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Never has organizational success been so reliant on the quality of HR practice. Our opportunity is now. Together and forward, we can lead the transformation of the workplace in ways that benefit business, as well as individuals and families. read more ...

Joanne Schneider has a strong passion for HR. Her dedication and counsel have been instrumental in helping guide those she works with to successful outcomes when they are faced with complex HR situations.  Joanne is a long-time Genesee Valley Chapter SHRM (GVC SHRM) board member. In her operations role for GVC SHRM, she serves as the Chapter’s Director of Certification promoting Human Resources professional certification and recertification.  She has also served a four-year term on the NY State SHRM Council as State Director of Certification.

Joanne is Area Vice President of HR Consulting for Arthur J. Gallagher & Co., Rochester, NY.  She has over twenty years’ experience in consulting and Human Resources management.   Prior to joining Gallagher, she was Director of HR Consulting at Beacon Consulting Group and Manager of Human Resources and Administration with Insero & Company. 

 

We are extremely proud to have Joanne serve on our Board of Directors as she brings her deep HR experience along with a profound dedication to the HR community at large. In acknowledgement of her significant contributions towards the success of the chapter and continued service to the HR community, the Joanne R. Schneider HR Scholarship award is named in her honor.

 

The Mayor's Office of Innovation and the Rochester-Monroe Anti-Poverty Initiative have released a new study on wage disparities in Monroe County, showing that minorities are over-represented in Monroe County’s lowest paying and largest industries. Mayor Warren is calling on business and community leaders to help find ways to bring equity to the workforce, starting with the health care industry.

• 33% of the city’s part-time and seasonal workers live in poverty, 62% don’t make self-sufficient wages
• Minorities are over-represented in several key service industries.
• The industries with over-representation of minorities also tend to be the county’s lowest paying and largest sectors.
• Minorities earn less than their white counterparts in nearly every industry sector.
• Regardless of educational attainment, the wage gap between whites and minorities persists.

The report is available for download here: Wage Disparities in Monroe County

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Workforce readiness is an area that the Genesee Valley Chapter of SHRM (GVC SHRM) has focused on in a number of ways over the years ranging from helping support the Volunteers of America Working Wardrobe to partnering with AARP on various events.

 

SHRM national and Junior Achievement (JA) have formed a partnership. Here at the local chapter level that partnership gives GVC SHRM and its members a way to easily become involved with Junior Achievement and allow the Chapter yet another way to continue the work it does regarding workforce readiness.

 

Junior Achievement engages children in grades 5-12. Through this engagement children are prompted to start thinking about their future and career success. HR professionals are a natural fit with Junior Achievement. They already possess a knowledge and expertise they can share with youth to help them understand what organizations are looking for in people and how to be successful in the workforce.

 

By participating in Junior Achievement, you can make a difference and help prepare children for success after school. JA makes it easy for you. They provide the training, great materials, and a teacher partner. If you are interested in getting involved

you can complete an online application by clicking here. In the additional comments area of the application you are welcome to indicate you are part of SHRM but it is not required. Once you complete the application a representative from Junior Achievement will contact you. While there are a number of immediate needs there is also a variety of locations, age groups, and teaching materials you can choose from to fit your style and preference.

 

Again, we hope you will consider getting involved. To find out more about Junior achievement click here. 

 

GVC SHRM is pleased to announce the GVC SHRM Joanne R. Schneider HR Scholarship Award.

 

The award is intended to support individuals working in the HR filed within the GVC SHRM local chapter area. GVC SHRM is based in Rochester, NY and our local area consists of a number of counties in the surrounding Genesee Valley area.

 

About the GVC SHRM Joanne R. Schneider HR Scholarship Award

 

The award is designed to provide support to people who are new to the HR profession. It is a package comprised of a number of different components that give recipients access to educational content, reimbursement for HR related expenses, and a variety of materials and services.

 

It is a way to help provide a faster and smoother road to success for an individual in the HR field. This is done by focusing on several areas.

 

• Increasing the knowledge base of HR subject matter

   

• Helping accelerate an individuals learning curve on addressing real world HR related matters

   

• Developing a supportive professional network

   

  About Joanne R. Schneider

   

  The award is named in honor of Joanne Schneider who is an area Vice President of HR Consulting with Arthur J Gallagher & Co. Joanne is a long time GVC SHRM board member and has made significant contributions towards the success of the Chapter. In her operations role for GVC SHRM she serves as the Chapter Director of Certification. She has also served on the NY State SHRM Council as State Director of Certification.

   

  It is readily apparent that Joanne has a passion for HR. Her involvement, dedication, guidance, willingness to give of her time makes her a very special person. When she is working with her clients and the participants in the HR Certification Workshop it is abundantly clear that she will do whatever she can to help them have successful outcomes.

   

  In the next few weeks you will begin seeing additional information on the award covering things such as eligibility, the application process, and answers to various questions people are likely to have.

   

  We are excited to do this in support of HR professionals in our local chapter area and in honor of Joanne Schneider.

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

   

 

Please join us at the GVC SHRM annual HR Conference which will take place in Rochester, New York on August 18, 2016. To find out more about the conference click here.

 

The New York State SHRM conference will take place in Lake Placid, New York September 18-20.  To find out more about the conference click here. 

 

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Thursday, July 14, 2016, 11 AM EDT

GVCSHRM Meeting with Senator Rich Funke and staff, 230 Packett's Landing, Fairport, NY 14450

 

Letter from Senator Funke to the DOL

In Attendance: Rich Funke, New York State Senator from the 55^th State District, Jesse Sleezer, District Office Director; Paul Keneally, Partner, Underberg & Kessler and GVCSHRM Board member; Christine O’Rourke, Director of HR, JCC and GVCSHRM Board member; Jennifer Swayze, Employment Law Compliance Analyst, Paychex, Inc. and GVCSHRM Board member; AnnMarie Depoian, Regional Vice President, Primerica; Howard Cotton, Employee Relations Manager, Hillside Family of Agencies and President GVCSHRM; and Ann Maynard, HR Consultant, Maynard HR Consulting and President-Elect, GVCSHRM.

 

·         Gave Senator Rich Funke and staff an overview of GVCSHRM, its membership and its mission of advocacy and education.

·         1^st Concern – Paid Family Leave – Discussed members concerns with NYS Paid Family Leave

o   Employee Abuse – employees might abuse the leave program by requesting paid leave to take time off from work improperly

o   Staffing Levels – hardship for employers who grant the leave to one or more experienced workers who cannot be effectively replaced in the short term. This issue is intensified for small employers.

We asked the Senator to continue to pursue legislation increasing the threshold number of employees for covered employers.

·         2^nd Concern – NYS Minimum Wage – Discussed members concerns with NYS Proposed Minimum Wage Increases

o   Impact on Small Employers

o   Wage Compression

o   Businesses may cut back hours, keep fewer employees, reduce benefits, and increase prices, and/or close

We asked the Senator to monitor the effect of the higher rates on employers of certain sizes, in rural areas, in certain industries etc. and the possibility of modifying or delaying future increases.

·         3^rd Concern- NYS Direct Deposit Authorizations – Discussed members’ concerns regarding NYS Proposed Rulemaking on Methods of Payment of Wages

o   Prior direct deposit authorizations that do not comply with the new requirements will no longer be valid and based on new requirements that will likely be all prior authorizations

o   There are other ways that employers could notify employees regarding rights that would not require a new authorization

We asked the Senator to investigate this issue and possibly contact the DOL regarding this onerous proposed requirement.

 

·         4^th Concern -  Limits of Self-Employment Assistance Program (SEAP) for Financial Services ICs

o   Individuals who would otherwise qualify for SEAP are being rejected due to being in the Financial Services industry and the requirement that they be sponsored by another entity. They are Independent Contractors (“ICs”) by definition self-employed, but they are unable to receive this assistance.

 

We asked the Senator to review the possibility of extending this program to Financial Services ICs.

 

·         5^th Concern – Mental Health issues in the workplace - Discussed members’ concerns with increased number of mental health issues employers are facing with their employees such as depression, anxiety, substance abuse, post-traumatic stress, and just generally being stressed out. This can cause:

o   Increased sick day usage;

o   Marked decline in work productivity and quality;

o   Employees self-medicating with alcohol and drugs-especially increased opioid usage;

o   Interpersonal and communication problems;

o   Increased short-term disability and long-term disability claims.

Our HR Departments are not qualified to diagnose or handle the increasing number of employee and supervisor concerns. Many Employee Assistance Programs are overworked and understaffed to handle the large number of referrals that are happening within our worksites.

We asked the Senator to consider state attention to the mental health crisis.

 

The SHRM Annual Conference and Exposition will be held in Washington, DC  June 19-22. To find out more click here.  

The New York State SHRM Conference will be held in Lake Placid, NY September 18-20. To register for the conference and book your hotel click here or go to www.nysshrm.org.