Another Day in the HR Field

Several new laws have taken effect in the last year that affect Public Employers primarily.  Please review this legislative update carefully and contact me for any further information you may need to ensure compliance. P.A. 100-0947 (January 1, 2019) – This Act amends the Counties Code to require that on or before June 1, 2019, every facility that houses a circuit court room shall include at least one lactation room or area for members of the public to express breast milk in private that is located outside the confines of a restroom and includes, at minimum, a chair, table, electrical outlet, and a sink with running water where possible.  This room may be the same space provided to employees. The legislation further requires the Supreme Court to create minimum standards for posting and training of courthouse staff. Construction or renovation of a court facility after June 1, 2019 shall include at least one lactation room or area that is located outside the confines of a res...

My blogging has been pretty sporadic lately! I just finished an overload semester and had a boat load of client work to handle as well. So unpaid work gets pushed aside. I hope to get more regular on this site as time moves forward. Here's a summary of some of the main points related to a program I delivered last week to over 70 management personnel. Recently, I facilitated a training event in Springfield covering the topic above. The exact wording used in the title can often be found at the end of a personnel or employment related policy reminding employees to follow the rules (i.e. policy) or else! The problem is that many times management doesn't enforce those policies because conflict for anyone is not easy and often avoided at all costs. However, the long-term costs to a company for not enforcing can lead to poor performance, attitude, increased turnover, decreased morale of other employees, unfair or inequity complaints to outside agencies or an attorney. So botto...

By Donna Rogers Skowronski, M.Ed., SPHR, SHRM-SCP via www.RogersHR.com Now – already required in your workplaces New IL Poster required due to ISSERRA change as of 1/1/19. IL Nursing Mothers in the Workplace Act requires employers to allow breaks as needed to express breast milk and they cannot reduce an employee pay for taking breaks for doing so up to one year after the child is born. Keep in mind the previous requirement already in place that requires employers to provide a private location and a lockable refrigerator to store the milk. IL Department of Human Rights - IHRA increased the time frame for employees to act against employers making a claim through their department from 180 to 300 days which now mirrors the time frame they had previously had to file a claim with the EEOC.   Employees can also opt out of an IDHR investigation and go directly to the state court with their complaint against the employer. Employers must post a new notice and include the same ...

The following are a couple employment related changes all business owners and human resources professionals in Illinois should be aware of. DOCUMENTATION RECOMMENDED Employees of any Illinois employer now have a much longer time frame to bring a complaint or case against their employer.  This is due to a change to the Illinois Human Rights Act the Governor signed on August 24, 2018.  Specifically it was Senate Bill 20 Public Act 100-1066.  So basically, if an employee feels they have been unfairly treated by their employer or any representative o their employer, such as their supervisor, they now have 300 days to bring that complaint to the EEOC or an attorney.  This just reinforces age old HR related advice to: DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT, DOCUMENT.  It's hard to remember what we had for lunch yesterday, let alone the who, what, when, where, how , and why of an employee situation that happened well over a year ago by the time you are notified that an employee...

Since 2011, I have incorporated a social learning aspect to my HRM and Strategic HRM course.  The graduate students get to chose while the undergraduates are assigned a specific podcast to listen to each week.  Over the years, I have incorporated blog readings, podcasts, and HR related assessments.  While some have come and gone, I've decide this year to go full podcast as I think students get a chance to actually hear from various practitioners in the field.  Adding an auditory aspect to the learning helps enhance the overall learning experience especially when our online students already have to do a lot of reading! So here is this years winning list in no particular order: HR Over Coffee Talent Culture Let's Fix Work Workology HR Happy Hour HR Break Room Impact Makers HR Works Nine to Thrive HR

In summarizing the potential for risk in the human resources and personnel practices of organizations visited over the past few years, the highest risk of audits, investigations, grievances and the resulting potential for penalties, fines and legal concerns come from six primary sources.   The main reason for concerns are because certain federal and state agencies are making it a priority to investigate: Misclassification of employees as exempt, Illinois led the nation in active investigations 3,635 involving 19,765 misclassifications, 245.6 million in unreported taxable wages, 5.1 million in unemployment tax unreported, 270,570 employees impacted. The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) recently announced that 84,254 workplace discrimination charges were filed with the federal agency nationwide during fiscal year (FY) 2017, and secured $398 million for victims in the private sector and state and local government workplaces through voluntary resolutions and li...

This morning I had a chance to talk with Brian Pierce from WMAY as a member of Local First Springfield. We talked about ice cream, management coaching, hiring and retaining employees and more.  Have a listen! Listen to "Rogers HR Consulting - 6/15/18" on Spreaker.