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Newsletter #12 March 27, 2018 |
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GEA Welcomes Patrick Topping, New Director of Business Development
Patrick Topping will be joining GEA in mid-April as the association’s Director of Business Development. Pat will be working with Executive Director Mike McCurdy to expand awareness of GEA’s activities and services around the state and to continue to build the association’s membership. He’ll be responsible for developing new relationships with employers and with other associations and organizations that promote Georgia business.
For 22 years, Pat led the economic development program for the Macon Economic Development Commission (MEDC), the private/public agency responsible for new business recruitment and existing business retention and growth for Macon-Bibb County. Earlier in his career, he served as President of the Cumming/Forsyth County and Milledgeville/Baldwin County Chambers of Commerce. Pat is a past Chairman of the Board of Directors for the Georgia Economic Developers Association and also served as Georgia’s State Director to the Southern Economic Development Council.
Pat has been active in state, regional, and national economic development associations, including the Georgia Foreign Trade Zone and the Korean SEUS Chamber of Commerce. He is a part-time faculty member at Georgia College and State University and at Middle Georgia State University, where he teaches courses in business and marketing. Pat received his undergraduate degree from Georgia State University and holds an MBA from Georgia College and State University.
We hope you’ll join us to welcome Pat to Georgia Employers Association and help him off to a good start with referrals for new GEA members. |
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| GEA Spring Conference approved for 10 HRCI Recertification Credits
HR Professionals will receive 10 HRCI recertification hours when they attend the Georgia Employers' Association 2018 Spring Conference in Savannah. If you haven't already registered, you won't want to miss this two day event in Georgia's most beautiful city.
*The use of the HRCI seal confirms that this activity has met HR Certification Institute’s® (HRCI®) criteria for recertification credit pre-approval. |
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| USCIS Suspends H-1B Premium Processing
The U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services announced last week that they’ll begin accepting H1-B petitions on April 2, subject to the Fiscal Year 2019 cap. The H1-B program permits U.S. companies to temporarily employ foreign workers in occupations that require specialized knowledge. Typical H1-B positions are in science, engineering, and IT.
The agency announced the suspension of premium processing for FY 2019 cap petitions through September 10, 2018. Premium processing has been used by employers to gain early notification of application approvals, providing time for alternative courses of action if an application was denied. The USCIS stated that the suspension is intended to allow processing of long-pending petitions and to reduce overall processing times. Employers will still be able to convert applications to premium processing after the September 10 date, allowing only 20 days for visa renewals that expire on September 30.
The USCIS is expected to approve approximately 85,000 H1-B petitions for Fiscal Year 2019, according to an article by Constangy, Brooks, Smith, and Prophete, LLP lawyer Will Krasnow. Read the entire article in the News section of the GEA website.
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Welcome New GEA Members!
GEA is pleased to welcome the following new association members: |
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GovStrive
Synovus Bank
DSC Logistics
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| Nisshinbo Automotive
Wayfair
Macon-Bibb County
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Recruiting in a Tight Labor Market And More – Lunch and Learn on April 4
GEA’s next Lunch and Learn is entitled Strategic Recruiting, Interviewing, and Selection: Putting the Right Talent on Your Team. Even if you’re a practiced interviewer, you’ll learn something new at this afternoon workshop.
Here are a few of the topics: - Recruiting techniques for a tight labor market
- Identifying key competencies and criteria before the interview
- 5 types of interview questions
- Taking Notes: What to document (and what not to)
The Lunch and Learn Workshop will benefit HR professionals and managers in your organization who are involved in recruiting and interviewing. It’s scheduled for Wednesday April 4 in Macon. Click the link or the image for more information about the GEA's monthly Lunch and Learn seminars. |
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Planning for aPHR, PHR, or SPHR Certification?
If you or others in your organization are planning for HRCI certification in the near future, please let us know. GEA’s PHR/SPHR and aPHR certification courses were well attended in 2017 and we’re making plans to offer them again this year.
Tentative dates for the aPHR 4 week course for HR associates are May 15 - June 14. The 6 week PHR/APHR preparation course is tentatively planned to begin July 31 with the last session on September 20. Classes would be held once per week for both preparation courses. The aPHR course would be held in Macon. Location for the PHR/SPHR course will be determined according to interest.
Both courses provide thorough preparation for the certification exams and participants should be ready to take the test at the end of the course. If you or your associates are interested in participating, please email Mike McCurdy at mike@georgiaemployers.org. |
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Georgia Employers' Association |
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