Upcoming Meeting

Sept 28-30 SHRM New York State Annual Conference 2026  

For the first time in 13 years, the SHRM New York State Conference will be held in Buffalo!  

Looking to be a sponsor?  Check out this year's sponsor guide and send us a message to learn more about 2026 options!

DIVERSITY SPOTLIGHT:

Andrea Harden
Director of Talent & Culture
Buffalo AKG Art Museum

Andrea Griffa Harden, SPHR – Director of Talent & Culture, Buffalo AKG Art Museum

BNHRA Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Belonging Committee highlights an HR or business leader from the Buffalo Niagara region whose organization is championing equity, belonging, and inclusion in the workplace.

Learn about Andrea in this Q & A here: Buffalo Niagara Human Resources Association - Diversity and Inclusion

deiA MAY newsletter:

Diversity, Equity, Inclusion & Accessibility Newsletter

HR Mentors Needed!

You probably have had a mentor (maybe even more than one!) in your career. If you have, you know what even one hour a month of advice and support from an expert can do. Think about how much that has shaped your success, and how much you could impact the success of someone else going into HR.

SHRM and SHRM Foundation are looking for dedicated HR professionals who have a passion for helping the next generation of HR leaders excel and succeed as they prepare to launch a career in HR. We are looking for mentors to work one-on-one with a SHRM student member for approximately 1 hour a month for three months. The maximum time commitment is four to eight hours (over the course of three months) and you could earn 3 PDCs!

Mentorship is a key way you can support the next generation of HR professionals and help them thrive. 

LEARN MORE HERE

certification prep

SHRM NYS Certification Preparation Program 2026

Oct 3 - Dec 12, 2026 

SHRM New York State is offering a virtual certification preparation course.  The facilitator, Matt Burr, will lead participants through 11 weeks of material to prepare students to take the SHRM Certification Exam.

The class will meet on Saturdays from 9am-12pm EST between October 3, 2026 - December 12, 2026. The cost for the course is $1,000 per person and the class can accommodate 15 students.

If you are interested in participating, please contact Matthew Burr at [email protected]

To access, simply log in as a member.  Not a member yet? Learn more about joining here or reach out to our Membership Director at [email protected]

DAEMEN OFFERS SCHOLARSHIPS FOR BNHRA MEMBERS!

Daemen University is offering BNHRA Members a Discount on select Graduate programs! Please click HERE to learn more!

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

Overtime Exemptions Under Fair Labor Standards Act Rolled Back to 2019 Standards

Written By: James R. O’Connor and Natalie Turney, May15, 2026 

$684.00 Weekly Minimum for Executive, Administrative, and Professionals Exemption Now in Effect

On May 14, 2026, the U.S. Department of Labor (“DOL”) announced that it is rescinding a regulation issued during former President Joe Biden’s administration, restoring earlier and significantly lower salary thresholds for overtime exemptions under the Fair Labor Standards Act (“FLSA”). A technical amendment to the “Defining and Delimiting the Exemptions for Executive, Administrative, Professional, Outside Sales, and Computer Employees” regulation removes invalidated language and restores the 2019 standards. The amendment is effective May 15, 2026.  Continue reading here

Read past Legal Update articles HERE

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Corporate Membership Spotlight

StaffBuffalo is a certified women-owned (WBE), full-service professional staffing firm, providing executive, direct hire, and contract solutions for employers in Buffalo, NY and the surrounding areas. We specialize in providing our clients with the best candidates for each job, as well as, personalized career management solutions to each candidate looking for new opportunities..   Read more

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Did you Know?

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

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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!

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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 & HRBuffalo! 

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 Cathy Lanzalaco at [email protected]

Helpful Resources

Check out our updated In-Transition page HERE

If you are a current SHRM member who is in a job transition, you may request a 3 to 6 month membership extension by emailing [email protected] within 30 days prior to your membership expiration date.

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Other Professional Events

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

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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!

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