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LEGISLATIVE REPORT
By Larry Bourgerie
Legislative Director
Summer 2007
State SHRM Members Make a Difference
One of the benefits of SHRM membership is automatically enrollment in HR
Voice. HR Voice assists members in influencing legislation affecting the
HR profession. SHRM members, through the HR Voice program, can play an
instrumental part in influencing legislation on the national and state
levels. In the HR world today, legislative awareness and action is a
competency and necessary to be fully effective in
today's business environment.
In the first months of 2007, Minnesota SHRM members wrote 652 letters to
their Senators and Congressional Representatives. As a result of these
SHRM members' efforts, three pieces of legislation was affected.
The efforts of the SHRM membership helped influence outcome of legislation
that would have eliminated the secret ballot provision for voting to
institute a union in the workplace. This could have had created a
negative environment for employees who could face retaliation based on how
they voted. Minnesota members were also active in responding to the call
for action on FMLA. These efforts helped SHRM in the quest to restore the
original intent of the FMLA legislation. Finally, the membership was
active in the influencing the immigration debate. This has been and will
continue to be a top priority of the Congress and the HR community.
Congratulations to those who took time to contact their legislatures and
help "make a difference" in our profession. It is often tempting to
"rest on ones laurels", but the commitment to influence legislation is an
ongoing process not an event. This fall there will be new legislation
proposed and your efforts will be needed again. The most effective way to
continue to make a difference is to visit the HR Voice section of the SHRM
website and visit it often. This offers the most update analysis of
current legislative issues facing HR professionals today.
Legislative Update Archive
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