HR 101: A Primer for Newbies

1. HR 101: A Primer for Newbies Dr. Kimberly C. Chambers Director of Human Resources Adlai E. Stevenson HSD 125 kchambers@d125.org 847-415-4111

2. Purpose of today’s conversation • Discuss the key HR Administrator responsibility • Learn tips and tricks from an old veteran HR administrator in managing the responsibilities of this role • If this is your first or second year in HR, this is the place for you! • If you have been in HR longer, please jump in an contribute.

3. What is the primary responsibility of an HR Administrator?

4. We protect the Board and District.How?

5. Setting and Monitoring Culture • We demonstrate our culture to our candidates and new employees from our first interactions with them • Welcoming, understandable hiring processes • Respond to requests quickly and accurately • Friendly, embracing onboarding process • We demonstrate our culture in how we interact with our employees • Respond quickly and accurately • Treat everyone with respect, even when having difficult conversations • We demonstrate our culture in how we support our administrators • Provide adequate guidance and training • Provide the necessary resources for them to complete the HR-related portions of their jobs

6. Providing Effective and Timely Communication • We notify employees of policies, procedures, and other necessary information • We notify supervisors of the same • We serve as problem-solvers • We work closely with employee groups (unions, associations, administrative teams)

7. Competently Negotiating and Writing Policy • Collective Bargaining • We know the mandatory topics of bargaining • We negotiate on behalf of the Board but remember that we all need to work together after the process is over! • We know the CBA better than anyone • We manage the CBA • We make sure that others understand the CBA • Board Policy • We write compliant policy • We know the policy • We manage the policy • We train others on the policy

8. Providing Supportive Supervision and Evaluation • We write and implement evaluation plans and protocols for faculty, administrative staff, and support staff • Improve performance • Recognize excellent performance • Document sub-standard performance • We provide professional development and training for managers and evaluators on • Appropriate documentation • Use of the plan/protocol • Importance of process and deadlines • We create employee handbooks…and keep them updated

9. Appropriately Managing Information & Data • We gather necessary information and keep it organized and updated • Personnel files (paper, digital) • Human Resources Information Systems • We appropriately store and manage medical and HIPAA files • We appropriately store and manage investigation files

10. Compassionately Handling Employee Discipline • We follow the CBA, Board Policy, state statute, and federal statute – and we train others to do the same • We treat employees fairly and in a non-discriminatory fashion • We do not make employment decisions based upon protected factors • We document, document, document! (And ensure that others do the same) • What did the employee do? • What should the employee have done? • What was the impact of the employee’s actions? • What do you expect from the employee in the future? • Legalese… (right of rebuttal, union representation, information in the personnel file, etc.)

11. Creating Careful and Compliant Hiring and Staffing Practices • We create recruitment plans • What is your District looking for? Develop a profile • We hire great employees • Legally-compliant process • Properly licensed and endorsed • We appropriately assign employees to best serve the students’ and district’s needs • Ensure compliance with FLSA (work hours, overtime, lunches, breaks); exempt and non-exempt status • We do not move around poor performers • We manage releases, RIFs, and dismissals • We provide induction and mentoring programs to new employees

12. Monitoring and Managing Compensation & Benefits • We administer programs fully and without bias • We serve as a resource to all staff members (on all sorts of things!) • We benchmark salaries and benefits against comparable districts • We research trends in salary and benefits and make recommendations

13. Delicately Handling Investigations & Complaints • We respond graciously to threats of lawsuit, EEOC complaint, and Wage & Hour violation allegations • “Here’s my contact information” • We respond to and manage complaints and grievances • We thoroughly and quickly complete investigations • Harassment • Misconduct • Title IX • Discrimination

14. Decision Making Cheat Sheet • Do I have both all sides of the story? • What does the state school code say? • What does my district’s CBA say? • What does my district’s board policy say? • What is the history around this issue? What is my district’s past practice? • Would I make the same decision for any other employee? • Can I defend my decision to … my superintendent? My Board? The Association President? A reporter? A Hearing Officer or Judge?

15. Resources • Your District’s: • Legal Counsel • CBA/s • Board Policy • Evaluation Plan/s • Employee Handbook/Manual/s • An HR Mentor • State School Code • State Pension Sites • National Labor Relations Board • US Department of Labor • FMLA • Wage and Hour Division • EEOC • US DOJ/Office of Civil Rights • ADA • State Licensure/Certificate websites

16. Professional Resources • American Association of School Personnel Administrators (AASPA) • Boot Camp • Annual Conference – Fall • State-Level Organizations • Illinois Association of School Personnel Administrators (IASPA) • Society of Human Resources Management (SHRM)

17. Remember… • Ask lots of questions • Be consistent • Make defensible decisions • Act in a purposeful manner • Remember to be gracious and kind – even when (especially when) others are not • Forgive yourself your mistakes

18. Questions?