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.
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Posted 3/8/23 - Happenings at SVCC
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Posted 2/13/23 - Nurse Practitioner Scholarships – Due May 1st
Know anyone studying to be a Nurse Practitioner? The Illinois Farm Bureau is offering scholarships for their Rural Nurse Practitioner program. Use this link to get more information and to apply: http://www.rimsap.com/docs/
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Posted 2/8/23 - Legal Updates
Expanding Workplace Protections for Pregnant Workers: New Federal Law Explained
By Suzanne S. Newcomb, Sara M. Rose on January 18, 2023
On December 29, 2022, President Biden signed an omnibus appropriations bill into law that includes expanded protections for pregnant and nursing employees through two new acts: The Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) and the Providing Urgent Maternal Protections for Nursing Mothers Act (PUMP).
New Reasonable Accommodation Requirements
Pregnancy discrimination in employment has been unlawful at the federal law since 1978 when the Pregnancy Discrimination Act (PDA) amended Title VII. However, unlike the PWFA, the language of the PDA does not mandate accommodations specifically. Mirroring existing laws in many states, the PWFA expands protections for employees (and applicants) who, because of pregnancy, childbirth, or a related medical condition, require an accommodation to perform their job duties.
The PWFA requires employers with 15 or more employees to provide “reasonable accommodations” to “qualified employees” affected by pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions. Qualified employees include employees and applicants who, with or without reasonable accommodation, can perform the essential functions of their position.
Under the PWFA, it is an unlawful employment practice to:
- refuse to provide reasonable accommodations, unless to do so would impose an undue hardship on the operation of the business;
- require the employee to accept an accommodation other than any reasonable accommodation arrived at through an interactive process with the employer;
- deny employment opportunities to the employee if such denial is based on the need to make reasonable accommodations;
- require the employee to take paid or unpaid leave if another reasonable accommodation can be provided that would enable the employee to continue working; or
- take an adverse employment action against the employee because the employee requested or used a reasonable accommodation.
In other words, the PWFA requires employers to consider employee and applicant accommodation requests related to pregnancy, childbirth, or related medical conditions in the same way as it considers requests for accommodation related to disabilities under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Employers are also prohibited from placing qualified employees on leave when another reasonable accommodation option is available and from retaliating against qualified employees for seeking or taking a reasonable accommodation. The requirements of the PWFA take effect immediately. EEOC guidance will be forthcoming.
New Requirements for Nursing Mothers
Since 2010, the federal Fair Labors Standards Act (FLSA) has required employers to provide reasonable break time and a private, non-bathroom space for non-exempt employees to express breast milk during work hours. The new PUMP Act expands the requirement to include both exempt and non-exempt employees. Such breaks must be paid unless the employee is relieved of all duties while expressing breast milk. As before, employers must continue to provide breastfeeding employees with a place, other than a bathroom, that is shielded from view and free from intrusion from coworkers and the public, to express breast milk.
The PUMP Act provides for a private cause of action but requires that, before making a claim against an employer, an employee must first notify the employer of the failure to provide such a place. The employer has up to 10 days to comply with the required accommodations.
In other words, the PUMP Act makes several changes to the current standard, such as:
- providing the right to a break time and space to express breast milk for all eligible employees, including teachers and nurses;
- making it possible for workers to file a lawsuit to seek monetary remedies in the event that their employer fails to comply; and
- clarifying that pumping time must be paid if an employee is not completely relieved from duty.
Employers with less than 50 employees may be relieved of these requirements if they can establish that the requirements would impose an undue hardship on the business. Additionally, crewmembers of air carriers and certain employees of rail carriers are not covered by the PUMP Act.
Neither the PWFA or the PUMP Act preempt state or local law that provides greater employee protections.
What This Means for Employers
While the PWFA and PUMP Act are significant expansions of employees’ rights under federal employment law, many states already have expanded pregnancy accommodation laws in place. Employers should review and update their current pregnancy accommodation policies and ensure that frontline supervisors and managers are trained on how to properly respond to employees’ requests for assistance. If you have any questions regarding the new PWFA or the PUMP Act or need assistance updating your policies and practices, we recommend contacting experienced labor and employment attorneys.
Amundsen Davis Labor & Employment Law Update Blog (https://www.amundsendavislaw.com/labor-employment-law-update/expanding-workplace-protections-for-pregnant-workers-new-federal-law-explained)
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OSHA 300A Posting Period (Feb 1-Apr 30) (shrm.org)
Employers that are covered by the Occupational Safety and Health Administration's (OSHA's) record-keeping rule must post a summary of 2022 work-related injuries and illnesses in a noticeable place from Feb. 1 to April 30.
Many employers with more than 10 employees—except for those in certain low-risk industries—must keep a record of serious work-related injuries and illnesses. Minor injuries that are treated only by first aid do not need to be recorded.
Employers must complete an incident report (Form 301) for each injury or illness and log work-related incidents on OSHA Form 300. Form 300A is a summary of the information in the log that must be posted in the worksite.
This link in the heading goes on to provide other SHRM resources on OSHA reporting.
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Posted 2/8/23 - Happenings at SVCC
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Posted 2/8/23 - Kreider Services Gala
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Posted 11/04/2022 - It's your Bulletin Board! What would you like to see?
RRHRPA Board of Directors publishes this Bulletin Board for you. We want it to include things you want to see. Please send your ideas to rrhrpa@gmail.com and we'll see what we can incorporate in 2023.
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Posted 11/04/2022 - What's Going on at SVCC?
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Posted 10/7/22 - Labor Law Poster Quarterly Report
Thank you, Legislative Chair, Anna Garcia for supplying us with the LLP Quarterly Report.pdf.
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Posted 10/7/22 - Helpful article from SHRM
Keeping Pay Structures Current in a Volatile Market
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Posted 9/9/22 - Kreider Service's New Program
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Posted 9/9/22 - New Employment Poster
If you would like a PDF version of this poster for printing, please email us at rrhrpa@gmail.com
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Posted 9/9/22 - SVACC and BEST Job Fair
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Posted 5/6/22 - OSHA Recordkeeping Webinar
Thanks, Legislative Chair, Anna Garcia, for this link to an OSHA Recordkeeping webinar. Register at that link.
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Posted 5/6/22 - Job Opening at Wahl Clipper
Use https://wahl.
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Posted 5/6/22 - What's Happening at SVCC?
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Posted 4/11/22, 5/6/22 - SHRM Conference - Cause the Effect
Register for the Annual SHRM Conference and Expo soon! It will be held June 12-15 in New Orleans, LA and virtual.
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Posted 4/11/22 - EEOC Information
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) will open the 2021 EEO-1 Component 1 data collection on Tuesday, April 12, 2022. The deadline to file is Tuesday, May 17, 2022. All 2021 EEO-1 Component 1 reports must be submitted and certified by that date.
You can now access helpful resources, including the instruction booklet, frequently asked questions (FAQs), and fact sheets by visiting the Filer Support Center at https://eeocdata.org/eeo1/supp
* create a new account in the EEO-1 Component 1 OFS and link it to your company;
* add or change EEO-1 Component 1 contact(s) associated with your company; and
* invite other users accessing the EEO-1 Component 1 OFS for the first time to create individual user accounts associated with your company.
Returning filers with an existing user account can sign in to the EEO-1 Component 1 OFS using their email address and password. New users are required to create a user account to access the EEO-1 Component 1 OFS.
The EEO-1 Component 1 data collection is a mandatory annual data collection that requires all private sector employers with 100 or more employees, and federal contractors with 50 or more employees meeting certain criteria, to submit demographic workforce data, including data by race/ethnicity, sex, and job categories. The filing by eligible employers of the EEO-1 Component 1 Report is required under section 709(c) of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, as amended, 42 U.S.C. § 2000e-8(c), and 29 CFR 1602.7-.14 and 41 CFR 60-1.7(a).
Sincerely,
The U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC)
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Posted 4/11/22 - U of I Positions Open
University of Illinois Extension has several positions open in various parts of the state including the following:
Assistant Directors for Region 1, 2, & 3
go.illinois.edu/160039, go.illinois.edu/160057, go.illinois.edu/160059
Assistant Director for Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Access
Workforce Development positions:
Talent Acquisition Associate go.illinois.edu/160156
Professional and Training Development Associate go.illinois.edu/160163
Volunteer Relations Associate go.illinois.edu/160173
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Posted 3/14/22 - De-stressor idea
Member Jackie Davis sent this great idea on how she is helping with stress reduction at her workplace.
She posted this poster with colored pencils and people stop and color a little each day. She says employees are really enjoying it! Thanks, Jackie!!
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Posted 3/11/2022 SHRM21 Challenge
We announced it last year and you came through! This letter is from our SHRM Regional Field Services Director announcing our monotary award from SHRM for those of you who registered for the 2021 SHRM Conference. Thanks!
Dear Rock River HR Professional Association,
Thank you very much for your chapters participation in the SHRM21 Chapter Challenge. We really appreciate your support!
As a reminder, SHRM provided Rock River HR Professional Association with a unique code to promote the SHRM21 Annual Conference. Your chapter promoted SHRM21 with this code, and any attendees who used the code for your chapter received a discount on SHRM21, and your chapter is receiving $100 for each code used.
Your chapter will receive a payment of $100 in the next week or two.
Thank you for participating in the SHRM21 Challenge and for all that you do to elevate HR.
Delight Deloney, MSW, MHRIR, SHRM-CP | Director, Field Services (BA, BM, IA, IL, MN, MO, NE)
Society for Human Resource Management
1800 Duke Street, Alexandria, VA 23314
Remote – St. Louis, MO (CST)
Delight.Deloney@shrm.org | 703-842-5117 (office)
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------Posted 2/7/22 - Cards for St. Jude
Use this link to find out how you can send digital cards to St. Jude's Children's Hospital patients.
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Posted 2/4/22 - SVCC News
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Posted 1/31/2022 - Legislative News
Check out the links below for two required legal posters that you may need posted in your place of employment.
https://www2.illinois.gov/
Also, watch for news on a new tool being developed by SHRM containing individual State legislative updates. We will link it to this site once it is ready.
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Posted 1/31/2022 - U of I Extension County Director needed
Check out this link for more information.
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Posted 1/31/2022 - SHRM Membership giveaways
RRHRPA will be giving away two SHRM Memberships in 2022 (one membership's value $219). You must be a current member in good standing with good attendance at monthly meetings (5 of 8 per year) and your employer must not have paid for SHRM memberships in the past. Contact us at rrhrpa@gmail.com to tell us you'd like to be entered in the drawing. Drawing date will be announced soon.
See our Membership page under the More... tab above for membership applications. Contact us at rrhrpa@gmail.com with questions.
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Posted 1/31/2022 - BEST, Inc. Offers Help to Area Job-Seekers and Youth
Are you looking for employment opportunities? Are you an adult or youth looking to enter the workforce? Have you been laid off from a job recently?
The experienced staff at BEST, Inc. are available as a resource for customers in resume writing, job search, interviewing skills, proper interview presentation, and job retention. Business Services staff act as a resource to the business community for on-the-job training opportunities and other work-based learning.
BEST, Inc. can help you look for jobs, apply for jobs, prepare resumes and assist with employment search. To find out more about how you can benefit from these services please contact BEST, Inc. at 815-625-9648 or TTY at 1-800-526-0844. Some services are dependent upon meeting eligibility requirements.
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Contact Carrie Folken, Executive Director, 815-224-0375
BEST, Inc. is an Equal Opportunity Employer/Program. TTY 800-526-0844. Eligibility based on Federal Guidelines. Auxiliary aids and services are available upon request to persons with disabilities. BEST, Inc. is an affiliate of NCI Works!
