Posted: March 5, 2010:

ASTD Presents -- "Effective Facilitation Skills"
Part 1: "Preparation"
Tuesday, March 16, 2010
11:45 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.

How do I begin to create a successful training program?

How do I help my adult learners learn?

How do I know I did a good job teaching them what they need to know?

Join us as popular and motivating presenter, Ted Schick, Owner of Schick Corporate Learning, teaches us about how to develop curriculum/objectives, adapt to adult learning styles, theories of facilitation, and how to assess the results of your training. Part 2 of this energizing program which will focus on delivery of training will be held on April 20, 2010.

Date:	Tuesday, March 16, 2010
Place:	Minnesota Power 30 W. Superior Street, Duluth, MN. Conf. Rm. 140
Time:	11:45 a.m - 1:00 p.m.
Cost:	Includes Lunch $15 (Members and Students with ID) $20 (Non-Members)
Info:	Full Info/Flyer available here.
Register:
Online:	Register Online here
E-mail:	Register by E-mail here
Phone:	Call Marcia Opien at 218-355-3773

This event is open to the public, so please share the details about this not-to-be-missed event with your friends and colleagues!

Posted: January 29, 2010:

ASTD Special Morning Event, "From Face to Face to E-Based"

Rapid advancement in technology coupled with a mobile workforce and ever changing pace affects the way we deliver training. Join us for an interactive session that will provide insight into the value of classroom, blended and multimedia delivery.

Presenters Kathlynn McConell, Juli Lattner and Kelly Ecklind will not only tell us about learning styles and adult learning principles, but also demonstrate different e-learning technologies.

Date:	Thursday, February 11, 2010
Place:	Minnesota Power 30 W. Superior Street, Duluth, MN. Conf. Rm. 140
Time:	8:30 a.m. - 12:00 noon
Cost:	Includes Breakfast $40 (Members and Students with ID) $50 (Non-Members)
Register:	Please register by Tuesday, February 9th
Online:	Register Online here
E-mail:	Register by E-mail here
Phone:	Call Marcia Opien at 218-355-3773

Posted: January 14, 2010:

For Immediate Release

Helping Businesses Prepare for H1N1

On Tuesday, January 12th, Featured Speaker Jim Gangl, Public Health Analyst and Emergency Preparedness for St. Louis County Public Health & Human Services, discussed balancing risk versus reward during a pandemic at the Northland Human Resources Association (NHRA) monthly educational meeting, held at the Holiday Inn Duluth.
Read the full online article here.

St. Louis County and NHRA want to help businesses in the Northland prepare for and handle an H1N1 outbreak. Prevention, keeping everyone up to date with up-to-the-minute information, policies regarding affected employees, and how to balance workloads in the face of employee absences are some of the topics area businesses must consider. Additional links to information on H1N1 are available on NHRA's Website.

Posted: January 4, 2010:

For Immediate Release

NHRA January 2010 Educational Meeting

Tuesday, January 12, 2010, 11:15 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.

Holiday Inn, 200 W. 1st Street, Duluth, MN

Topic: "A Fine Line: Balancing Risk versus Reward during a Pandemic"

Speaker: Jim Gangl, Public Health Analyst & Emergency Preparedness Coordinator, St. Louis County Public Health & Human Services

Learning objectives:

1. Better understanding of employment issues during a disease outbreak
2. A clearer picture of the reasons behind the CDC recommendations for businesses.

Description:
This is an opportunity to clear up some of the confusion and misunderstanding surrounding the CDC recommendations for employers and to start the discussion about realistic steps that businesses can undertake to protect themselves and their employees.

To register, click here and pay via PayPal, or RSVP to info@northlandhra.org and pay at the door. Networking and registration at 11:15; meeting begins at 11:30.

Posted: December 11, 2009:

For Immediate Release

NHRA Board of Directors Announced for 2010

NHRA held elections at the November 2009 meeting, and we are pleased to announce the NHRA Board for 2010! The NHRA Board of Directors is committed to providing members with timely educational topics, working to help HR professionals with day-to-day HR issues and to help advance the profession. There are still opportunities to become a SHRM volunteer leader on the NHRA Board. You will gain valuable leadership skills and contribute to promote and advance the HR profession.

E-mail info@northlandhra.org for more information on volunteer leadership opportunities on the NHRA Board of Directors!

2010 NHRA Board of Directors

• President - Laurie Pinther, SPHR
• Past President/Legislative Affairs - Wayne Lindberg, PHR
• President Elect - Terri McGillvrey, SPHR
• Treasurer - Pam Grover, PHR
• Asst. Treasurer - Heather Turcotte
• Secretary - Wendy Sersha, PHR
• Asst. Secretary/Workforce Readiness - Judy Aspling
• College Relations - Heather DuVal
• Community Involvement - Steve Korby
• HRCI Certification - Kathy Chalupsky, SPHR
• Marketing Director - Patricia Stolee, SPHR
• Membership Director - B'elana Aedan
• Programs/Diversity - Linda Olcott
• At-Large - Sandy Plante

Posted: November 11, 2009:

Amendments to Minnesota's Unemployment Insurance Law Expand Scope of Eligibility For Benefits
by Ingrid N. Culp

Minnesota's Unemployment Insurance Law ("UIL") was amended during the 2009 legislative session. While several changes were made, some of the most significant for employers include the expanded scope of who is eligible to collect benefits.

In addition to the eligibility and disqualification factors that have been in place for some time (which are many and too extensive for inclusion in this article), the amendments provide that an applicant is also eligible for benefits if he/she:

• quit to provide necessary care to an .immediate family member. with an illness, injury or disability. "Immediate family member" is defined as the applicant's spouse, parent, stepparent, son or daughter, stepson or stepdaughter, or grandson or granddaughter. While somewhat unclear, it appears this provision only applies if the applicant informed the employer of the medical problem and requested accommodation and no reasonable accommodation was made available. Application of this provision calls into question whether the applicant is available for suitable employment, a requirement for receipt of benefits, which the Department of Employment & Economic Development ("DEED") must determine;
  
  
• quit on account of the domestic abuse of the applicant or his/her immediate family member;
  
  
• quit to relocate with his/her spouse whose job location has changed such that it would be impracticable for the applicant to commute to the applicant's current work location;
  
  
• was discharged as a result of conduct that was a consequence of the applicant's mental illness or impairment;
  
  
• was discharged as a result of being absent to provide necessary care to the applicant's immediate family member with an illness, injury or disability, if proper notice of absence was given to the employer;
  
  
• was discharged as a result of conduct that was the result of the applicant or his/her immediate family member being a victim of domestic abuse.
  
  

Furthermore, prior to the amendments, an employee who was discharged as the result of "a single incident that [did] not have a significant adverse impact on the employer" was eligible for benefits. While this exception has been removed, the following language has been added: "If the conduct for which the applicant was discharged involved only a single incident, that is an important fact that must be considered in deciding whether the conduct rises to the level of employment misconduct."

Additional information regarding the many other eligibility and disqualification factors that have been and continue in place can be found at Minn. Stat. § 268.095. These factors, including the new factors summarized above, should be reviewed when determining whether an employee will be eligible for benefits and/or whether to contest an employee's application for benefits. As has always been the case, documentation of the circumstances leading to an employee's separation from employment is important to DEED in connection with making eligibility determinations. If an employer believes its employee should be found ineligible, the employer should ensure that its documentation reflects the disqualification factors set forth in the UIL and submit this documentation to DEED in response to the employee's application for benefits and in connection with any appeal.

For assistance with unemployment compensation matters, please contact Fredrikson & Byron's Employment & Labor Law Group.

Posted: October 13, 2009:

NHRA Members Participate in Minnesota Disability Mentoring Day

October 13th 2009 marked the 10th Anniversary National Celebration of Disability Mentoring Day (DMD). This event began ten years ago in the White House when a small group of students with disabilities spent the day job shadowing White house staff. It has grown to an event occurring throughout the country each October. Each year one location is chosen to celebrate the National Kick Off. The American Association of People with Disabilities (AAPD) selected Duluth, Minnesota for this year's Launch.

The attendees at the Duluth Entertainment Convention Center (DECC) included over 1000 people -- 24 school districts from Northeastern Minnesota, over 60 local employers who had booths at the job fair, parents, teachers, and others. NHRA members participating at the job fair and other event planning and workshops included Wendy Sersha and Nicole Johnson from Minnesota Power, Steve Korby from Enbridge Energy, Phyllis Ducey from Community Memorial Hospital, Sharon Monahan from the Food and Drug Administration, Sandy Danmeier from MN DOT, and B'elana Aedan/Betsy Harmon/Lisa Wick all from the Minnesota Dept. of Employment and Economic Security.

It was a full day for the hundreds of high school and college students. DMD included on-going breakout sessions, mock interviews and resume reviews; lunch and program with students, parents, presenters and employers; presentations by speakers of national renown ( including from Washington,DC Kathleen Martinez the Assistant Secretary of Labor for Disability Employment Policy); and lots of opportunity for employer-student interaction. By all accounts, DMD-Duluth was very successful!

 

 

Posted: July 22, 2009:

Northland Human Resource Professionals Tee Off and Raise Funds for Food Bank

The Northland Human Resources Association's Fifth Annual Golf Scramble/Fundraiser was held on July 13, 2009 at the Proctor Golf Club. NHRA is an affiliate of the Society of Human Resource Management (SHRM). Twenty-one players participated in this year's event. Six teams took on the challenge of the par thirty three Proctor links. The weather was beautiful with temps in the upper 70's and low humidity ... a "Chamber of Commerce day" The scores were pretty impressive as well! Photos of the event are available here.

Each year, the NHRA Board of Directors chooses a non profit in the region as a recipient of the tourney benefits. Seven hole sponsors at $50 each (please see the list of employers and associations who sponsored holes below) helped in the cause and had their name displayed at the golf course in recognition. Also, door prizes were contributed by friends and affiliates of NHRA (again, refer to list below) and golfing participants bought raffle tickets for an opportunity to win these prizes. The total funds raised for Second Harvest Food Bank, was over $700! Second Harvest Northern Lakes Food Bank's mission is to feed Northeastern Minnesota and Northwestern Wisconsin's hungry by rescuing and distributing food and engaging our region in the fight against hunger. Second Harvest has already thanked the NHRA organization for the generous donation.

The winning team shot a score of 29. The team included Mark Pendleton and Penny Youngberg of ME Global and Steve Korby of Enbridge Energy in Superior. Korby, Pendleton and Youngberg have now been on four winning teams in the tourney's five year history. The second place team with a score of 32 included Terri McGillvrey (NHRA Director of Membership), Jon Nelson, Laurie Berner, and Jim Laumeyer. NHRA President Wayne Lindberg won the long putt on hole #2 with a tricky, snaky downhiller. Winner of the men's long drive contest was Mark .Long and Straight. Pendleton. The Long Drive for Women and the tourney's closest to the pin contest were both won by Marsha Wick. Winner of the most honest team awards were Patricia Stolee, Kim Quinones, and Kathy Levine. Patricia Stolee (NHRA Director of Marketing) and Kim Burke (Former NHRA President) also helped gather the fabulous and generous door prizes. Laurie Pinther (NHRA President Elect) sold the raffle tickets and kept the financial records in order for this event.

All participants were thanked by Tournament Coordinator Steve Korby (NHRA Co-Director of Community Involvement along with Tracy Larsen of Enbridge) for their support of this great--and growing--event. The Proctor Golf Club was also thanked for being an extremely cooperative and generous host. The Sixth Annual event is tentatively scheduled for 3:00 pm on July 12, 2010. Hope you can join us!

Hole Sponsors:

• Enbridge Energy
• Allete - Minnesota Power
• Northland Human Resources Association
• Members Cooperative Credit Union
• ME Global
• Spherion Staffing Group
• Charter Films

Door Prize Contributors:   Nemadji Golf Course (Superior), Black Bear Casino, Holiday Inn Hotel and Suites (Duluth), RAM Insurance (Esko), Enbridge Energy (Superior), SMDC, ME Global, The Pickwick Restaurant, Blackwoods Restaurant, UMD, Proctor Golf Course, A&L Properties, Diamond Willow, Charter Films, Spherion Staffing Group, Minnesota Power Employees Credit Union.

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