Membership FAQs

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SHRM is the world’s largest professional society dedicated to serving human resources professionals at all levels and functions.

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• Member Questions
• Membership Card
• Chapters
• Resources
• Career

MEMBER QUESTIONS

What does SHRM offer to small companies that may not have an HR professional?

Tons of resources to save whomever manages the HR function time and money as he or she strives to stay compliant and create a great workplace. We have an Ask an Advisor service, offering personalized advice on your specific HR questions or challenges, how-to guides, sample policies, job descriptions and interview questions, and more. Members also get discounts on all sorts of professional, personal and travel services plus HR labor law posters and much more.

What does SHRM offer to individuals outside the U.S.?

With almost 10,000 members outside the U.S., SHRM offers global best practices, trends and research results plus tools to help you in any HR position, regardless of your location. HR metrics calculators, sample policies, job descriptions and interview questions plus an online community to get feedback on everything from multinational challenges to implementing HRIS systems and more.

I don't know my username and/or password. What should I do?

Your email address is your username. If you have forgotten your password, go to the login page and click "Need Help Signing In?" to have your password reset.

What should I do if I can't log into the members-only pages?

Visit the login page to login or reset your password. If you still need assistance, please call the SHRM Customer Experience Team at 800.283.7476, option 3 (US Only), +1.703.548.3440, option 3 (Int'l), TTY/TDD +1.703.548.6999 or shrm@shrm.org between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET.
Please note: for security reasons, if you need to change your email address or have a name change, members will need to provide Customer Experience a government issued ID for verification. 

After becoming a member of SHRM, when will I have access to the website?

• When joining online or by phone: 30 minutes
  
• When joining by fax: 24-48 hours
• When joining by mail: 4-6 weeks
  

Can I share my membership login information with other people?

No. SHRM is an individual membership organization. Use of your membership by any nonmember is a violation of the SHRM membership policy.

How do I update my mailing address and contact information?

Visit mySHRM or shrm.org/memberrecord to update your information.

When does my membership expire?

12 months from the end of the month in which your membership was processed. Example: If your membership is processed on 1/7/2018, then your membership expires on 1/31/2019.

How can a member contact an HR Knowledge Advisor for assistance with HR-related questions?

Any professional SHRM member may contact an HR Knowledge Advisor via phone, instant message, or e-mail from shrm.org/hrinfo. Student members may search member-protected pages of the SHRM website to conduct their own research.

My company paid my membership. What happens if I leave my job?

SHRM membership is individual, so your membership follows you. Please make sure to keep your contact information current, especially when changing jobs or addresses. Visit shrm.org/memberrecord to update your contact information.

Can my membership fees be refunded?

No. SHRM membership is nonrefundable and nontransferable.

Am I automatically a SHRM member if I joined my local SHRM chapter?

No. SHRM chapter members are entitled only to benefits offered by their local chapter. National SHRM members have full access to the SHRM website, the HR Knowledge Center, a free subscription to HR Magazine, access to HR research, discounts on SHRM education and conferences, and networking opportunities with SHRM national, student, and international members. Click here to find a chapter in your area. 

Are my membership dues tax deductible?

SHRM annual dues are not deductible as charitable contributions for federal income tax purposes, but may be deductible as ordinary and necessary business expenses except that, under IRC section 162(e), 1% of the SHRM annual dues are allocable to lobbying expenses and therefore are not deductible.

Does SHRM offer membership partnerships with other organizations?

For those in the health care industry, SHRM partners with the American Society for Healthcare Human Resources Administration (ASHHRA). Contact ASHHRA to request a joint application or invoice.

How do I specify which emails I want to receive?

Follow the directions in the color block at the bottom of every email: "Unsubscribe or Change Email Preferences." At the Communications Preferences Page, you can choose which emails you want to receive (opt-in). Please note, e-newsletters are opt-in. On shrm.org, go to HR Today and choose Newsletters to select the e-newsletters you want to receive. 

I'm already a member, why am I getting emails about joining SHRM?

Sorry about that! We do our best to keep current members from getting emails not relevant to them. When a new email address enters our system, we send an invitation to join because we can't link the address to a current member. This can happen with a typo or a slight change in punctuation (amy.smith@gmail.com or amy_smith@gmail.com, etc.) or if there's a generic hr@company.com that gets directed to a current member. 

How do I unsubscribe from SHRM new member postal mailings?

If you are a current member receiving letters asking you to join, then please accept our apology. Your mailing address must not match what we have on record with your membership account. Please add the address you are receiving mail to in your member record. If you are receiving mail to an address for someone that isn't interested in membership or isn't there anymore, please let us know by filling out this mail removal request form.

Are there any offerings for retiring members?

Retired annual membership for $55 each year is available to any professional SHRM member who has retired from active full-time employment. These members do not have voting rights and may not hold office in the Society, but do have access to all other SHRM member benefits, discounts and offerings.

There's also a retired life membership available for SHRM members who had a professional membership for at least 10 years and are now retired from active full-time employment. They get all the benefits of SHRM membership. 

The retired membership option can be activated by calling SHRM’s Customer Experience Team at 800.283.7476, option 3 (US Only), +1.703.548.3440, option 3 (Int'l).

Membership Card

How do I create a membership card online?

1. Click here to create your card.
2. Log in, if you are not already logged in.
3. Click on "Generate membership card." A PDF file of your card will be created.
4. Click on the printer icon on the PDF toolbar. Click to generate your membership card.

How do I change the size of the printed card?

1. Click on the printer icon on the PDF toolbar.
2. Go to "Page Handling" near the middle of the screen.
3. Go to "Page Scaling."
   
4. From the drop-down menu, choose the option "shrink to printable area."
   

Do I need an active national membership to print a card?

Yes. A chapter membership is not valid.

What do I need to create an online membership card?

You will need:

1. An active SHRM national membership.
   
2. Your last name as listed in the SHRM directory.
3. Adobe Acrobat reader software (which can be downloaded from www.adobe.com).
   

Chapters

Where can I find information about my local chapter?

You can find information about your local chapter at shrm.org/chapters. SHRM has more than 575 affiliated chapters.

Will my local chapter contact me or should I contact them for information about joining?

Your local chapter does reach out to new SHRM members throughout the year, but we encourage you to contact them first. Find out what local events and resources could be of use to you at shrm.org/chapters.

How do I become an officer in my local chapter?

It depends on the chapter. Some require years of membership in that local chapter, whereas others are looking for fresh assistance on its committees and planning boards. Contact your local chapter to find out.

Does SHRM have chapters outside the United States?

SHRM has groups similar to chapters located outside the United States called Member Forums. They provide opportunities for networking, sharing of best practices, and local face-to-face and virtual interaction among HR professionals. For more information, click here.

Resources

Where can I find information about conferences and seminars?

For information about SHRM's conferences, go to shrm.org/events. For information on SHRM's educational programs, visit SHRM Educational Programs, SHRM-CP/SHRM-SCP certification preparation, and eLearning. 

Does SHRM offer legal advice?

No. SHRM provides information, research, guidance, and best practices, but does not offer specific legal advice. Please consult your organization's or external counsel on any topic for which you want legal advice.

Where can I get a listing of all SHRM member resources?

Download our member benefits flyer for an overview. 

Where can I find SHRM’s Accessibility Policy?

For information about SHRM’s Accessibility Policy and how to make accommodation requests, go to the Policy.

Career

Where do I get information about posting and searching for HR jobs?

For information about HR Careers, go to shrm.org/jobs.

Now that I have graduated, what should I do to start my career in HR ?

Congratulations! Joining SHRM is the first step. We encourage you to network by joining your local chapter, participatie in online discussions on SHRM Connect or take advantage of SHRM's free webcasts on various topics at shrm.org/webcast.

What resources does SHRM offer to advance my career?

Members can access a variety of career resources at shrm.org/careers.

If you were unable to find the answers you were looking for, please visit shrm.org/help or
call 800.283.7476, option 3 (US Only),
+1.703.548.3440, option 3 (Int'l),
TTY/TDD +1.703.548.6999 between 8:00 a.m. and 8:00 p.m. ET.