December
2009
Are you exercising
your voice?
America is not governed
by the majority, but by the majority of those who participate.
--Thomas Jefferson
Last month I had the opportunity to
participate in a visit to Capitol Hill to speak with my US Senators and the Louisville representative to voice my
thoughts as an HR Professional on the legislative issues impacting my
role in HR. It was both scary and exhilarating, nerve-wracking and
exciting.
I've never participated in Capitol
Hill visits with the Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) or with
anyone else until this event. I wasn't sure how one might address
your US
Senator or Congressman, but with SHRM's guidance and experience, and the
leadership of other SHRM professionals from KY (Jeff Nally and Rita
Johnson), the process was empowering.
During our visits, we shared who we
were (most were surprised that we represented over 3,500 professionals
working with mid to large employers in the Commonwealth), and asked them
about their thoughts on pending legislation. Most importantly, we
shared our position on current workplace flexibility bills and healthcare
reform, and also discussed the Free Choice Act and its impact.
We shared our concerns about the
burdens that might be placed on employers by the reporting requirements
proposed by workplace flexibility bills, and how this bill would
ultimately diminish employer flexibility in providing options that are
appealing to our employees. We discussed how healthcare reform
options may levy taxes on employers and their employees, and our desire
to see an emphasis on wellness.
For each bill, in addition to our own
knowledge through our own reading and discussions, as well as updates
provided through SHRM chapters and state councils, SHRM provided some
background information and gave us their insights as to the problems with
the ways in which these bills were worded that could have serious impact
on employers and employees.
While we may not have changed any of
the minds of those with which we spoke, we felt that we at least were
able to weigh in on the issues and have our voice heard. I
encourage you to look for ways in which you can make a difference by
speaking up and being heard.
Selected
Items from Cathy's Calendar
December 3, "HR Horror Stories," KY SHRM Leadership
Conference, Covington,
KY
December 4, "Pearls and Perils of HR Professionals," Louisville Compensation Association, Louisville, KY
December 9, "Fanning the Flames: Reigniting Performance in
Long-Term Employees," iWin webinar sponsored by iWin, KY SHRM, and
AARP
December 10, "Behavioral Interviewing To Get The Role You
Want," SHRM Student Webinar series
December 16, "So you want to be a consultant?"
Resources Global Professionals, Louisville,
KY
About Cathy Fyock
Are you looking for a high-content
speaker for your next conference or meeting? Call or email Cathy to
find out how she can work with you to meet your specific goals and
objectives.
Cathy Fyock, CSP, SPHR, is an
employment strategist-helping organizations develop strategies to recruit
and retain top talent in an aging and changing marketplace. For
more than 20 years she has combined her knowledge of work-force issues
and her talents as a speaker to provide innovative and inspirational
learning events. She has helped organizations attract top talent, reduce
turnover, and improve productivity in a volatile labor market.
Cathy has joined Resources Global
Professionals as their Director of Recruiting for the Louisville office. In this role
she practices "hiring the best" while focusing on attracting
senior-level professionals. She also is responsible for business
development and building the office's human capital practice.
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