Montana Human Resource Conference | 2008

Topics

"Passing the Torch: Human Resources Stewardship through Strategic Planning"

Legal Update

Jeanne Bender, Attorney, will be presenting the outcomes of settled employment cases that appeared before the Montana courts during the last year. Jeanne will also be addressing cases currently before the Montana courts.

Governmental Code of Fair Practices

Kathe and Marieke will be presenting on the Governmental Code of Fair Practices which prohibits discrimination based on race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, age, marital status, physical or mental disability, or national origin in the public setting. This legislation affects both the rights of people that are working for a governmental entity as well as the manner in which governmental services are performed.

Employer's Roles and Responsibilities in Successful Administration of Unemployment Insurance Programs

The Unemployment Insurance program provides short-term economic relief to eligible workers from a fund financed by employers. My presentation will explain the employer's role in helping to determine the eligibility of these claims

Disabilities Accommodations

Kathe and Marieke will be presenting on reasonable accomodations under the Montana Human Rights Act and the Americans with Disabiliites Act. Their discussion will focus on employer and employee obilitations in the interactive process.

Economic Outlook on Hiring and Recruiting in Montana

Barbara will be presenting projections on the number of workers needed in each industry and occupation for the next ten years in Montana, along with the skills and training needed to fill those jobs. In addition, the presentation will discuss the current skills and training of the Montana workforce to determine whether worker retraining is needed to meet demand in fast-growing industries and occupations.

HR Differences Between the Public and Private Sectors

Many HR professionals have worked predominately in the public or private sector and are unclear about the differences in the practice of HR between each sector. This workshop will address differences including differences in constitutional protections (privacy, free speech, due process and similar areas), differences in benefits, wage and hour, human rights and other day-to-day employment areas.

Workforce Planning

Joe Schopfer will be presenting Department of Administration, Information Technology Services Division's workforce plan. Joe will be discussing the strategic plan, reorganization, evaluation of employee's job responsibilities, strategic alignment of ITSD with other agencies, analyzing the current workforce, determining the future workforce needs, performance management, training, recruitment and the accomplishments to achieve the division's maximum effectiveness.

Legislative Update - On The Horizon

Jim will discuss recent and proposed changes to human resource related laws; the potential effects those changes will have; implementation of new laws; areas of concern for Human Resources and what is in the future for the private and public sector. Included will be an overview of FMLA changes, the status of NEVA (the new employee verification act), legislative trends on issues such as paid sick or family leave, the Employee Free Choice Act, proposed changes to drug and alcohol testing laws and more.

Human Rights Update

Katherine Kountz and Marieke Beck are given the opportunity to disseminate information on different employment complaints and issues the Human Rights Bureau has received and encountered during the past year.

Running With The Big Dogs

In a short period of time, Margaret Morford will show you how to gain a highly respected place in the inner circle of your organization. This is not a philosophical discussion about why Human Resources should be a strategic player, but rather a how-to road map for making it happen, even in organizations where no one believes HR should be a player. Participants learn numerous ways to tell whether HR is respected in your organization as well as discover various things Human Resources Professionals must do to become "Big Dogs" in their own organizations. All of this is interspersed with funny, and not so funny, real life stories and examples from Margaret's own career and the careers of other HR "Big Dogs," who are movers and shakers in their own organizations.

Getting In Front of the Elephant - How to Earn Immediate Respect For HR

Are you tired of working really hard and being seen as a "necessary evil" within your organization? Margaret Morford identifies three crucial areas, which HR professionals need to impact to be seen as contributors and not just as administrators as well as making practical suggestions for how to impact those areas. She asks five breakthrough questions all HR professionals must ask themselves in order to gain respect from senior level executives. During this presentation, she offers numerous suggestions for how to transform HR's role within your organization.

The Savvy Owl - Politics, Power and Influence...What They Don't Teach You in Business School

Accomplishing the goals and objectives of any organization requires more than just smart employees who work hard. It requires savvy employees who know how to forge alliances and avoid animosities in order to be effective. Participants identify which of the rules of "positive policies" they are most likely to violate as well as obtain guidelines for being smart about their own conduct, about their business communication, about their relationships with co-workers and about their relationships with their supervisor. In addition, they learn numerous ways to recognize who really holds power and has influence and how to tap into the power structure within any organization.

HR Means Business - How to Write Human Resources Strategic Plan

This seminar is designed to help Human Resources professionals create a Human Resources Business Plan that underpins their organization's larger strategic initiatives ten years into the future. A comprehensive Human Resources Business Plan plays a vital role in the achievement of an organization's overall strategic objectives and visibly demonstrates that Human Resources absolutely understands, is fully aligned and actively participates in moving the organizations forward. A comprehensive Human Resources Business Plan will support specific strategic objectives undertaken by the sales/marketing, financial, operational and technology divisions. At the conclusion of this seminar, participants will understand what should be included in their Human Resources Strategic Plan and learn how to draft a Human Resources Strategic Plan that will dramatically increase Senior Management's respect for HR's futuristic, and business, mindset.