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RRHRPA Bulletin Board

    The RRHRPA Bulletin Board is provided as a service to members.  It contains general information about our chapter and it's members, including but not limited to job postings, meeting announcements, articles of interest, etc.  Members are allowed to submit information to be published on the bulletin board by sending their request to rrhrpa@gmail.com.  All requests are posted at the discretion of the Communications Chairperson and/or the Board of Directors.Scroll down to see past announcements.  Most recent posts are at the top of the page and bolded headlines are featured in this month's Bulletin Board. 

    Posted 9/25/25 - SHRM Rock River Board Position Open

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    Posted 08/15/2025 - SHRM Co-Branding

    We are thrilled to announce that Rock River HR Professional Association is rebranding to align more closely with the SHRM Master Brand! This new look and feel reflects our shared values, mission, and goals as we work towards creating better workplaces and a better world. 
    We're looking forward to this new chapter of growth!

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    Posted 05/19/2025 - 2025 Scholarship Winner

    Posted 05/19/2025- Neurodiversity Workshop

    Posted 05/19/2025- Child Care Toolkit

    Posted 05/19/2025- HR Question of the Month

    Q: What labor law posters are required for remote workers in Illinois, and how can employers provide them?

    A: Since January 1, 2024, Illinois law requires that employers with remote or traveling employees—those who do not regularly report to a physical workplace—must provide required labor law notices electronically. This requirement stems from amendments to several Illinois employment laws, including the Minimum Wage Law, Equal Pay Act, and Wage Payment and Collection Act.

    To comply, employers should:

    1. Distribute via Email: Send the required notices directly to employees' email addresses.

    2. Post on Intranet or Website: Alternatively, make the notices available on the employer's website or intranet site, provided that the site is regularly used to communicate work-related information and employees can access it freely and without interference.

    Required postings include:

    • Your Rights Under Illinois Employment Laws (covering Wage Payment and Collection Act, Child Labor Law, Minimum Wage Law, Equal Pay Act, Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act, and One Day Rest in Seven Act)

    • Paid Leave for All Workers Act Notice

    • Equal Pay Act Pay Transparency Notice

    • Victims' Economic Security and Safety Act Notice

    These notices are available for download from the Illinois Department of Labor's website .Illinois Department of Labor

    Best Practices:

    • Ensure Accessibility: Confirm that remote employees can easily access the electronic postings.

    • Regular Updates: Keep the electronic postings current with any legislative changes.

    • Employee Acknowledgment: Consider implementing a system where employees acknowledge receipt of the notices, ensuring compliance and understanding.

    Posted 04/17/2025 - Immegration Compliance & Preparedness 

    Register here: Webinar Registration - Zoom

    Posted 04/17/2025 - HR Question & Answer of the Month

    Can an employer count holidays against an employee's FMLA leave?

    Whether an employer may count a holiday against an employee's Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) entitlement depends on how an employee is taking FMLA leave. As explained in U.S. Department of Labor's FMLA Fact Sheet #28I, when a holiday falls during a week in which an employee is taking the full week of FMLA leave, the entire week is counted as FMLA leave. However, when a holiday falls during a week when an employee is taking less than the full week of FMLA leave, the holiday is not counted as FMLA leave, unless the employee was scheduled and expected to work on the holiday and used FMLA leave for that day.

    For example, an employer considers Thanksgiving a holiday and is closed on that day, and none of its employees work. One of its employees is taking 12 weeks of unpaid FMLA leave the last 12 weeks of the calendar year. The employer would count Thanksgiving Day as FMLA leave for that employee. If another employee is taking FMLA leave on a reduced workweek schedule and works Wednesday, Thursday and Friday each week, then Thanksgiving Day would not be counted as FMLA leave for that employee. 

    The DOL reiterated its guidance on the calculation of FMLA leave during a week with a holiday in a May 2023 opinion letter.

    Posted 03/19/2025 - Trump's DEI Executive Orders Do Not Change VII

    We thank, Anna Garcia, our Legislative Chair for sharing this article from SHRM detailing how Trump's DEI Executive Orders Do Not Change Title VII.

    Posted 03/19/2025 - HR Question & Answer of the Month

    Question: What options does an employer have with unused FSA funds? 

    Answer: Internal  Revenue Service (IRS) rules provide an employer two options for unused health care flexible spending account (FSA) funds. Previously, employers had to follow the "use it or lose it" rule, meaning that any account balances left at the end of the year were forfeited. An employer must still follow the "use it or lose it" rule for dependent care FSA funds. A dependent care FSA plan allows for a reasonable time for employees to submit claims after the plan year-end, but all dependent care expenses must be incurred by plan year-end.

    For health care FSAs, the first option allows employers to add a two-and-one-half-month grace period immediately following the end of each FSA plan year. The other option is to allow participants to roll over up to $660 of unused funds at the end of the plan year (in 2025) and still contribute up to the maximum in the next plan year. Choosing this option, however, has implications for an employer with a high-deductible health plan (HDHP) with a health savings account (HSA) because carryover FSA funds limit HSA contributions.

    Under these rules, an employer may choose to adopt the carryover provision or the two-and-one-half-month grace period. It may not offer both. The FSA plan document must be adopted by the last day of the plan year from which amounts may be carried over, provided that the plan informs participants of the carryover provision.

    For example, for an employer whose FSA plan allows a two-and-one-half-month grace period, an employee who elects to contribute $1,500 but incurs only $500 of eligible medical expenses during the plan year is allowed the two-and-one-half-month grace period to use the remaining funds. For an employer whose FSA plan allows the rollover of up to $660, the employee is allowed to carry over $660 into the next plan year. The amount in excess of the $660 allowable carryover, which in this example is $340, would be forfeited.

    Employers may continue to use forfeited funds to apply to administrative costs incurred during the plan year, or they may credit those leftovers to employees' FSAs in the next year's plan, as long as the employer in no way bases the credit on employees' claims experience and does not violate the Internal Revenue Code Section 125.

     

    Posted 03/19/2025 - Taking Your Workforce or Non-Profit to the Next Level

     

     

    Posted 02/13/2025 - SHRM Multistate Laws Comparison Tool 

    We thank, Anna Garcia, our Legislative Chair for reminding us that SHRM offers a Multistate Laws Comparison Tool that allows us to compare employment laws between states.  

    Posted 02/13/2025 -  HR Question of the Month

    Question: Can we accept an expired document when completing Form I-9?

    Answer: No. Expired documents are not accept­able for Form I-9. However, you may accept employment Authorization Documents (Forms I-766) and Permanent Resident Cards (Forms I-551) that appear to be expired on their face, but have been extended by USCIS.

    For more information on acceptable documents for verifying employment authorization and identity, including examples from the Form I-9 lists and guidance on receipts and expired documents, please refer to the comprehensive guide on Acceptable Documents for Verifying Employment Authorization and Identity.

    Posted 02/13/2025 - Illinois Annual SHRM Conference 

    Click here to learn more about the Illinois SHRM Conference that is being held from March 31 - April 2nd in Tinley Park, Illinois. 

    Posted 02/13/2025 - Annual SHRM Conference 

    Click here to learn more about the 2025 Annual SHRM Conference that is being held from June 29 - July 2 in San Diego, California. 

    Posted 1/12/2025 - Takeaways from New Illinois Pay Transparency in Posting Law 

    We thank, Anna Garcia, our Legislative Chair for providing us with the linked article from the SHRM website regarding key takeaways on the IL pay transparency in job postings law.  

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    Posted 1/12/2025 - HR Question & Answer of the Month

    HR Question: Can we ask applicants to share their pronouns on our job application?

    Answer: First, the question should be optional and clearly stated as such on the application. Second, if you ask for pronouns on the application, screeners and interviewers should use them. Your workplace culture won’t come across as authentic or inclusive if the applicant’s stated pronouns are disregarded.

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