Dana Martin, SPHR

A membership survey was conducted in May as a means for the members to share with the Board their opinions on the association. The feedback we received is greatly appreciated, and I want to take this opportunity to provide clarification on a few questions from the membership, focusing on the addition of new board positions in 2009 and the process for selecting candidates for Board positions.
 
The role of Human Resources is changing and HR professionals have to adapt to the new environment. SAHRMA is focused on providing HR Professionals with timely and relevant information and the additions of Board positions and modification of other Board positions is in response to the changing environment. 
 
Workforce Readiness and Diversity and Inclusion, were identified as areas of increasing importance and growth in the HR field, and previously, these positions were committee chairs, and therefore non-voting board members. Recognizing the importance of these roles to the association and to HR professionals, Workforce Readiness and Diversity and Inclusion were designated as voting Board positions.
 
The task of finding, keeping and engaging members is an enormous undertaking requiring many hours of volunteer work and also requires different sets of skills, so the Membership Board position was reorganized into two positions, Member Engagement and Member Relations.
 
Member Engagement focuses on Human Resource Professionals who are not current members as well as individuals in small companies that may not be HR professionals but perform HR related functions, and inviting these individuals to become members of SAHMRA.
 
Member Relations focuses on welcoming new members and actively engaging all members of the association, discusses volunteer opportunities, and assists interested members in joining the committee or committees that match their interests.
 
The Professional Emphasis Group position was created to provide more focused programs. This new venture allows SAHRMA to provide programs to members who may not be able to attend monthly meetings, as well as individuals who are not members but have an interest in HR programs.
 
How are members selected to be on the ballot for a Board Director position?
 
The Board consists of 14 elected voting members, each position focused on an important function within the association. These positions include; President, President-Elect, Secretary, Treasurer, Professional Development, Government Affairs, Public Relations and Marketing, Member Engagement, Member Relations, Workforce Readiness, Diversity and Inclusion, Professional Emphasis, College Relations and Past President.  Members who meet the qualifications for a Board position, as defined in the associations By-Laws are encouraged to seek a Board position through the announcements at meetings and the Update, about upcoming Board elections, the open positions and instructions for submitting their name, or another members' name, for consideration of a Board position.
 
The nominating committee, consisting of the President, President-Elect, Past President and two SAHRMA members who are not Board Directors, reviews the list of interested members and also reviews the membership list, identifying and verifying members eligibility to hold Board positions as defined by the By-laws.
 
This committee discusses each eligible member's level of engagement in the association, if they have shown an interest in holding a Board position, identifies members who might be interested, and then contacts these individuals to discuss their interest in pursuing a Board position.
 
Members who express an interest in a Board position, are qualified, and volunteer for a position, are placed on the ballot and are elected by the membership.
 
Every member who has held or currently holds a Board position believes new Board members bring fresh ideas, new ways to promote the association, develop new and better programs, secure new sponsors, and provide expertise to the association to meet the challenges that the HR professional of tomorrow will face.  

It's as easy as 1, 2, 3 

The San Antonio Compensation Association is hosting "Job Analysis, Documentation and Evaluation" "Matching the Right Methods to Your Organization"

This basic-level course examines the methods and processes that support job analysis, job documentation and job evaluation in order to attract and retain effective talent. You'll cover various methods of job evaluation including quantitative and market based approaches. Exercises help you see how the methods outlined in the course can be put into practice in your organization.

·         Review strategic concepts associated with job analysis, documentation and evaluation.
·         Learn how to approach job analysis planning and implementation.
·         Discuss job documentation and the necessary components and format for job descriptions
·         Examine market-based and content-based job evaluations with a focus on quantitative and non-quantitative approaches.

If you have several years of experience in this area, you'll find this course gives you a valuable review of standard practice and theory, along with an update on current trends in compensation.

This course has been approved for 16 (classroom) PHR/SPHR/GPHR

recertification hours.

July 20 -22, 2009
Doubletree Hotel
37 N.E. Loop 410, San Antonio, TX
For more information go to;
 
http://www.worldatwork.org/waw/adim/seminars/html/seminars-c2.jsp

 
Employees on FMLA leave do not have any greater right to reinstatement than those employees who are not on FMLA.  Therefore, an employee on FMLA leave may be laid off in a reduction in force as long as they were not selected for the RIF because of their FMLA leave.  The Department of Labor and some courts take the position that the burden is on the employer to prove that the employee would have been laid off even if they were not on FMLA leave.  Therefore, employers should have written objective criteria for identifying employees selected for a reduction in force.
 
                         July WWYD
 
Sally Sniffles misses several days of work.  When she returns, she presents you with a "doctor's note" to justify her absences.  However, the note appears to be fake.  Your HR Director tells you to call Sally's doctor to confirm the legitimacy of the note.  What would you do?

2009 - 2010 Board Directors Election Results
 
 
College Relations Director - Niki Raney, PHR
 
Diversity and Inclusion Director - Billie Andrzejewski, PHR
 
Professional Emphasis Group Director - Lee Wingert, SPHR
 
Government Affairs Director - Silvia Pena, IP
 
Member Engagement Director - Sheema Harris, CPC, CTS
 
Member Relations Director - Liz Martinez
 

First I want to say thank you to Diana Weeks for her hard work as 2009 South Texas Human Resources Symposium Director. I know I have some "big" shoes to fill.  I also want to thank the numerous committee leads, volunteers, sponsors, exhibitors and participants that made this year's Symposium a success.
 
My name is Mary Jean Hernandez and I am your 2010 South Texas Human Resources Symposium Director.  I am excited and nervous about taking on this role but I also know that with your support, volunteering and excitement that we will be able to make this another successful Symposium.
 
I will be scheduling meetings within the next week or two.  I will invite everyone that was involved as a volunteer for 2009 Symposium back and gladly invite anyone else that wants to be a part of this great opportunity to put on another fantastic Symposium.  Over the last few months, I've collected cards and names from some of you that have voiced an interest; I will be reaching out to you.  If I haven't received your information and/or desire to volunteer, please feel free to send me an email at:
 symposium@sahrma.org 

 
It's been a while since you've heard from us. In many ways we are the quiet committee; the committee that goes about its business behind the scenes: supporting students, providing opportunities to network with professionals, and a whole host of other activities that are designed to promote the professional advancement of human resource students in the San Antonio area.
 
This time of year, however, is our time to make some noise. With a little more than half the year in the books and a brand new school year fast approaching, it's an understatement to say that our committee will be hard at work over the next few months. But before we can talk about the next few months, we have to talk about today. Today we seek to answer the question: What's next in College Relations?
 
First and foremost, we need more students. Students are the future of our profession, and the future of our organization. Thus, it goes without saying that we can never have enough student members. With that in mind, at the start of the school year we will begin an aggressive student membership recruiting drive.
 
While recruiting student members is one of our principal tasks, the way we approach student membership this year is going to take a dramatically different approach. We want to go beyond recruiting student members and engage students in new ways. We want to create better opportunities for students to connect with professionals now, versus later.
 
As we expand our reach into new colleges, new disciplines and new students, we want to ensure that every student who has an interest in human resources and wants to join SAHRMA, can. To this end, one of our chief goals going forward is to build a strong student sponsorship program that will extend membership to as many students as possible.
 
As recruiting continues throughout the school year, we begin an active volunteer program that gets students involved in SAHRMA in ways that allows them to build relationships with professionals. We want to connect students with existing SAHRMA Committees, connect them with individual professionals, and perhaps most of all, connect students with one another. A strong, vibrant and active student community promises a bright future for the entire human resource community.
 
Finally, we want you to know that we cannot do any of this without you. To accomplish our goals and to truly make a difference to the students we serve, we need your help. So whether this is the first time you've heard of us, or you're just looking for a new way to get involved, we want you to know that we're ready for you.
 
As you continue hearing from us over the next few weeks and months, feel free to reach out to us. Ask us questions, ask what we are doing to make a difference, and above all, ask how you can help.
 
In our experience, we know that there is perhaps no simpler way to help shape the future of an individual student, and our profession.