What Is The New HR Certification All About?!

Anyone who has been around Human Resources for awhile is familiar with the alphabet soup that goes after HR professionals names; PHR and SPHR. The following is from HRCI.org:

PHR® Professional in Human Resources
PHR certification is a great way to establish yourself in the HR field. It proves your 
mastery of HR operations, best practices and regulations in the U.S., and creates a 
solid foundation for your future advancement

SPHR®Senior Professional in Human Resources
SPHR certification solidifies your credibility as an HR leader. It demonstrates you have mastered the strategic and policy-making aspects of HR management in the United States.

Early in my career I obtained the PHR and later on the SPHR. They have provided a solid foundation of HR knowledge. When I heard there was a new certification program backed by the top HR organization in the world, SHRM, I was intrigued. I wondered, how are these new certifications different from the PHR and SPHR? Here is how SHRM describes the new certifications:

SHRM Certified Professional (SHRM-CP)
HR professionals who implement policies and strategies, serve as point of contact for staff and stakeholders, deliver HR services, and perform operational HR functions, should take the SHRM-CP exam.

SHRM Senior Certified Professional(SHRM-SCP)
HR professionals who develop strategies, lead the HR function, foster influence in the community, analyze performance metrics, and align HR strategies to organizational goals, should take the SHRM-SCP exam.

More alphabets after my name? Sure, I'm in! And right now it's free for current HRCI certified professionals? Free works for me!

Yesterday I invested the time to learn about this new program, and to fulfill the requirements. And now I can sign my name as: Jennifer Krug, SPHR, SHRM-SCP Wooo hoo! So what?! What does this mean?

Let me share what I've learned...

As I see it the PHR/SPHR are great for demonstrating that you know the fundamentals of HR, and the SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP demonstrates that you know how to apply this knowledge to help an organization with it's human capital needs and strategic objectives.

SHRM has invested a great deal of time and money into developing the 8 Behavioral Competencies they see as necessary for success in today's business environment- and it shows. Again from SHRM:

In 2011, SHRM began years of extensive research involving thousands of HR professionals to develop the SHRM Competency Model, which identifies eight key Behavioral Competencies: Ethical Practice, Leadership & Navigation, Business Acumen, Relationship Management, Communication, Consultation, Critical Evaluation, and Global & Cultural Effectiveness and one Technical Competency: HR Expertise (HR Knowledge) that are the foundation of successful HR practice. ​​​​​​

This chart shows how both the technical competency (HR Knowledge and Expertise) ties together with the 8 Behavioral Competencies mentioned above.

I must admit I was a bit skeptical about this new certification. After all, the PHR/SPHR certification has been around for a long time and is well respected. However, after learning about the SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP, I'm sold! I really feel this body of knowledge will raise our profession up and give us the tools necessary to be an even more integral part of the organizations and people we serve. My only complaint.... wow that's a whole lot of letters after my name! I liked the simplicity of the SPHR.... but times change. And when clients ask what all those letters mean, I will gladly explain!

Independent Contractor Reporting

Does your business use Independent Contractors? Remember $600 is the magic number! Why?

Any business or government entity that is required to file a Federal Form 1099-MISC for service performed by an independent contractor must report using this form. You must report to the Employment Development Department within twenty (20) days of EITHER making payments of $600 or more OR entering into a contract for $600 or more with an independent contractor in any calendar year, whichever is earlier. This information is used to assist state and county agencies in locating parents who are delinquent in their child support obligations.

(From Cal Chamber)

Form DE542

Easy Does It

Easy does it. That's one of the things my Grandfather used to say a lot. I think there is wisdom in the "Easy Does It" approach. The opposite approach would be "My Way or the Highway" approach. Just as important as the work we do, and the skills we bring to the table, is the WAY we go about our work. What would people say about your style?

Consider this quote from the book, Working with You is Killing Me

"The fact is that the workplace is a volatile environment inhabited by emotional creatures who often rub each other the wrong way. This is especially true when people are thrown together for many hours in a small space commonly referred to as "the office"."

For any relationship to thrive there are strategies and tools that can be used. This is true in personal relationships and also in professional relationships. When was the last time you picked up a book, went to a workshop on the subject, or really thought about how you interact with your co-workers? Do you have a co-worker you just can't seem to get along with? The good thing is that there are solutions out there! The challenging thing... is that you first have to work on yourself. If you want smooth workplace relationships, then you need to seek out the tools to help you get along with all different types of people. Wouldn't it be nice if everyone communicated the way you do? How much simpler that would be! Oh, well... dream on.

Human interaction in the workplace has been a longtime interest of mine. I wish I could give some quick and easy answers in this one blog post, but I'm afraid it's not that simple. I will over the next few months share some helpful strategies and tips.

For today, let me leave you with a tip from one of my first teachers on the subject (although he died long before I was born!), Dale Carnegie. From his book, How to Win Friends and Influence People

"Asking questions not only makes an order more palatable; it often stimulates the creativity of the persons whom you ask. People are more likely to accept an order if they have had a part in the decision that caused the order to be issued."

Maybe today you can find a time to try asking questions instead of giving direct orders. Remember, "Easy does it".

Mandatory Paid Leave Update

Today I went to a Labor Law Update on CA's new sick leave law. Gregory Walsh and Jennifer Phillips, two local employment law lawyers presented. Just last month I did a post on the new law, but today I learned some important information about how to look at existing leave policies with a critical eye for compliance with the new law.

Healthy Workplaces/Healthy Families Act of 2014, goes into effect July 1, 2015. However, posting and notification to employees should have taken place January 1, 2015. One of the things that stood out to me about today's talk was when Jennifer said that out of all the company leave policies she has reviewed over the last few months, none have been 100% compliant with the new law. It is not enough to offer sick pay to employees. This is a complicated law. All plans should be reviewed for compliance.

I suggest the following steps:
1. Review the current company policy on sick pay (or PTO pay). Make changes as necessary.
2. Decide how sick pay will accrue. There are 2 options. Progressive Accrual or Lump Sum.
3. Post policy and provide notice to current employees.
4. Start using the updated Notice to Employee form for all New Hires.
5. Work with payroll provider to ensure wage statement are accurately reporting employee's sick balances.

Change Happens

We've all heard it... The one constant thing in life is change! Recently I went to a workshop on the subject and learned some great tips from Mary O'Neill, MA MFT. a Professional Trainer. You can check out her website at, www.maryoneill.com

It was good to start out the New Year thinking about change and what I would like personally for 2015. We all have personal goals and desires. We all make plans and do our best to make the life we want. But then... stuff happens. Change. How do we deal with life's unexpected events? If we are in a position of leadership, how do we help those around us? It is good to reflect on these questions from time to time.

For me, the cherry blossom is a reminder of the element of change in our lives. In Japanese culture the cherry blossom symbolizes mortality. It only blooms for about 2 weeks a year. During that time it is extremely beautiful. And then it goes away. Until next year. For me the cherry blossom is a symbol of change.

When I am in the midst of change, I remind myself that it is only temporary. When I work with others going through change, I remind them of this also. Often times it is only after the change is complete, that we can look back and appreciate how beautiful the process really is.

Mandatory Paid Sick Leave

One of the new laws for 2015 is AB 1522 which came out of the Healthy Workplaces and Family Act of 2014, and requires almost all employers, regardless of size to offer Paid Sick Leave to their employees. This must be in place by July 1, 2015 or employers will be subject to fines and possible legal action. It applies to almost all employees both full time, part time, exempt, and non-exempt. The only exceptions are for Union employees (as long as their contract includes Sick Pay), some state providers of in-home care, and some air carrier employees.

Many employers already have a leave benefit which includes Sick Pay. These plans should be reviewed to make sure they comply with the new requirements.

Minimum Sick Pay Requirements

- Must provide no less than 24 hours or 3 days of sick pay a year.
- Can be used for the employee or a dependent family member. May also be used if employee is a victim of domestic violence, sexual assault, or stalking.
- Carry-over provision allows an employee to have paid sick days available at the start of a new year.
- Employers can cap the total amount of sick time at 48 hours/6 days a year.
- Accrual rate is 1 hour for every 30 hours worked. Overtime also counts towards accrual.
- Employers may require employees to complete 90 days of employment before sick pay is granted, however accrual begins on the first day of employment.
- Sick pay is not paid out upon termination, unless the employer has a PTO plan where sick and vacation are lumped together.

Information for this post was obtained from Cal Chamber.

The Importance of a Human Resources Audit

How well is your organization handling the human elements of resources and risks? The best way to find out is with a Human Resources Audit.

Before getting too involved in the specifics of a HR Audit, I recommend a SWAT Analysis, to get an overview of where the organization is currently.
S- What are the organization's internal strengths?
W- What are the organization's internal weaknesses?
O- What external opportunities might move the organization forward?
T- What external threats might hold the organization back?

After we have spent some time (not much… I like to go through this process quickly to get onto the next step!) answering these big picture questions, it is time to get more specific.

The HR Audit looks at 4 areas:
1. Legal Compliance
2. Obtaining Human Resources
3. Maintaining Human Resources
4. Developing Human Resources

An extensive check-list is used and at the end of the Audit a clear picture is presented of exactly where an organization is in regards to it’s HR function. The next step is to make a plan to create and implement procedures, and policies that will support the organization in moving towards their unique business goals and objectives.