Among the fastest growing fields in our JCC community is that of human resource director. Much more than a traditional benefits administrator, the HR director is often intimately involved in the hiring, nurturing and termination of staff. Our session will deal with topics currently challenging each of you, including harassment and the development of anti-harassment programs, policies and procedures. In addition, we are going to discuss performance appraisals—particularly why so many do not get completed—staff retention and morale, background checks, and other issues you face.
We will survey the movement’s HR directors in advance of the conference to make certain that the topics for the session match your needs.
Human Resources Job Track Leader: Michaela Aparicio, Human Resources Director, Bender JCC of Greater Washington
Michaela Aparicio, SHRM-CP, is the Human Resources Director at the Bender JCC of Greater Washington. She oversees all aspects of HR, and has worked in HR in non-profit organizations for the past three years. Prior to working in HR, she has served at various non-profit organizations, in program management and direct service.
Session Title #1: What Keeps You Up at Night?
Speaker: Michaela Aparicio, HR Director, Bender JCC
This session will be an opportunity to share not only the challenges you have each day at your JCC, but also a chance to brag about some things that you and your staff do particularly well. Be prepared to speak about your job responsibilities, staff size, challenges and successes.
Session Title #2: 20 Keys to Difficult Performance Management Conversations
Speaker: Jonathan Segal, Partner and Managing Principal, Duane Morris Institute, Duane Morris LLP, Philadelphia PA
Anyone who handles HR or who supervises staff has had a difficult conversation with an employee about his or her performance. Sometimes, it is in the context of a performance review. Other times, it may be a final warning. Regardless of the context, careful planning is necessary, so that nothing is said or done to trigger a difficult lawsuit. This session provides 20 guardrails to minimize the legal risk and maximize the business benefits of difficult but necessary conversations about performance. Common traps in the absence of bad intent are emphasized.
Session Title #3: What Senior Management and Employees Expect of You as an HR Leader
Speaker: Jonathan Segal, Partner and Managing Principal, Duane Morris Institute, Duane Morris LLP, Philadelphia PA
Managing staff and ensuring your JCC’s adherence to a vast array of laws and rules can be daunting. You’ll learn about emerging and hot legal topics such as: “off the clock” work and its potential impact on overtime compensation obligations; common mistakes in those difficult performance management conversations and documents; pay equity and looking at developing systems and auditing techniques; what documents and discussions are “privileged” and how that privilege can be inadvertently broken, and when you don’t want the privilege; implicit and conscious bias—how to spot and avoid it. This topical session promises to provide you with a lot of practical and fascinating advice than should not be missed!
Session Title #4: The HR Director’s Role in JResponse
This session will focus on preparing for disaster. The rest of the time will be a facilitated discussion about what might be needed at your JCC in your department if you were faced with a disaster and how might you be able to help another JCC if it were faced with a disaster. What do you currently have in place at your JCC or in your department to be ready for such a situation and what do you need to do to ramp up and be as ready as possible.
Session Title #5: Social Media and its Impact in Hiring, Supervising and Firing. What You Can and Shouldn’t Do.
Speaker: Jessica Golden Cortes, J.D., Partner, Labor and Employment, Davis and Gilbert LLP, New York, NY
An evolving and critical component of organizational life is the political and philosophical difference that arise in the employment setting. Specifically, we will address opportunities and constraints in hiring individuals with political views antithetical to the JCC mission. We will also look at how an individual’s social media behavior—whether it be an inappropriate picture or comment—impacts their effectiveness in their job. What is your legal response? What can’t you do?