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Newsletter #28 July 31, 2018 |
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Workflex in the 21st Century Act Moves Forward
On July 24, the House Education and Workforce Subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing on the Workflex in the 21st Century Act. First introduced in November 2017, the proposed legislation is based on a framework developed by SHRM. It would provide a combination of guaranteed paid leave and increased options for flexible work arrangements (workflex) from employers that opt in to the system.
If passed, the legislation would amend the Employee Retirement Income Security Act (ERISA), allowing participating employers flexibility to implement arrangements including compressed and bi-weekly work schedules, telecommuting, job-sharing, and flexible scheduling. Employers would voluntarily provide full- and part-time workers a guaranteed minimum level of paid leave along with at least one workflex option. The new ERISA-covered plan would pre-empt a burgeoning list of state and local paid leave and workflex laws, but would not affect protections afforded under FMLA.
SHRM supports the proposed legislation as a positive step to provide flexible work arrangements that help workers achieve a healthy work/life balance and to replace current government-mandated leave requirements. They have published a Fact Sheet about the proposed legislation, available on their website.
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| Director's Notes
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July has certainly been a whirlwind of a month. Coming into a new position is always a challenge and there has been much to learn about Georgia Employers' Association. I’m excited about the prospects for our organization and encouraged by the conversations that I’ve had so far with our members.
The most important objective for GEA is to continue to sharply focus on services that directly benefit our membership and our community. To that end, we’re assembling a survey to ask you about current GEA offerings and new services that will help you meet the workplace challenges you face every day. We expect to publish the survey on our website within the next couple of weeks and I’ll be asking each of you to take just a few minutes of time to provide us with feedback and ideas.
It’s also important to continue the growth initiatives that began under Mike McCurdy’s leadership. I welcome opportunities to speak about GEA and current topics to SHRM chapters and other business groups. Also, we’ll be announcing a referral program with incentives for GEA members in the coming weeks.
Finally, I’d like to thank all of you who have offered encouragement and insight over the last few weeks. I look forward to working with all of you and greatly appreciate your input and advice as we continue to grow our association.
Buddy
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| | National Council for the American Worker: Is it Enough?
On July 19, President Trump issued an executive order actually intended to develop a national strategy that will benefit both employees and American companies who depend on a skilled workforce.
The order establishes the National Council for the American Worker, comprised of a collection of cabinet and department-level heads, and an American Workforce Advisory Board, which will "recommend steps to encourage the private sector and educational institutions to combat the skills crisis by investing in and increasing demand-driven education, training, and re-training."
That's a mouthful. The core initiatives for the new Council and Task Force include: - Developing a national campaign to raise awareness of the skills crisis in the U.S. and the importance of training and STEM education
- Increasing apprenticeship and work-based learning opportunities.
- Examining current expenditures related to career development and recommending changes.
There's more, but critics of the new initiative don't think that it goes far enough, especially to mitigate the current shortage of skilled labor. They advocate a more comprehensive approach that includes immigration reform.
Read the entire story in the news section of the GEA website.
Photo Credit: Wikimedia Commons. |
| | | | Register Now for the Fall Leadership Series
The Leadership Training Series for supervisors and team leads is one of GEA's most popular courses. Offered in collaboration with Humphries Consulting, Inc., the five-session training provides practical skills and tools using a combination of lecture, exercises, role playing, games, and skill checks.
Both skilled supervisors and those new to leadership roles can benefit from the workshops. The first session is scheduled for August 15 in Macon. Take a look at the schedule and register now to attend!
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Georgia Employers' Association |
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