November 16, 2020

Upcoming Meeting

January 27 Manage And Be Managed…Remotely

We’re living in a remote universe and making the transition goes well beyond Zooming. These times present an exciting opportunity to up your engagement and flex your manager-leader and individual performer muscles.

Led by Jennifer Patrick, Director, Executive Education & Leadership at Canisius College’s Wehle School of Business, you will receive practical tactics and advice to help you improve remote performance and employee engagement.

Don’t miss this engaging and interactive session with Jennifer and your HR peers!

ZOOM Meeting 8:30 a.m. - 9:30 a.m.
$10 Members | $15 Guests

Pre-approved for recertification credit by SHRM and HRCI

Watch our video Awards: National Disability Employment Awareness Month (NDEAM)

View the business awards for ten WNY Businesses and this year’s NYS Entrepreneur with a Disability, Sean Cuddihy. The videos were made possible by Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, the major corporate sponsor for this event. The Western New York Employment Consortium ,The Erie County Office for People with Disabilities, and ACCES-VR are the other major sponsors.

NYS Smokers' Quitline offers free nicotine gum

The New York State Smokers’ Quitline, based at Roswell Park Comprehensive Cancer Center, received a large donation of free nicotine gum, available for a limited time distribution. The Quitline will attempt to distribute all of the donated nicotine gum through Feb 2021 (just prior to expiration dates). The Quitline’s goal is to distribute all of the free supply of nicotine gum to tobacco users across NYS to help be successful in their quit process. The user-friendly Nicotine Gum Promotions toolkit of Quitline resources is located here.

We are pleased to offer the NRT gum (while supplies last) to assist your work helping those with nicotine addiction. The nicotine gum can be used for NRT combination therapy (nicotine patch and gum) or mono use-gum only. In addition, tobacco users can call the Quitline at 1-866-NY-QUITS (1-866-697-8487) for free coaching, support, materials and resources.

If your organization would like more information, please contact Patricia Bax, RN, MS, NCTTP, ACB at 716-845-4365

Call for Speakers!

Are you interested in speaking to the BNHRA at our monthly professional development meetings in 2021? Please contact Claire Petrie at [email protected] for more information.

We are currently seeking motivated individuals who are interested in taking on a greater role in their HR profession and community to join the BNHRA Certification Committee! The area of HR certification is always changing – just like the profession itself. Once formed, the certification committee will meet on a regular basis (virtually) to collaborate on how we can bring certification to the next level for the BNHRA membership.

When you join or renew as a SHRM professional member, you'll not only receive access to member-exclusive resources, including HR breaking news, HR forms and Ask an HR advisor service, but for a limited time, you'll also receive a FREE SHRM TOTE and Digital HR Ebook when you use code DIGITALHR. This offer expires 11/30/2020.

Legal Update: Phillips Lytle LLP Alert for BNHRA Members: Labor & Employment

New York State Issues Sick Leave Guidance And FAQs (Nov 3, 2020)

On April 3, 2020, New York State enacted a Statewide mandatory sick leave law (SLL) affecting all private employers in the State. The law requires all private employers to provide up to 40 or 56 hours of paid or unpaid leave (depending on size and net income) annually for covered absences. Under the SLL, employees became eligible to start accruing leave time on September 30, 2020, for use starting on January 1, 2021. The New York State Department of Labor (DOL) recently issued guidance and answers to frequently asked questions (FAQs) to assist employers in complying with the SLL.

The guidance and FAQs provide direction on the application of the SLL in several areas, including the following:

Calendar Year
• Employers must use the period from January 1 to December 31 to determine their total number of employees.
• For other purposes, including use and accrual of leave, employers may use any 12-month period as the “calendar year.”

Covered Employers
• Employers with multiple locations must count the total number of employees across all locations in determining how many employees they have for purposes of the SLL.
• Out-of-state employers must provide sick leave to employees who physically work in New York State.

Corporate Membership Spotlight

Alcott HR Group is a Professional Employer Organization (PEO) which provides Human Resource services in the areas of:
• HR compliance
• workers comp, risk mgmt.
• employee benefits
• and payroll administration

Our clients are small to mid-sized organizations (5 employees to 150) which cannot justify having in-house HR staff or need an affordable and effective HR resource.

Did you Know?

It’s time for equality for all, across every area of society. That’s why SHRM has introduced Together Forward @Work, a call to action to bring racial equity to the workplace—the place we know best and have served the longest. And a place where we, our members, and our business community can bring our unique professional talents to stand together against all forms of social injustice. Check out the SHRM Blog for new articles each week.

Get Involved and Give Back! Junior Achievement WNY Volunteer Opportunities
Sponsorship packages available for our monthly events! Check out bnhra.org/sponsors

Government Affairs Updates

SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act

The SUPPORT for Patients and Communities Act (SUPPORT Act) was signed into law to address the U.S. opioid crisis and takes steps to augment and enhance the nationwide system for preventing and treating opioid addiction.

The SUPPORT Act makes changes to a variety of public health and law enforcement policies. Here’s an overview of some of the health care-related policy changes included in the law.

· Medicaid Institutions for Mental Diseases (IMD) Exclusion: Amends the IMD exclusion to allow state Medicaid programs to receive federal reimbursement for covering certain IMD services up to a total of 30 days annually.
· Telehealth: Expands coverage of telehealth services under Medicare for the treatment of substance use disorders and co-occurring mental health disorders beginning July 1, 2019. Also directs the Secretary of Health and Human Services (HHS) to issue guidance regarding federal reimbursement for telehealth services and treatment for substance use disorders under Medicaid.

Sponsorship Opportunities

Are you looking for more ways to get involved in the BNHRA and reach out to the BNHRA Community? The BNHRA offers a variety of ways to become a sponsor:

Website Sponsorships:

Website Logo Sponsorship
BNHRA Home Page Sponsorship
Career Center Page Sponsorship
Sponsorship of an Individual Website Page

Program Sponsorships:

Program Featured Sponsor
General Meeting Sponsor
Vendor Table
Sponsorship of Dessert and Coffee at a Dinner Meeting
Sponsorship of Social/Networking Event

Learn more about the Sponsorship Options here!

In Transition Memberships

Do you know of fellow HR professionals who are currently in between jobs? If so, please let them know BNHRA offers a NO cost In Transition membership package that includes our Goodwill Fund, sponsored by StaffBuffalo, LLC!

In-transition Committee

The In-transition Committee connects BNHRA members that are currently in-transition and also those seeking a new employment opportunity with one another, as well as services in the community such as training, career coaching, and networking. If you are interested in learning more, please contact Marge at [email protected]

Mentoring Opportunity

We are looking for BNHRA members to offer mentoring and support to members that are in-transition and for HR student members. This may include assistance with resumes, suggestions about interviewing or skills, career development, training, and making a career transition. If you are interested, please contact Marge at [email protected] or Collin at [email protected].

Helpful Resources

Check out this new resource for in-transition members: Grad's Guide to Getting Hired

SHRM In-transition members renew your SHRM membership through SHRM's one-time membership option at zero cost. For more details click here.

BNHRA Salary and Benefits Survey

2019 BNHRA Salary and Benefits Survey - sign up to participate in the 2019 survey and receive $150 off the annual subscription fee.

Other Professional Events

Other Professional Events - be sure to check out this page for many exciting events in WNY!

Job Postings!

Do you have an HR Position that you would like to share with the BNHRA Community? BNHRA Members can post HR jobs for FREE! Learn more here!