While Planning for 2010, SHRM Volunteer Leaders Advance the Profession in Washington
In conjunction with last month’s 2009 Leadership Conference, nearly 200 SHRM members traveled to Capitol Hill on Thursday, November 19 to meet with their senators and representatives. These meetings were designed to discuss two key SHRM issues: Workplace Flexibility and Health Care Reform.
Later that evening, during the SHRM Open House, nearly 100 SHRM members took putters in hand and attacked the lightning-fast greens of a miniature golf course set up in the halls of the External Affairs division. Playing off the analogy of the importance of a strong “grassroots” network of members, SHRM’s External Affairs team displayed photos of SHRM members meeting with legislators and posters of SHRM’s recent advocacy ads on workplace flexibility and health care reform. SHRM members also had the opportunity to discuss public policy issues with the staff.
On Friday, November 20, copies of SHRM’s H1N1 pandemic toolkit for businesses were distributed to the nearly 1,000 conference attendees. The tooklit, designed as a quick reference guide for HR professionals and business owners, was welcomed as a positive benefit from the External Affairs team.
Later in the program, the audience witnessed the signing of a two-year alliance agreement between SHRM and the Office of Disability Employment Policies within the U.S. Department of Labor (ODEP). This agreement commits SHRM and ODEP to explore new ways of encouraging the employment of persons with disabilities. [See related story in this issue of HR Issues Update]