From our President

February - the shortest month of the year but it has been jam packed!  We've observed Ground Hog Day, Valentine's Day and President Day as the folks in Washington D.C reviewed and passed the largest stimulus package in our Nation's history.  Much of this package will impact our employers, employees and certainly those of us in the HR role with changes to unemployment compensation, COBRA programs, and much more.  Watch for updates from both SHRM and HRMA as we get more clarification on these items in the weeks to come.

HRMA officially rolled out the new website this month with beautiful new graphics and many user friendly tools to assist you in using the site to your fullest advantage.  While we are still refining the website and updating our member records, we hope you are navigating your way through it and finding it a useful tool that enhances your member experience.  We'll continue to keep you updated on our progress with the website.

Everyone who attended the February 17^th luncheon enjoyed the terrific presentation on "Bulletproof Documentation" by Allison West, Esq. Ms. West refers to herself as a 'recovering defense attorney' who does HR investigations and consulting and is a frequent SHRM speaker. She enlightened us all with her step by step process for preparing, reviewing and maintaining documentation in all types of employee situations.  Today, more than ever, when companies are forced to reduce their workforce and unemployment is on the rise, the number of claims and lawsuits are likely to grow. Allison's recommendations and guidelines for properly preparing employee documentation were timely indeed. Several members also stayed for her afternoon workshop that provided great tools and tips for conducting effective investigations.

The HRMA Board of Directors has an ambitious list of goals and projects for the year including expanding our community service partnerships and organizing several networking events for members throughout the year. We'll have more details on these items at the March or April monthly meeting.

Sincerely,

Patty Longdon, PHR
President