Start the New Year Off Right…
Meet Your New Officers for 2002!
Chapter Discussion Group
Board Meeting Minutes
Timely HR Topics
International HR SIG
Telework!VA
Human Resources Association of the National Capital Area
Managing Diversity in a Turbulent Marketplace
Thank You to Our Giveaway Sponsor
Religious, Ethnic and National Origin Discrimination: Minimizing the Backlash
Mark Your Calendars
Upcoming Meeting Topics
Check Out Previous Newsletters

Start the New Year Off Right…

Make a New Year’s Resolution and Mark the Date!
January 16, 2002

Please join us for an interactive presentation by attorney Jason Branciforte, our Chapter’s Legislative Liaison. Jason will focus on what legislative and regulatory initiatives we can expect from the administration in the upcoming year, and will discuss the impact of the events of September 11th on legislation affecting the workplace.

Meet Your New Officers for 2002!

What a terrific line up we have for the Dulles Chapter for 2002! Duly elected at the November meeting and installed include:

Elected Officers
President	Nancy Streeter
Past President	Lynn Lorenz
President Elect	Judy Perrault
Vice President, Membership	Kathleen McCoach
Assistant Vice President, Membership	Judy Strouth
Vice President, Programs	Cindy Loison
Assistant VP, Programs	Amy Lourenco
Secretary	Emily Dunn
Treasurer	Nathalie Laforet
Assistant Treasurer	Sharon Hymanson
Appointed Officers
Certification Representative	Karen Uhlir
Diversity Director	Diedre Ianelli
Legislative Liaison	Jason Branciforte
Member-at-Large	Cornelia Gamlen
Member-at-Large	Karen McDonald
SHRM Foundation Representative	Melissa Frescholtz
Website Coordinator	Jami Dittmeier
Workforce Education Director	Karen Stacy

There will be a joint meeting of the outgoing and incoming Boards on Monday, December 10th at the Marriott Suites in Herndon. If any chapter member would like to attend please contact Nancy Streeter at nabss@aol.com.

Chapter Discussion Group

The next discussion group is "Sexual Harassment" with facilitator Cornelia Gamlen, scheduled for December 11.

Please join us to to share experiences, learn from others or both! If appropriate, please bring details of your current program. They will be held from 7:30 a.m. to 9:30 a.m. at Lafarge Corporation, 12950 Worldgate Drive, Suite 600, Herndon, VA 20170. Contact Cindy Loison at Cindy.Loison@lafargecorp.com or (703) 480-3706 if you are interested in attending.

Lafarge is located on Worldgate Drive, near the intersection of Centreville Road/Elden and Worldgate, accessible from 267 via Exit 10 Herndon/Chantilly. Park in the covered deck (avoiding any spaces with a company name marked on the ground). Walk into the building lobby and take the elevator to the 6th floor. The double glass doors will be locked at that time of the morning, but a Lafarge representative will be available to escort you to the meeting room.

Looking ahead to 2002 (already!) the first discussion group for the new year will be held on January 10th from 7:30-9:30am featuring Stan Surrette leading a discussion on Compensation. We will discuss executive pay, incentive pay, sign-on bonuses, retention bonuses, and anything else that may come up.

We are in the process of developing the calendar for the rest of 2002, so if you have any suggestions for topics for next year (either one where you would like to facilitate or one where more information would enhance your work place effectiveness), please let Cindy know.

Board Meeting Minutes

Starting this month we will be posting the minutes from Board meetings on our web site - please take a few minutes to review them in full. Click Here to View.

Timely HR Topics
From Littler Mendelson, P.C.

Responsibilities for Employers Regarding the Anthrax Threat, Part II: The Latest CDC Recommendations
www.littler.com/nwsltr/asap_anthrax2.html

IRS Allows Employees to Forgo Wages so Employers Can Make Special Charitable Donations on Their Behalf
www.littler.com/nwsltr/asap_wages.html

The U.S.A. Patriot Act of 2001 and Other Immigration-Related Issues For U.S. Employers and Foreign National Employers
www.littler.com/nwsltr/asap_patriot.html

The Risks of RIFs to Your Foreign National Employees: There Can Be Serious Immigration Consequences to Foreign National Employees if They Are Terminated Either Before, After, or During the Permanent Resident Process
www.littler.com/nwsltr/asap_rifs_foreign.html

International HR SIG

The Northern Virginia IHR SIG meets monthly at ICF Kaiser in Fairfax. The group is an excellent forum for exchanging international HR best practices in an informal setting with 20 or so other international HR practitioners. The group welcomes new attendees who are either new or experienced in the international arena. Contact Lance Richards at lance@suddenlyglobal.com or call 703-222-8981 to learn more.

Telework!VA

The Telework!VA program is one of Governor Gilmore's Innovative Progress initiatives designed to reduce traffic congestion in northern Virginia. The program provides financial incentives to companies to help them start or expand a telework program for their employees.

Who is eligible?
Companies in northern Virginia with more than 20 employees can participate. Priority will be given to the counties of Arlington, Fairfax, Loudoun, Prince William, Stafford, Spotsylvania and the cities of Alexandria, Falls Church, Fairfax, Fredericksburg, Manassas and Manassas Park. Employees who participate should be Virginia residents. Companies based in Washington, DC are not eligible.

What are the incentives?
An employee interested in teleworking needs equipment to stay in touch with co-workers and clients. After a company leases equipment such as computers, fax machines or modems, the Telework!VA program reimburses those costs up to $3,500 per teleworker. Training and technical assistance costs also can be reimbursed. Each company can enroll up to ten employees in the program.

Who runs the program?
The program is administered by the Virginia Department of Rail and Public Transportation and the Metropolitan Washington Council of Governments. Telework!VA is currently a two-year pilot program and participating companies must agree to at least a two-year commitment.

What is the goal of the program?
Telework!VA is designed to reduce the number of vehicles on northern Virginia's highways while demonstrating to companies the virtues of teleworking. The financial assistance may be all that's needed to convince a company to try the program, see how well it can work and expand it. At the same time, the program reduces the number of people on the road. Each participating employee must telework at least eight days a month.

How does teleworking benefit companies?
Office and parking space is a valuable thing in the Washington, DC area. Encouraging employees to telework can open up office and parking space and allows companies to grow without incurring significant costs.

Plus, employees who don't have to deal with traffic congestion are more productive. They don't have to worry about being late and can start work on time each day without recovering from the stress of sitting in traffic.

What if an employee isn't able to work from home?
Telework!VA allows employees to work from telework centers. A telework station must be reserved at least eight times a month. The centers are located throughout northern Virginia and open 24 hours a day. Telework!VA funds can be applied toward the telework center use costs.

What equipment is covered under the program?
Eligible expenses include, but are not limited to:*

* Computer/Server Equipment
* Answering Machine
* Fax Machine/Software (Software in lease cost)
* Software for Employee (Software in lease cost)
* Modem
* Telephone
* Printers
* Telework Center Fees
* Telephone Lines & Installation Fees
* Consultant Services (Program start-up; Information Technology assistance; installation services)
* Scanner
* Web Cam

*Exceptions will be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.

How do companies apply?
Companies can apply to participate online at teleworkva.org or call Commuter Connections with questions at 202-962-3792.

Human Resources Association of the National Capital Area

2001-2002 Professional Development Programs

SPECIAL PROGRAM NOTICE

December 12, 2001
5:00pm at the Carnegie Endowment, 1799 Mass. Ave, NW

Join HRANCA for the 2001 HRA-NCA Holiday Reception. Before the Reception, join Katie Franklin, PHD, as she provides ways for the HR Professional to help employees deal with the extra stress this year, especially at holiday time. This is a practical guide for helping your employees cope with the stresses related to the Sept 11 events, as well as the normal holiday season stress. Learn about another way to enhance your role as BUSINESS PARTNER!

To registrar: contact Carol Worley, 301-657-3044; cworley@cohncommunications.com

The HRA's Professional Development Series is designed to provide Senior and mid-level HR Professionals with the tools they need to become effective Business Partners, Leaders, and Contributors to their organizations. These half-day programs include presentations on current Human Resources topics by well-known local and national experts.

January 16, 2002: Leading From the Inside Out: A Coaching Model

Presenters: Dr. Virginia Bianco-Mathis and Dr. Cynthia Roman Strategic Performance Group

Dr. Virginia Bianco-Mathis, Professor at Marymount University in Arlington, VA, and principal of Strategic Performance Group is well known to HRA members as one of the top local Human Resources experts, especially in her field of Organizational Development and Organizational Performance.

Dr. Bianco-Mathis and Dr. Cynthia Roman, on the faculty of George Washington University, will lead an interactive program designed to help you promote a coaching environment in your organization. She will share her insights gained through extensive experience as an educator, consultant, and business executive.

This program is designed to promote Leadership and Coaching skills for the senior Human Resources Executive. Participants will learn concepts and methods to contribute to the internal management and leadership capabilities of their organizations.

Each program begins at 8:00 am and concludes at noon. Cost for each program for HRA-NCA members is $125.00; for non-members, the cost is $160.00. These fees include breakfast, the presentation, and materials.

For Registration information, contact Carol Worley, 301-657-3065; cworley@cohncommunications.com

Creating a Quality Recruitment, Selection, and Retention Program

Save the dates: Wednesday evening January 9, 2002, and Wednesday morning, February 27, 2002, for a special series on recruiting and retaining the best employees, presented by the consulting team which assisted the Ritz Carlton Hotel chain.

The January monthly chapter meeting will feature Lisa French and A.J. Schuler from Talent+, an international performance consultancy. Lisa and A.J. will speak about the elements of a successful, quality-based recruiting and retention plan, and about the leadership role of HR in the process. (Dinner meeting)

They will provide more details, including an in-depth look at how they worked with the Ritz Carlton Hotels in implementing their Baldridge-Award winning Quality Management Strategy. They will share information from Ritz Carlton managers on their experiences applying the strategies and about the resulting success in hiring, retention, and community relations. (8:00 am to 12:00 noon)

March 28, 2001: Educating Yourselves on How to Educate Your Employees About Retirement Planning

This joint presentation by the Financial Planning Council of Annandale, Virginia and Turner Pension Consultants of Annapolis, Maryland will help you communicate the realities of retirement planning to your employees.

Managing Diversity in a Turbulent Marketplace

Presented by Live Wire Media Relations, LLC and Diversity Training Group

Wednesday, December 12, 2001
The National Press Club
529 14th Street, NW, Washington, DC
The Lisagor Room, 8:00am to 11:00am

In this diversity-focused seminar you will learn how to:

• Utilize best practices regarding successful diversity plans and strategies
• Manage litigious issues related to diversity
• Minimize the potential for negative media attention

Admission: $95.00 includes breakfast and seminar materials

For more information or to register:
please contact Suzy Carpenter at (703) 478-9191

Thank You to Our Giveaway Sponsor

Many thanks to KnowledgePoint for their donation of a copy of the Policies Now software as a giveaway at the December meeting.

Their commercial :-) …

“KnowledgePoint has just launched a brand new version of its popular Policies Now program with some significant enhancements. Now, not only is it still the quickest and simplest way to write a legally compliant employee handbook, but it also features 3 different language styles and 11 different designs for publishing in print and on the Web -- so now you can create a handbook that suits your company's individual culture. AND, the new Policies Now also offers access to up-to-the-minute summaries of new Federal and state employment law. So if you want your employee handbook to start doing more for you, check out the new Policies Now from KnowledgePoint.”

For more information contact: Sheri Cardo, KnowledgePoint, www.KnowledgePoint.com, 800.727.1133 Ext. 1334, scardo@knowledgepoint.com

Religious, Ethnic and National Origin Discrimination: Minimizing the Backlash

(November 1, 2001) One of the effects of the recent terrorist activities has been a renewed sensitivity to discrimination based on religion, national origin and ethnicity. Title VII prohibits discrimination in employment on these bases, 42 U.S.C.A. §2000, and employers are required to reasonably accommodate employees' religious beliefs and practices.

In light of the heightened concerns about incidents of workplace discrimination based on these factors, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission issued a special alert dated September 14, 2001, urging employers to be particularly vigilant to "instances of harassment or intimidation against Arab-American and Muslim employees."

In the wake of this week's tragic events, Cari M. Dominguez, Chair of the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC), called on all employers and employees across the country to promote tolerance and guard against unlawful workplace discrimination based on national origin or religion.

"We should not allow our anger at the terrorists responsible for this week's heinous attacks to be misdirected against innocent individuals because of their religion, ethnicity, or country of origin," Chair Dominguez said. "In the midst of this tragedy, employers should take time to be alert to instances of harassment or intimidation against Arab-American and Muslim employees. Preventing and prohibiting injustices against our fellow workers is one way to fight back, if only symbolically, against the evil forces that assaulted our workplaces Tuesday morning."

EEOC encourages all employers to do the following:

• Reiterate policies against harassment based on religion, ethnicity, and national origin;
• Communicate procedures for addressing workplace discrimination and harassment;
• Urge employees to report any such improper conduct; and
• Provide training and counseling, as appropriate.

Ms. Dominguez exhorted all individuals to heed the words of President Bush, who said yesterday: "We must be mindful that as we seek to win the war [against terrorism] we treat Arab-Americans and Muslims with the respect they deserve."

EEOC enforces Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, which prohibits discrimination in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, and retaliation for filing a complaint. For example, Title VII precludes workplace bias based on the following:

• Religion, ethnicity, birthplace, culture, or linguistic characteristics;
• Marriage or association with persons of a national origin or religious group;
• Membership or association with specific ethnic or religious groups;
• Physical, linguistic or cultural traits closely associated with a national origin group, for example, discrimination because of a person's physical features or traditional Arab style of dress; and
• Perception or belief that a person is a member of a particular national origin group, based on the person's speech, mannerisms, or appearance.

"Our laws reaffirm our national values of tolerance and civilized conduct. At this time of trial, these values will strengthen us as a common people," Ms. Dominguez said. "The nation's workplaces are fortified by the enduring ability of Americans of diverse backgrounds, beliefs, and nationalities to work together harmoniously and productively."

Individuals are protected from workplace discrimination and harassment based on their religious beliefs, ethnicity or national origin. The terms "religion" and "religious practices" have been defined in the law itself to include all aspects of religious observance and practice, as well as belief. Additionally, the EEOC defines religious practices as including "moral or ethical beliefs as to what is right and wrong [and] which are sincerely held with the strength of traditional religious views."

Examples of "religious beliefs" held to be protected under Title VII include: (1) "Old Catholic" belief employee had to keep her head covered at all times; (2) wearing of an anti-abortion button with a picture of a fetus; (3) a Jehovah's Witness' refusal to work on military tanks; and (4) the refusal to take unpaid leave for a religious observance. On the other hand, personal beliefs held not to be protected under Title VII include: (1) eating a certain brand of cat food to enhance well-being; (2) Baptist's claimed belief in adultery; and (3) claim to be unable to work on Sundays when the employee had worked on Sunday in the past.

Title VII also imposes a duty on employers to "reasonably accommodate" an employee's religious practices provided such accommodation does not cause "undue hardship" to the employer's business. The standard for determining when a requested accommodation will create "undue hardship" is a "de minimus" standard, which has been held by various courts to mean, among other things, an action which would result in: (1) discrimination against co-employees; (2) breach of a seniority system; (3) the payment of a premium wage for a substitute; or (4) loss of efficiency. Even if a requested accommodation creates such a hardship, the employer still is required to make some attempt at accommodation, unless it can show it is unable to take any action.

For more information on employers' duties and obligations to prevent religious, ethnic, and national origin discrimination in the workplace, please contact Margaret Bryant, at 1-800-648-2551.

Thanks to Deidre Iannelli, our chapter’s Diversity Director, for finding this article for us.

Mark Your Calendars

Upcoming SHRM conferences and seminars:

• SHRM Annual Employment Law & Legislative Conference, March 11-13, 2002, Washington, D.C.
• SHRM 54th Annual Conference & Exposition, June 23-26, 2002, Philadelphia, PA
• 2002 VA SHRM State Conference, October 9-11, 2002 in Roanoke, VA (never too soon to block the time)

Upcoming Meeting Topics

Upcoming meeting topics:

• January 16 - Legislative update by Jason Branciforte, Chapter Legislative Liason
• February 20 - Issues in International HR with Lance Richards
• March 20 - Measuring the Employee Life Cycle: A Tool for Improving Retention - Mary Saily, Vice President for HumanR
• April 17 - Mentoring/Diversity with Anne Johnston (tentative)
• May 15 - Emotional Intelligence with Strategic Interactions (tentative)
• June 19 - Leadership with Book Signing with Dr. Virginia Bianco-Mathis (tentative)

That’s all for this month unless you have any ideas or suggestions? This is your chapter - let us know what’s on your mind!

Lynn M. Lorenz, SPHR
(Soon to be past)President
Dulles SHRM
E-mail