measures an individual’s level of intensity of four separate behaviors: Dominance, Influence, Steadiness and Conscientiousness. The assessment can also be used to identify specific sources of stress, how individuals with similar levels of intensity will typically react when feeling pres-sured and ways to alleviate stress. Highlights for each style are below.

PEOPLE / RELATIONSHIP FOCUS Most people can adjust their behavioral styles when appropriate to improve communication and relation-ships. However, we tend to stay in our “comfort zone” when feeling pressured. This creates an added challenge for leaders. To be successful, leaders need to first manage their own stress, so they can be flexible enough to help their team members cope. If you’re interested in learning more about how DiSC can help your organization to develop more pro-ductive teams, effective managers, powerful salesforce, or exceptional customer service representatives, con-tact:

Ralph Neal in Cincinnati at 513.679.4120 or [email protected] Julie Blankenship in Columbus at 614.538.9410 or [email protected]

TASK FOCUS

Stressors: Stressors: > Lack of information > Loss of position > Unclear position or role > Loss of control Behaviors when stressed: Behaviors when stressed: > Questions everything > Blunt, demanding, aggressive > Trusts logic only, even doubts that > Takes action, even if wrong Alleviate stress by: Alleviate stress by: > Give information in writing > Give opportunity to act independently > Admit it when you don’t know > Define goals, let them decide how to reach

DELIBERATE PACE ACCELERATED PACE

Stressors: Stressors: > Unexpected changes > Loss of influence > Loss of structure > Restrictions on flexibility Behaviors when stressed: Behaviors when stressed: > Resist everything > Overly concerned with getting attention > Become detached or withdrawn > Strong emotional reactions Alleviate stress by: Alleviate stress by: > Explain how the change will impact them > Give opportunity to interact with others > Give advance notice of changes > Provide flexibility



HR Department: Cost or Profit Center?

Page 4 Page 9 THE HR PROFESSIONALS SINCE 1946

Date: Wednesdays, April 15 & 22

Time: 9:00 a.m. - 3:30 p.m.

Location:

Employers Resource Association

Cincinnati Office

PHR/SPHR/GPHR

Recertification Credits: 12

CEUs: 1.2

CPEs: 12 personal development

Member Fee: $285.00

*Non-member Fee: $400.00

Member Discount

Register three or more people at least 14 business days prior to the program to qualify for a 5% Group Discount. Members who are pay-ing 14 business days prior to the program may also take a 5% Early-

bird Discount.

*Pre-payment is required for non-members.

To register, e-mail

[email protected]

or call 513.679.4120

Benefits This program is designed for people at all levels who are technically competent at their jobs, but hurt their professional credibility when required to deliver information in front of small or large groups. Participants learn all of the fundamentals of great presenting. This program in-cludes a videotaping of a presentation by every participant and a one-on-one debrief for performance improvement.

Learning Objectives:

Perfecting Your Presentation Skills

Who Should Attend?

Anyone who needs to improve their presentation or public speaking skills will benefit from this class.

About Your Instructor…

Jerry Yingling, B.S. Ed., Learning and Develop-ment Consultant, leads this informative and valu-able program. With years of experience in the sales area, he is highly qualified to guide this im-portant session.

Adopt the “6 Components of a Powerful Presenter”

Utilize the tools to help slay personal dragons and be more relaxed

Master effective platform skills such as: voice, body, and facial presence, gestures, handling questions and confrontations, and attending skills (how to bond with your audience)

Use visual aids (PowerPoint, flipcharts and hand-outs) to add value to your presentation


Excellence in Leadership II

Date: Wednesdays, April 22, 29, May 6, 13, 20, & 27

Time: 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Location:

Employers Resource Association

Columbus Office

PHR/SPHR/GPHR

Recertification Credits: 24

CEUs: 2.4

CPEs: 24 management

Member Fee: $400.00

*Non-member Fee: $560.00

Member Discount

Register three or more people at least 14 business days prior to the program to qualify for a 5% Group Discount. Members who are paying 14 business days prior to the pro-gram may also take a 5% Earlybird

Discount.

*Pre-payment is required for non-members.

To register, e-mail

[email protected]

or call 614.538.9410

Who Should Attend?

This program is designed for busi-ness owners and managers, payroll, finance, HR personnel, supervisors and anyone else involved in develop-ing, interpreting, or communicating day-to-day pay practices within your organization.

Benefits

This program builds on the leadership competencies explored in Excellence in Leadership I. Participants continue to develop es-sential skills of the modern manager through interactive lecture, team exercises and case studies. Emphasis continues to shift from supervi-sor as the controller to supervisor as the coach. Participants reinforce the skills with hands-on, practical applications and begin to view their role from a larger “macro” perspective.

Overview

It’s not enough to intellectually grasp the principles of contempo-rary management. To make new ideas part of the supervisor’s everyday work habits, there must be practice in a risk-free environment. This pro-gram builds on the information and enthusiasm generated in Excellence in Leadership I by providing participants with the opportunity to expose and hone their skills with others who are similarly situated in other mem-ber companies.

With six intense sessions, this program explores basic leadership behaviors. Participants build on “people” skills such as active and reflec-tive listening, giving praise effectively and giving on-the-spot correc-tion to positively influence others. They’ll learn to develop strong coaching and counseling skills so that the supervisors may help em-ployees bring actual performance up to expectations. Practical team ex-ercises provide the opportunity to experience coaching in action and to receive immediate feedback from the group and instructor. Participants then consider situations that cause conflict and explore strategies for managing employees in conflict with each other. A special section on dealing with participants’ conflicts with other peers or managers builds confidence to take responsible actions.

Effective decision-making using an interesting case study rounds out this program. Do not delay - register today!

About Your Instructor:

Julie Blankenship, SPHR, is a savvy human resource

professional with extensive HR generalist experience, and two years of front-line leadership. Julie is well versed in coaching, training and development, drafting policies and procedures, and recruiting/staffing. Julie is well versed on a wide variety of topics, hosting roundtable discussion groups, completing various HR-related projects, and coor-dinating other special events.


Group Ratings

Before You Sign Up with Someone Else for Group Rating, Consult with Us

As you may have heard, the Ohio BWC has extended this year’s sign-up deadline for workers’ compen-sation group rating programs into April. This will allow employers enough time to be sure they have carefully evaluated their offers and understand their options in a year of many changes. We realize you may have many groups offering their services to you, but before you sign up with someone else for group rating, consult with us! You may miss out on many advantages if you sign up for another association’s program.

Our group rating administrator, The Frank Gates Service Company (Avizent), can assist you as you evaluate and make decisions on which group rating program to join. Call your Account Executive at 800.777.4283 for assistance with a critical program comparison or if you have general questions about our group’s advantages.

Economic Advantages

Members of our association have been offered extremely competitive discounts on fees by Frank Gates this year. In addition, when you join our group over another, you may avoid paying duplicate membership dues.

We understand that in today’s economy, times are tough for many businesses. Frank Gates wants to ease your burden as much as possible, so they are extending the following three flexible payment options on group rating fees to our members this year:

$0 Up Front/Reserve your Spot: If you are ready to join our program, but are not ready to send in your pay-ment, you may send in your paperwork now to reserve your spot and arrange to send payment later.

Installment Payments: You may choose to split your group rating fee payment into two or more install-ments.

Credit Card Option: Frank Gates offers the option for you to charge your group rating fee to a credit card.

Please contact Frank Gates at 800.395.4119 or call your Account Executive directly to

arrange one of these alternative payment options.

Remember, in times when the BWC is making changes that directly affect your bottom line, it pays to partner with an association and a program administrator that is fighting for your interests. Our group, along with Frank Gates, is there for you. Look to us for advocacy and advice on the best workers’ compensation options for your business.


New Members

Allied Glass & Mirror Company is located in Cincinnati, OH. Martin Mandel is President.

Bag Pack, Inc. is located in Hamilton, OH. Steven Dreyer is President

Colonial Life is located in Lewis Center, OH. Randall Horn is President/CEO.

Community Green Landscape Group is located in Loveland, OH. Greg Crosley is President.

The Electric Service Company is located in Cincinnati, OH. Todd Benadum is V.P. Sales &

Marketing.

Engineered Wire Products is located in Upper Sandusky, OH. Jack Helmer is Vice President.

Gardner Restoration is located in Dayton, OH. Michael Gardner is President.

Gilkey Window is located in Lexington, KY. Leigh Ann Dugan is President.

HealthBridge is located in Cincinnati, OH. Marie Ritter is Controller.

Spectrum Capital Corp. is located in Columbus, OH. Patricia Shorr is Head Executive.

Strategic Employee Benefit Services is located in Cincinnati, OH. Pat Kern is CEO.

Triton Services, Inc. is located in Mason, OH. Majid Samarghandi is CEO/Chairman.


Eagle Manufacturing

Eagle Manufacturing is a Tier I supplier of machined automotive parts. They are owned by Linamar Corporation located in Guelph, Ontario. Eagle is a member of the Engine Division and is also in a joint venture with International Truck and Engine.

(Member since 2007)

**********

TOXCO, Inc.

In business since 1984, Toxco, Inc. has become the most diverse battery recycling com-pany in the world. Their processes are all based on certified recycling techniques for material recov-ery. Toxco’s facilities are approved and permitted, operating under strict guidelines from state and federal environmental protection agencies. Their customers include environmentally conscious bat-tery manufacturers, consumers, waste management companies, industry, state governments, the federal government, and community service organizations.

(Member since 2008)

**********

TPI Composites

TPI is a leader, developer and volume manufacturer of large-scale composite structures for the wind energy, transportation and military vehicle markets. The company’s technology excels where high strength, light weight and durability are needed. TPI serves its customers in a cost effi-cient manner from its manufacturing facilities located in Warren, RI, Springfield, OH, Cuidad Juarez, Mexico, and Taicang, China.

(Member since 2008)

**********

Member Highlights


COLUMBUS TRAINING

CINCINNATI TRAINING

OSHA 30- Hour General Industry Out-

reach Training Program will take place on

Thursdays, April 2, 9, 16, 23 & 30, 9:00 a.m.

- 4:00 p.m.

OFCCP Audit - Are You Ready? will take

place on Wednesday, April 8, 8:30 a.m. -

12:30 p.m.

Interpersonal Skills Development Series

will take place on Tuesdays, April 14, 21 &

28, 8:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m.

Discipline and Discharge for Managers and

Supervisors will take place on Wednesday,

April 15, 8:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

Taking Back Control of Your Time will take

place on Wednesday, April 22, 8:30 a.m. -

4:00 p.m.

Discipline and Discharge for HR Profes-

sionals will take place on Tuesday, April 28,

8:15 a.m. - 12:15 p.m.

The Art of Letting Go will take place on

Wednesday, April 29, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

To register for classes,

e-mail [email protected] or call

888.237.9554.

Principles of Compensation: Administra-

tion and Management will take place on

Wednesday, April 8, 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Diversity Effectiveness will take place on

Tuesday, April 14, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Leadership Skills for Group Leaders II will

take place on Fridays, April 17 & 24, 8:30

a.m. - 4:00 p.m.

Behavioral Interviewing Techniques for

Managers and Supervisors will take place on

Tuesday, April 21, 8:30 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.

Navigating ADA, FMLA and Workers’

Compensation will take place on Thursday,

April 23, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

Making the Transition to Supervisor will

take place on Tuesdays, April 28, May 5, 12,

& 19, 8:30 a.m. - 12:30 p.m.

American Homeowner Preservation Inc. is a non-profit organization that provides homeowners who are be-hind on payments or in foreclosure a way of selling their home and then leasing it back at an affordable monthly payment. The program will also provide participants with the ability to repurchase their home in three to ten years at an amount significantly less than the existing mortgage. There are no fees or costs necessary to register and

apply.

The American Homeowner Preservation Inc. solu-tion is a win for everyone. Families stay in their homes, communities remain vibrant and lenders recover their in-vestments.

www.ahpoh.org

PCMS is an internationally-recognized, award-winning supplier of software and IT consulting services to a wide variety of industries, ranging from retail and manu-facturing to financial, food service and healthcare. The company’s partners include Microsoft, Symantec, IBM and VMware, and its client list includes such signature names as LensCrafters, Marks & Spencer, Bass Pro Shops, Me-ridian Bioscience, LaRosa’s and Skyline Chili.

www.pcmsdatafit.com

PCMS

Member Spotlight


http://www.pcmsdatafit.com/

EMPLOYERS RESOURCE ASSOCIATION Page 15

Page 15 THE HR PROFESSIONALS SINCE 1946

LORA BLANKEN JULIE BLANKENSHIP

JIM CARTER DOLORES CEASE DAN CHANEY SANDY DYSON TOM EBERWEIN

BARBARA ENGLAND JENNIFER GRAFT

LORI HALL BRANDI HELTON TERRY HENLEY SUSAN KUERTZ

JEFF LUCAS DOUGLAS C. MATTHEWS

RALPH NEAL CAROLYN POTTER CAROL REUBEL APRIL RISEN

SUSAN STERRITT KIM STONE

JERRY YINGLING

THE HR PROFESSIONALS

Preparing for a Reduction in Force

If the difficult economy has taken its toll on your organization and you find that you are left with no alternative but to reduce your workforce, it is critical that you take the time and effort necessary to prepare for and conduct the reduction in force (RIF) properly to avoid discrimination claims or other legal challenges by those whose jobs are affected. Such legal claims can become expensive and may quickly cancel out any savings that may have resulted from the RIF.

A critical part of the preparation for an RIF is to determine the methodology the organization will use for selecting the workers who will be reduced. A set of job-related, objective and consistently applied criteria, decided upon and docu-mented before the selections take place, is the organization’s best defense against a claim of discrimination. The company must be able to show what crite-ria it used to select the reduced employees, that each potentially affected employee was measured against these criteria, and that those selected to be reduced scored the worst when measured in this manner.

Put together an RIF team that will be in charge of making decisions and car-rying out the RIF. The size of the team may depend on the size of the organization and the scope of the reductions, but the team should be relatively small and have diverse experience. Appropriate team members include members of upper manage-ment, human resource professionals and the corporate attorney. If the organiza-tion’s attorney is not a member of the team, he or she should review the team’s deci-sions for legal compliance prior to the RIF. The team should consider these steps:

1. Determine the scope of the reduction. What portion of the business will be affected? Is busi-ness slow throughout the organization or are there departments or segments of the business that are busy, are critical, or are already operating with as few people as possible? Workers in these areas may not be considered for reduction. How many workers will need to be reduced? Will reductions be made all at once, or over a period of time?

2. Decide on the criteria to be used for selecting the employees to be reduced. These should be job-related and as objective as possible. Examples of criteria commonly chosen include:

3. Determine how the selections will be made. Will the team review all employee records and make the decisions, or will department supervisors recommend which employees will be af-fected? If so, ensure the supervisors understand the criteria to be used for their recommenda-tions. Will workers be measured against those in their departments or against all other workers?

Years of Service

Critical skills may exempt some workers from consideration if they are the only employees with those skills

Performance as documented on performance evaluations, disciplinary records, supervisor’s notes, etc.

Flexibility – the ability to perform many jobs makes an employee more valuable in a leaner environment

Attendance record





















OFFICERS

*CHAIRMAN

Michael J. Kelley, Chairman & CEO Kelvest, Inc.

*VICE-CHAIRMAN

Gene E. Kalhorn, President TAPCO Products, Inc.

*TREASURER

Lynn M. Mangan, Vice President, Client Services Paycor, Inc.

*SECRETARY

Jennifer M. Graft, President & CEO Employers Resource Association

*PAST CHAIRMAN

Daniel R. Kroeger, President & CEO Gold Medal Products Company

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Leslie Bumgarner,

President/CEO Telhio Credit Union

Sherry Dancy,

President The Dancy Group

Sharyl Gardner,

VP, Human Resources Midmark Corporation

Dan Knight,

Vice President, HR Fifth Third Bank

Bill Thiemann,

EVP, Chief Customer Officer Libby Perszyk Kathman, Inc.

Kelly Turley,

VP Human Resources The W.W. Williams Company

Robert W. Zumbiel,

President C.W. Zumbiel Company

* Executive Committee Members

OFFICERS

*CHAIRMAN

Michael J. Kelley, Chairman & CEO Kelvest, Inc.

*VICE-CHAIRMAN

Gene E. Kalhorn, President TAPCO Products, Inc.

*TREASURER

Lynn M. Mangan, Vice President, Client Services Paycor, Inc.

*SECRETARY

Jennifer M. Graft, President & CEO Employers Resource Association

*PAST CHAIRMAN

Daniel R. Kroeger, President & CEO Gold Medal Products Company

BOARD OF DIRECTORS

Leslie Bumgarner,

President/CEO Telhio Credit Union

Sherry Dancy,

President The Dancy Group

Sharyl Gardner,

VP, Human Resources Midmark Corporation

Dan Knight,

Vice President, HR Fifth Third Bank

Bill Thiemann,

EVP, Chief Customer Officer Libby Perszyk Kathman, Inc.

Kelly Turley,

VP Human Resources The W.W. Williams Company

Robert W. Zumbiel,

President C.W. Zumbiel Company

* Executive Committee Members

4. Decide on the workers to be reduced. It may be helpful to construct a chart for each affected area or department with the employees’ names down the side and the criteria across the top. Rate each worker on each criterion – use a scale of 1 to or 1 to 10 – and add up each employee’s scores. Make sure you have documentation for these ratings. Place the workers in order by the score and select the lowest rated employees for reduction.

5. Review the selected individuals for legal compliance. This step is critical and is intended to ensure the decisions do not have an adverse impact on any protected category of employees. The organization’s attorney should be involved in this process and can provide instructions on making any necessary adjustments to the list of employees being reduced. List the employees to be reduced and indicate whether each is a member of any protected groups: Female? Over age 40? A minority? Disabled? Then review how the composition of the group of employees reflects the whole of your workforce for each category. For example, if you have six employees who are over age 40 and six who are under age 40, and four of those over age 40 and one of those under 40 are being reduced, you will want to review your decisions to make sure they can be supported in light of the criteria that were used.

As unpleasant as an RIF is, taking the time to do it right so that it does not come back to haunt you will pay off down the road. Please con-tact us to discuss your RIF. Cincinnati members please contact Dan Chaney at, 513.679.4120 or e-mail [email protected]. Columbus members can contact Julie Blankenship at 614.538.9410 or e-mail [email protected].

1200 Edison Drive

Cincinnati, OH 45216

PRSRT STD U.S. POSTAGE PAID CINCINNATI, OH

PERMIT NO. 4483

Need more information about a program offered by ERA?

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In Cincinnati, please call: 513.679.4120 In Columbus, please call: 614.538.9410

ERA Contact List

Cincinnati Columbus

Hotline……………………………………..………..….…....Dan Chaney……………….…...…Julie Blankenship; Lori Hall

Administration and Posters…………..………..….…......April Risen……………..….............…..…..Susan Kuertz

Compensation Services…………………………….....…Terry Henley……………………………...…Terry Henley

Affirmative Action Plans………………………..….….....Carol Reubel………………………….…........Lori Hall .

Employee Opinion Surveys…………...…….............….Carol Reubel………………………...…..........Lori Hall

Customer Satisfaction Surveys…………..………….....Carol Reubel…………………………….….....Lori Hall

HR On-Site Services…………………...……….………...Carol Reubel……………………...……….......Lori Hall

Training & Development……...…….…………..….Ralph Neal; Brandi Helton…..……….Julie Blankenship; Susan Kuertz

Compliance Issues……….….…………..…..…………...Tom Eberwein……….….…………............Tom Eberwein

Reference Center..……………….……...…………..…….Dan Chaney……………..…....………...….....Lori Hall

Roundtables……….........................……….....................Dan Chaney……….........................………Julie Blankenship

Salary and Benefits Surveys……….........................Douglas C. Matthews……........................Douglas C. Matthews

Marketing/Membership Development…………...Dolores Cease; Jim Carter……………......….....Dolores Cease

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EMPLOYERS RESOURCE ASSOCIATION BRIEFS - ERA … · EMPLOYERS RESOURCE ASSOCIATION BRIEFS New COBRA...

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