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NORTHLAND HUMAN RESOURCE ASSOCIATION



NHRA News

  • 15 Apr 2020 2:05 PM | Kate Nolin-Smith

    If you are searching for credible resources during this time of uncertainty, the SHRM website offers members many valuable webcasts. These webcasts include topics like Coronavirus, FFCRA, CARES Act updates, and many more. Not only do these webcasts offer insightful information but many of them also offer SHRM credit.

    Here is just a brief list of webcasts available:

    How to Lead Remote Teams-https://shrm.org/LearningAndCareer/learning/webcasts/Pages/0420mcleesegilbertseiter.aspx

    Learning From Times of Uncertainty:  Hr’s Critical Role in Business Continuity -https://shrm.org/LearningAndCareer/learning/webcasts/Pages/0420develinmullenlowery.aspx

    Boosting Morale & Community:  Merck’s Story -https://shrm.org/LearningAndCareer/learning/webcasts/Pages/0420leoreimertsantos.aspx


    For a full list of webcasts, please visit the SHRM website at  https://shrm.org/LearningAndCareer/learning/webcasts/Pages/default.aspx


  • 09 Apr 2020 11:00 AM | Kate Nolin-Smith

    Click here for the PDF with images.

    10-minute Workout Anywhere

    Boost your heart rate and brain power with this quick home workout. For a digital version of this workout, visit heart.org/movefor10. Do each exercise at your own pace for 30 seconds with 30 seconds of cardio between exercises (such as high knees, march in place, jog in place). Rest as needed.

    Try these tips:

    Weight(s) can be small dumbbells, kettlebells or anything heavy you may have at home, like a purse, water bottle or gallon jug, backpack or book. Or make your own adjustable weight by loading a small tote bag with magazines or books.

    Stabilize yourself as needed by holding or touching a wall, desk or stationary (non-rolling) chair. As you get stronger, test your balance by letting go of the support. *Please speak with your health provider before starting an exercise program and with a fitness professional for adaptations that best meet your individual needs.

    Shoulder Rolls Activity: Standing or sitting with feet hip width apart, slowly roll both shoulders forward, up, back and down. Reverse direction. Add Intensity: Hold hand weights down at sides.

    Squats/Chair Activity: Standing with feet hip width apart, keeping back straight, bend knees and hips as if to sit down in a chair with arms out in front of you. For squats, straighten back up and repeat. For chair pose, hold in “seated” position. Add Intensity: Raise arms overhead or hold weight(s) at chest or shoulders.

    Calf Raises Activity: Standing or sitting with feet hip width apart, keep legs straight but not locked as you slowly lift heels and rise to tip-toe position, then lower back to floor. Add Intensity: Do on one leg at a time while keeping raised foot at ankle or knee. Do at least 10 repetitions before switching to other side.

    Side Bends Activity: Standing or sitting with feet hip width apart and hands on hips or overhead, bend to one side and return to standing. Do at least 10 repetitions before switching to other side. Add Intensity: Hold a weight down at your side (on working side), at chest level or overhead.

    Toe Taps Activity: Standing or sitting with feet hip-width apart, lift knee to waist height, extend and tap toe on floor in front of you, lift knee again and return to standing. Alternate sides. Add Intensity: Tap toe on the edge of a wastebasket, chair or desk instead of the floor.

    Pushups/Plank Activity: Standing with feet hip-width apart, place hands shoulder-width apart on stable surface such as wall, desk edge or stationary (non-rolling) chair, walk feet out behind you until body and legs are in a straight line at about 45- degree angle with floor. To begin hold in plank position (make sure to tighten abs) and bend and straighten at elbows. You may also do pushups from the floor (begin with knees on the ground and work up to full pushups). Add Intensity: Lift one leg behind you and hold during pushups or plank. Repeat for other leg.

    Neck Stretch Activity: Standing or sitting with feet hip-width apart and shoulders down and back, look straight ahead and tilt ear toward shoulder until you feel the stretch. Hold for about 10 seconds. Repeat to other side and forward. Add Intensity: With hand on top of head in each position, apply light pressure to increase stretch.

    Leg Lifts Activity: Sitting at the front edge of a chair with feet flat on the floor, straighten one leg out in front of you and hold in place for a few seconds. Return foot to floor and repeat and alternate legs. Add Intensity: Instead of sitting on chair, support your weight with your hands.

    Thigh/Glute Squeeze Activity: Sitting at the front edge of a chair with feet flat on the floor, squeeze glutes and thighs together and hold for at least 10 seconds. Add Intensity: Hold a book or other sturdy item between your knees without using your hands.

    Forward Bend Activity: Sitting at the front edge of a chair with feet flat on the floor, fold forward with chest to thighs and head dropped forward. Relax and take a few deep breaths. Add Intensity: Do forward bend in standing position with knees slightly bent.

    Learn more ways to Move More at heart.org/HealthyForGood

    ©2020, American Heart Association a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit. All rights reserved. Healthy for GoodTM is a trademark of the AHA. Unauthorized use prohibited. 3/20DS16004


  • 09 Apr 2020 10:40 AM | Kate Nolin-Smith

    Ballad Spahr provides a Coronavirus Disease (2019) resource center for up-to-date federal and state guidance.

    "We are actively monitoring federal and state government guidance and situation updates—and stand ready to help clients navigate Coronavirus-related business concerns.

    Guidance and regulations involving COVID-19 are changing rapidly—often with little or no notice to the public. Our alerts and resources pages are continually updated. Please make sure you are reviewing our most recent guidance, and consult a member of our team before taking action."

  • 09 Apr 2020 10:14 AM | Kate Nolin-Smith

    FFCRA DOCUMENTATION REQUIREMENTS

    Under DOL regulations, employers may require certain information from employees to verify the need for FFCRA leave. More importantly, under IRS guidance, to take advantage of the payroll tax credits, employers are required to obtain and retain (for four years) certain information. The following enumerates all categories of information discussed by the DOL and IRS.

    Initial Information from Employee

    Initially, employers should memorialize the following information, which may be provided orally by the employee. If provided orally, according to the DOL/IRS, the employer should document the oral statements.

     Employee’s name

     Dates for which leave is requested

     Qualifying reason for leave

     Statement that the employee is unable to work or telework because of the qualifying reason.

    Additional Information from Employee

    The regulations further specify forms of additional documentation based on the reason for leave. In each instance, the information may be provided by the employee and does not require any further certification, such as by a health care provider. The nature of the additional information depends on the reason for leave:

    For leave requested pursuant to an order to isolate or quarantine -- identify the government entity that issued the order.

    For leave based on advice of a health care provider to self-quarantine -- the name of the healthcare provider; and, if the leave is to care for another individual, the identity of and relation of the individual to the employee.

    Although not mentioned in the documentation rules, the DOL regulations define an “individual” as someone with whom the employee must have a personal relationship. Examples: an immediate family member, a person who regularly resides in the employee’s home, or a similar person with whom the employee has a relationship that creates an expectation the employee would care for that person if quarantined.

    For leave due to a school closure or unavailability of childcare -- (1) the name of the child; (2) the name of the school, place of care or childcare provider that closed or is unavailable due to COVID-19; and (3) a statement that no other suitable person is available to care for the child during the period of requested leave.

    In addition, under IRS guidance issued on the same date as the DOL regulations, an employer can require that, if a child is over 14 years and care is during daylight hours, the employee provide a statement of “special circumstances” requiring employee to provide care.

    IRS Required Documentation

    Additionally, the IRS requires that employers maintain documentation related to the following:

     How the employer determined the amount of EPSL or FMLA-PHE Leave paid to employees, including records of work, telework and leave

     How the employer determined the amount of qualified health care expenses allocated to wages

     Completed Forms 7200 submitted to IRS (Advance of Employer Credits)

     Completed Forms 941 (Employer’s Quarterly Federal Tax Return) submitted to IRS

    Track Documentation

    Employers should set up a system to gather the information from employees seeking leave. If the employee does not respond or provide all required information, notify the employee of the deficiency and give them a reasonable period (7 calendar days) to cure the issue. If the employee fails to cure the issue, even after being notified, the employer is not required to provide paid leave under the FFCRA.

    Sample Form

    Leave under the Families First Coronavirus Response act (FFCRA)

    REQUEST AND DOCUMENTATION FORM

    To request Emergency Paid Sick Leave (EPSL) or paid FMLA Public Health Emergency Leave as provided under the FFCRA, please complete the following Request and Documentation Form and submit to the Human Resources Department as soon as possible, but not later than five (5) working days after the first workday missed. 

    For FMLA Public Health Emergency Leave, only leave required for reason No. 5 below applies, and notice of the request for leave must be provided as soon as the need for leave is foreseeable.

    Employee Name (Print):

    Department:

    Manager Name:

    Requested Start Date:

    Estimated End Date:

    The reason for this leave request is (check the appropriate reason below):

     (1) I am subject to a federal, state, or local quarantine or isolation order related to COVID–19.

    Name of governmental entity ordering quarantine:  ______________________________________

     (2) I have been advised by a health care provider to self-quarantine due to concerns related to COVID–19.

    Identify the health care provider’s name, specialty, and address:  ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     (3) I am experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and seeking a medical diagnosis Identify the health care provider’s name, specialty, and address:  _____________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     (4) I am caring for an individual who is subject to either Reason 1 or 2 above. Identify the name of the individual and relationship to you:  _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Does the individual reside in your home?  _______________________________________________

    For Reason 1, Name of governmental entity ordering quarantine:  _______________________________________________

    For Reason 2, Identify the health care provider’s name, specialty, and address:  _________________________________________________________________________________________________

     (5) I am caring for my son or daughter disabled and needing whose primary or secondary school, or place of care, has been closed, or my childcare provider is unavailable due to COVID-19 precautions.  My son or daughter is under age 18 (or over 18 and incapable of self-care due to a disability. 

    Name and ages of all children needing care:  ______________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    Name of school, place of care, or child care provider that is closed/unavailable due to COVID-19: 

    _________________________________________________________________________________

    By checking here, I am representing that no other person is available to provide care to the child(ren) listed above during the period for which leave is requested: 

    For any child ages 15, 16, or 17 who needs care during daylight hours:  I hereby represent that there are special circumstances requiring me to provide care, as follows:  ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________

     (6)  I am experiencing another substantially similar condition specified by the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.  This condition is:  _________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

    If you have used EPSL while working for any other employer since April 1, 2020, identify the total number of hours of EPSL you have used:  __________________________________________________________________

    Additional Documentation regarding my request is attached.

    I hereby certify that I am unable to work or telework due to the qualifying reason identified above.

    By signing this form, I certify that the above information is truthful and accurate.  I understand that my employer will rely upon this information in filing for a payroll tax credit with the Internal Revenue Service:

    Employee Signature:  ______________________________________         Date:  ________________________

    Manager Signature:  _______________________________________        Date:  ________________________

    Human Resources Signature:  ________________________________    Date:  ________________________


  • 02 Apr 2020 12:35 PM | Kate Nolin-Smith

    Northland Healthy Minds COVID-19 Toolkit

    We've compiled some local resources for you. If you have suggestions or questions, email us at info@northlandhealthyminds.org.


    Click to Download


  • 25 Mar 2020 12:20 PM | Kate Nolin-Smith

    tHRive Law & Consulting LLC provided a recording for the webinar today titled "Covid-19 New Employment Laws."

    This webinar covered topics about:

    Families First Coronavirus Response Act

    Effective date: April 1:

    - How to count employees

    - Payroll as of the date the employee takes the leave

    - How to calculate pay

    - Whether shelter-in-place orders are government quarantine orders

    - Any leave granted BEFORE April1 will not be credited

    - DOL is not enforcing if you’ve made good faith efforts to comply for 30 days

    Here is a link to the full recording:

    https://thrivelawconsulting.com/2020/03/25/march-25-9-am-webinar/


    Additional source links:

    DOL Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Questions and Answers

    https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-questions


    DOL Families First Coronavirus Response Act: Employee Paid Leave Rights

    https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/pandemic/ffcra-employee-paid-leave


    DOL Workplace Posters now include FFCRA notice

    https://www.dol.gov/agencies/whd/posters?fbclid=IwAR2Vq3H1grj3eke5kSWmb2eTn784YNSizP_YylJnT6la9te09RqtCu-4Rww

  • 24 Mar 2020 6:00 PM | Kate Nolin-Smith

    The National Alliance on Mental Health has provided a document with useful information and resources to deal with Covid-19.

    Content covers:

    - I’m having a lot of anxiety because of the coronavirus. Please help.

    - I’m quarantined or working from home – lonely and isolated even further – what can I do?

    - I don’t have health insurance or a regular doctor – how can I get care?

    -  What if I’m quarantined and can’t get my medication? Will there be a shortage

    - My business is suffering as a result of the Coronavirus. What assistance programs are available to help?

    - Are people who have a mental illness at a greater risk of contracting COVID-19?

    - Is there a vaccine or cure for COVID-19?

    - I lost a loved one to Coronavirus. Where can I find support?

    - I’m a smoker. Am I more likely to catch COVID-19? What should I do?

    - How does homelessness increase risk of contracting COVID-19?

    - My loved one is incarcerated, are they at increased risk for exposure to COVID-19?

    - I’m the aging parent of an adult child living with a serious mental illness. I want to be sure they are taken care of. 

    Please find the full document at 

    https://www.nami.org/getattachment/About-NAMI/NAMI-News/2020/NAMI-Updates-on-the-Coronavirus/COVID-19-Updated-Guide-1.pdf 

  • 19 Mar 2020 10:38 AM | Kate Nolin-Smith

    Society for Human Resource Management (SHRM) posted an article about recent legislation that includes Paid-Leave Mandate "Trump Signs Coronavirus Relief Bill with Paid-Leave Mandate". Access the article here:  

    https://www.shrm.org/ResourcesAndTools/legal-and-compliance/employment-law/Pages/Senate-to-Vote-Soon-on-Coronavirus-Paid-Leave-Mandate.aspx


    SHRM is not only working to provide the latest tools, resources, and information to manage COVID-19 in the workplaces but also provides members access to hundreds of resources: HR Topics, Laws & Compliance, Business Solutions, Educational Programs, and Tools & Samples (templates, forms, job descriptions, etc.) This is an invaluable database of resources and support for only $219 a year. For more information about SHRM membership, please visit their website at  https://www.shrm.org/about-shrm/Pages/Membership.aspx 


    This summary of the HR 6201 Bill was shared by SHRM

    HR 6201, the Families First Coronavirus Response Act

    Emergency Family and Medical Leave Expansion Act

    • Leave would cover employees who are unable to work (or telework) because the employee is caring for their child (18 years or younger) because the school is closed or childcare provider is unavailable due to a public health emergency.
    • Leave shall take effect 15 days after enactment of the act and sunset on December 31, 2020.
    • Eligible employee is defined as an employee who has been employed for at least 30 calendar days by the employer.
    • Employers with 500 or fewer employees would be required to provide the paid leave.
    • Employers are not required to pay initial ten days of leave; however, employees may substitute accrued vacation, personal or sick leave to cover unpaid leave portion.
    • Employers must pay ten remaining weeks of leave at a rate not less than two-thirds of employee’s regular rate, not to exceed $200 per day and $10,000 in the aggregate.
    • In the case of an employee whose schedule varies from week to week to such an extent an employer is unable to determine with certainty the number of hours the employee would have worked if such an employee had not taken the leave, the employer shall use the following in place of that number: 1) A number equal to the average number of hours that the employee was scheduled per day over the six-month period ending on the date which the employee takes the leave, including hours for which the employee took leave of any type. 2) If the employee did not work over such period, the reasonable expectation of the employee at the time of hiring of the average number of hours per day that the employee would normally be scheduled to work.
    • Employers that are health care providers or emergency responders may elect to exclude employees from this leave.
    • Employers with 25 or fewer employees are not required to restore an employee once leave has been exhausted if the position held by the employee when the leave commenced does not exist due to economic conditions or other changes in operating conditions of the employer caused by a public health emergency.
    • Secretary of Labor has authority to issue regulations to: 1) Exclude certain health care providers and emergency responders from the definition of eligible employee; and 2) Exempt small businesses with fewer than 50 employees if the above requirements would jeopardize the viability of the business going forward.

    Emergency Paid Sick Leave Act

    • Employers are required to provide 80 hours of fully paid sick leave to full-time employees (pro-rata rules would apply to part-time employees) on top of any other existing paid leave program of the employer.
    • Leave provided under this provision shall take effect 15 days after enactment of this act and made available to covered employees immediately. The leave will sunset on December 31, 2020.
    • Private employers with 500 or fewer employees must provide paid sick leave while a public agency or any other entity that is not a private entity or individual and employs 1 or more employees. 1) Private Employers and Public Agency are defined as those engaging in commerce.
    • Covered employees eligible for paid sick leave include: 1) Employee subject to a Federal, State, or local quarantine or isolation order related to coronavirus; 2) Employee has been advised by health care provider to self-quarantine due to coronavirus; 3) Employee is experiencing symptoms of coronavirus; 4) Employee is caring for an individual who is subject to an order described in (1) or has been advised as described in (2); 5) Employee is care for their child because the school is closed or childcare provider is unavailable due to coronavirus; or 6) Employee is experiencing a similar condition specified by Secretary of HHS.
    • Employers would be required to pay employees their full wages, not to exceed $511 per day and $5,110 in the aggregate, for a use described in (1), (2), or (3) above.
    • Employers would be required to pay employees two-thirds of their wages, not to exceed $200 per day and $2,000 in the aggregate, for a use described in (4), (5), or (6) above.
    • Employers are prohibited from retaliating against any employee who takes leave in accordance with the act. Employers that fail to pay required sick leave will be treated as a failure to pay minimum wages in violation of the Fair Labor Standards Act.
    • In the case of an employee whose schedule varies from week to week to such an extent an employer is unable to determine with certainty the number of hours the employee would have worked if such an employee had not taken the leave, the employer shall use the following in place of that number: 1) A number equal to the average number of hours that the employee was scheduled per day over the six-month period ending on the date which the employee takes the leave, including hours for which the employee took leave of any type. 2) If the employee did not work over such period, the reasonable expectation of the employee at the time of hiring of the average number of hours per day that the employee would normally be scheduled to work.
    • Secretary of Labor has authority to issue regulations to: 1) Exclude certain health care providers and emergency responders from the definition of eligible employee; and 2) Exempt small businesses with fewer than 50 employees if the above requirements would jeopardize the viability of the business going forward.

    Tax Credits for Paid Sick and Paid Family and Medical Leave

    • Private employers with 500 or fewer employees required to provide COVID-19 related paid leave are eligible for a 100 percent refundable payroll tax credit on the wages paid for leave.
    • The tax credits would be administered by the IRS and be creditable against employer-side payroll tax liability, with any excess refunded to the employer.
    • Tax credits for COVID-19 related pay sunset on December 31, 2020.

    Emergency Unemployment Insurance Stabilization and Access Act

    • Expands unemployment benefits and provides $1 billion in 2020 for emergency grants to states for activities related to processing and paying unemployment insurance (UI) benefits related to COVID-19.
    • $500 million would be transferred to the states within 30 days after the enactment of the bill upon certification by the Secretary of Labor to the Secretary of the Treasury (so long as the state complies with certain requirements, such as requiring employers to notify employees of the availability of unemployment compensation and permitting individuals to apply for unemployment compensation in at least two of the following ways—inperson, by phone, or online).
    • The remaining $500 million of the grant would be reserved for states in which the number of unemployment compensation claims has increased by at least 10% over the previous calendar year. To receive access to the second portion of the grant, states must, among other things, make it easier for individuals to obtain unemployment compensation by taking steps to temporarily ease eligibility requirements that are limiting access to UI during the COVID-19 outbreak, like work search requirements, required waiting periods, and requirements to increase employer UI taxes if they have high layoff rates.

    Health Care (Applicable to Private Health Plans)

    • Establishes requirements for private healthcare plans to provide COVID-19 diagnostic testing and related visits at no cost to consumers. This includes coverage for the cost of a provider, urgent care center or emergency room visit in order to receive testing.


    A link to the H.R.6201 - Families First Coronavirus Response Act can be found here https://www.congress.gov/bill/116th-congress/house-bill/6201

  • 28 Jan 2020 12:19 PM | Kate Nolin-Smith

    CALL FOR SPEAKERS | MNSHRM 2020 STATE CONFERENCE
    2020 Vision - Helping Your Organization See Clearly

    October 12-13, 2020 | Mystic Lake Center, Prior Lake, MN

    The Minnesota State SHRM Council invites you to share your expertise and experience with our community of human resource professionals at our 2020 State Conference.

    Our conference has a terrific history of dynamic and insightful content and we are excited to hear from you as we plan for this year’s conference. Speaker selections will begin on March 15, 2020.

    The MNSHRM State Conference anticipates an audience of approximately 800 human resource professionals who are truly excited about our emphasis on providing professional development resources that they can take back to their workplaces. Our diverse attendees include: generalist, employee health and  wellbeing, employee relations, recruiting, organizational development, total rewards/compensation, benefits, and training and development. 

    Please click on this link for additional information and to submit your proposal.


  • 20 Sep 2019 8:18 AM | Deleted user

    UPDATE: Deadline extended to Monday, November 4th!

    Veterans Memorial Hall, a program of the St. Louis County Historical Society, announces its 2019 Mike Colalillo Medal of Honor Scholarship.  The $1,500 scholarship is open to any full-time student, who is enrolled in a higher education institution in St. Louis County, or a resident of St. Louis County, Minnesota, who is a full-time student enrolled in a higher education institution outside of St. Louis County, Minnesota.

    Scholarship applicants are required to submit a 3 to 10 page double-spaced research paper on a topic relevant to veterans of St. Louis County, Minnesota.  A minimum of one resource from the Albert J. Amatuzio Research Center must be referenced.  Research papers may address a historical event in St. Louis County, Minnesota, related to a conflict, a war, the homefront, or tell the story of a county veteran.

    Application Form: 2019 Colalillo Scholarship Application v0.2.docx

    Application deadline: Thursday, October 24, 2019.  The scholarship will be awarded at the Veterans Remembrance Dinner on November 15, 2019. 

    Contact: 

    Jay Hagen

    Veterans Memorial Hall Program Assistant

    St. Louis County Historical Society

    506 West Michigan Street

    Duluth, MN 55802

    (218)733-7500

    jay@thehistorypeople.org

    www.vets-hall.org


    About Mike Colalillo and Veterans Memorial Hall

    Mike Colalillo was the last living Medal of Honor recipient in St. Louis County.  Mr. Colalillo received the Medal of Honor for his actions in World War II.  A brief biography of Mike Colalillo can be viewed online at http://www.vets-hall.org/stories/world-war-ii/mike-colalillo.  Veterans Memorial Hall displays Mike Colalillo’s uniform and a replica of his Medal of Honor, as donated to the Society by the Colalillo family.  Entrance to the Veterans Memorial Hall exhibit is free to the public, during regular Depot hours. 

    Veterans Memorial Hall was established in 1909 and is a program of the St. Louis County Historical Society.  It is the mission of Veterans Memorial Hall to preserve and collect veterans’ stories and artifacts and to educate the general public about the history of veterans from northeastern Minnesota.



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